Review: The Legend of Zelda – Breath of The Wild

Note: This is a shorter product review that is part of a longer article.

The highly anticipated new Zelda title, initially promised for the Wii U, mirrors the Twilight Princess situation (similar to GameCube on Wii). While it will be available for the Wii U, experiencing it on the Nintendo Switch is highly recommended. After over 30 years of acclaimed Zelda games, Eiji Aounuma masterfully incorporates the magic of Shigeru Miyamoto’s original 1986 NES Zelda, while delivering a completely new, open-world Zelda experience with a strong emphasis on role-playing and exploration. The game presents a beautiful, enchanting, and challenging world, offering a departure from previous linear structures. Players can immerse themselves in hours of tangential exploration, such as climbing mountains and trees, crafting meals, or simply exploring the vast environment. Notably, players can even attempt to confront the final boss, Calamity Ganon, directly from the outset (though this is not recommended for a first playthrough).

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild retains the distinctive cel-shaded aesthetic reminiscent of The Wind Waker, while simultaneously returning to the more mature design and tone established in Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword. The inclusion of voice acting in cutscenes is a welcome addition. While the player can no longer alter Link’s name, customizing the names of tamed horses remains an option. A significant change is the introduction of weapon and equipment durability, requiring strategic planning, resource management, and crafting to maintain viable armaments.

The graphics and overall presentation in Zelda: Breath of the Wild are exceptional.

Technically, the game maintains a smooth 30 fps in portable mode. The resolution renders at 720p, with some reduction in lighting effects, though this is hardly noticeable on the smaller screen. When connected via HDMI to the dock, the output remains at 720p, however, the Switch dynamically upscales to 1080p, resulting in a perceptible improvement in visual fidelity. In actuality, the game internally renders at 900p, which is difficult to distinguish from 720p, even on larger displays. The increased GPU clock frequency enables enhanced light management and object detail, but this comes at a performance cost. The Switch occasionally struggles to maintain a consistent frame rate in demanding scenes, with dips from the standard 30 fps down to approximately 20 fps (Note: This is significantly improved with the latest patch). While these drops are infrequent and generally acceptable, the performance challenges in this launch title raise concerns about future game optimization. Questions arise regarding the scalability of future titles and the potential impact on third-party support, specifically for large franchises such as FIFA and Call of Duty, if developers are compelled to create custom Switch versions.

Guardians pose a significant threat until you acquire suitable weaponry and equipment.

Time and Switch sales figures will reveal the long-term implications. It is regrettable that Nintendo was unable to incorporate Nvidia’s next-generation Tegra X2 and a higher-capacity battery into the system. The approach to upscaling also warrants consideration. If 720p is the native resolution, rendering all games at this resolution and relying on external upscaling via home theater equipment may be preferable. As it stands, owners of 4K displays experience two stages of upscaling – one from the Switch and another from the display itself – potentially impacting image sharpness and detail.

However, overlooking these technical aspects and minor shortcomings, Breath of the Wild stands as a vast and innovative role-playing adventure from Nintendo, boasting over 100 shrines and countless engaging storylines to uncover. It is undoubtedly one of the finest Zelda titles ever created and potentially the best launch title in gaming history. For those contemplating a Nintendo Switch purchase, Breath of the Wild offers a compelling justification.

Note: Zelda: Breath of the Wild is also available for Wii U, offering the same core content with slightly simplified audio and visual fidelity. We have not yet tested the Wii U version but intend to provide a comparative analysis in the future.