[Saruhashi]

Yeah, but I think that easily most people are going to be disappointed if we're getting the same ass ugly shrines that rise out of the ground, and you step inside and are lowered down below to the same ass ugly looking puzzle rooms. That would be incredibly lazy if that's what they've done. And I'm not really on board for Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Mini-Puzzle pack after playing Breath of the Wild Puzzle pack. Like seriously fuck that, please. I don't want to believe they've done that shit just like I don't want to believe the f--khead koroks are back with the same style of f--khead korok mini puzzle shits.

It's becoming increasingly more difficult for me to not just f--king cancel my preorder the longer we talk about this because it just sounds insultingly same-ish no matter how many fuse-y vehicles you can build.

That's the problem with these criticisms for me though.

"It looks kind of the same" is not equal to "it's all the same stuff all over again".

In the context of a direct sequel it's not that unusual to see things that remain the same across games. Jedi Survivor is not some wild and crazy departure from Fallen Order.

So if instead of smaller self contained shrines they had just combined them all into say six dungeons with 20 or so puzzle rooms each, grouped by themes like magnesis or ice block etc, then that's much better? Surely not THAT much better?

The "lazy" criticism is kind of lazy in itself to be honest.

I doubt that development on this started the day after BOTW was finished or anything like that but I bet the game has been in development for at least 4 years and I am pretty certain that Japanese game devs are crunching like fuck all through the process. So 4 years spent on development with the devs themselves likely working long hours throughout, where's the lazy and how do you fix that? Larger dev team and longer development cycle?

No idea how much BOTW sold but most people who bought it will likely be happy with a sequel being more of the same stuff with only really people on video game forums being apocalyptically angry because it's not a completely new thing.

It is kind of funny though that the gaming community response to BOTW getting a sequel is "it better be completely different from the first game or I am gonna be so mad". Like, it's a fucking sequel to a majorly popular game, what did you really expect?

You know how it goes now. It sells millions and reviews well and most people are quietly happy with it. Meanwhile we get "it's the same map, same shrines etc" on here because expectations were out of touch with reality from the first announcement.

The only thing I can see really causing this game to fail badly would be performance problems. Most people are just going to see more of the stuff they loved from before and will pay the money and enjoy their game.

 

[Saruhashi]

Also, since when are sequels being branded as "DLC" because they don't change enough stuff?

Just because it suits a particular narrative.

I'm not buying the idea that a new suite of game mechanics, new story, new bosses across a 40 to 50 hour game that took a decent sized team 4 years to develop is "just DLC".

 

[Amorous Biscuit]

I don't think anyone needs to worry, poking about with it for about an hour on Ryujinx last night and I think there will be more than enough to keep BotW fans happy. What doesn't get old is diving off the sky platforms and holding R to accelerate. It's a stupid but fun mechanic.

 

[p_banned]

Also, since when are sequels being branded as "DLC" because they don't change enough stuff?

Just because it suits a particular narrative.

I'm not buying the idea that a new suite of game mechanics, new story, new bosses across a 40 to 50 hour game that took a decent sized team 4 years to develop is "just DLC".

The devs themselves told it started as DLC...

 

[Mickmrly]

Also, since when are sequels being branded as "DLC" because they don't change enough stuff?

Just because it suits a particular narrative.

I'm not buying the idea that a new suite of game mechanics, new story, new bosses across a 40 to 50 hour game that took a decent sized team 4 years to develop is "just DLC".

I think Majora's Mask set the bar too high to be honest. That was a really creative reinvention of the Ocarina of Time formula that was done really quickly as well. OOT and MM are the GOAT Zelda power combo.

 

[DonDonDonPata]

the leaked previews are interesting. Two things I'm noticing:

One, lots and lots of praise for the item-combination and crafting, but it also sounds like it can be a fiddly pain. For a fanbase that supposedly hated weapons running out and breaking, seems like a ton of puzzles and encounters will require limited-use items to really make the most of the mechanics. I think this will be annoying as often as it sparks a feeling of "oh cool aha!"

Two, the vibe sounds completely wrong for the sequel of Breath of the Wild, more like Fortnite or modded Skyrim. I don't expect it to be a fully "serious" game because Zelda always has a touch of lightheartedness, but glueing everything to everything and flying through the air on rockets is goofy and the game world loses its realism when everything is just an object to be glued on another object. It won't make the game un-fun but I'll probably be even less engaged in the story compared to BotW.

 

[Joe T.]

I was sipping the Haterade when I started checking this out, then found myself on hour five or six of "just a few more minutes" last night. My opinion changed a good bit after leaving the starting area and wandering around Hyrule.

If a BotW fan goes into this without being spoiled by all the leak-related content (enemy types, items, maps, etc) there will be a lot to like about this sequel, even some of the more trivial changes/additions surprised me. If this is DLC - and I do understand those complaints - then it sets a new standard that stands tall above all others.

Maybe this isn't the thread for it, but it needs to be said because I think it's weighing down the "early adopter" experience: there are a number of emulation issues that need to be ironed out, even those on the highest end systems aren't getting the ideal experience. This is best played on Switch.

 

[Saruhashi]

The devs themselves told it started as DLC...

That's fair enough but anyone with sense knows they didn't spend 4 years working on DLC.

 

[MildWolverine]

the leaked previews are interesting. Two things I'm noticing:

One, lots and lots of praise for the item-combination and crafting, but it also sounds like it can be a fiddly pain. For a fanbase that supposedly hated weapons running out and breaking, seems like a ton of puzzles and encounters will require limited-use items to really make the most of the mechanics. I think this will be annoying as often as it sparks a feeling of "oh cool aha!"

Two, the vibe sounds completely wrong for the sequel of Breath of the Wild, more like Fortnite or modded Skyrim. I don't expect it to be a fully "serious" game because Zelda always has a touch of lightheartedness, but glueing everything to everything and flying through the air on rockets is goofy and the game world loses its realism when everything is just an object to be glued on another object. It won't make the game un-fun but I'll probably be even less engaged in the story compared to BotW.

Well having a retarded fused weapon on your back during cut scenes destroys any kind of tension or drama they're attempting to poorly build.

The characters are all retarded again like Breath of the Wild, the kind of people that are flat AF, and just using a handful of spoiled rich character architypes.

 

[Snes nes]

The characters are all retarded again like Breath of the Wild, the kind of people that are flat AF, and just using a handful of spoiled rich character architypes.

oh great now were complaining its too anime.

 

[p_banned]

oh great now were complaining its too anime.

To be fair, character development in a zelda game is practically non existent.

 

[MildWolverine]

To be fair, character development in a zelda game is practically non existent.

Yup, but it's 2023, so we should expect better than flat characters spouting awful tropes.

 

[p_banned]

Yup, but it's 2023, so we should expect better than flat characters spouting awful tropes.

They can't even make a game with strong durable weapons, we can expect the same with the story.

 

[Saruhashi]

the leaked previews are interesting. Two things I'm noticing:

One, lots and lots of praise for the item-combination and crafting, but it also sounds like it can be a fiddly pain. For a fanbase that supposedly hated weapons running out and breaking, seems like a ton of puzzles and encounters will require limited-use items to really make the most of the mechanics. I think this will be annoying as often as it sparks a feeling of "oh cool aha!"

Two, the vibe sounds completely wrong for the sequel of Breath of the Wild, more like Fortnite or modded Skyrim. I don't expect it to be a fully "serious" game because Zelda always has a touch of lightheartedness, but glueing everything to everything and flying through the air on rockets is goofy and the game world loses its realism when everything is just an object to be glued on another object. It won't make the game un-fun but I'll probably be even less engaged in the story compared to BotW.

My feeling too, if I'm honest.
Some of the stuff in the previews is TOO goofy and not really the same as messing about with fire and other physics in BOTW.

Running around with mushroom attached to your shield and boulder attached to your sword while you shoot arrows that have a steak on the end of them just seems too incredibly silly.

Though, I do get that Zelda has always really be a mainstream video-game and if the mainstream is into Fotnite and Minecraft etc then it's sad if things go that way.

The modded Skyrim comparison is a good one. It really does feel kind of like that.

Regardless I reckon I'll be giving it a shot.

 

[Snes nes]

To be fair, character development in a zelda game is practically non existent.

I mean I can't remember a zelda game where there was anything really noteworthy going on in the story. Nintendo sticks to the idea of gameplay first which is why the overall story branching between games is condoluted and not worth shifting through.

 

[DonDonDonPata]

My feeling too, if I'm honest.
Some of the stuff in the previews is TOO goofy and not really the same as messing about with fire and other physics in BOTW.

Running around with mushroom attached to your shield and boulder attached to your sword while you shoot arrows that have a steak on the end of them just seems too incredibly silly.

Though, I do get that Zelda has always really be a mainstream video-game and if the mainstream is into Fotnite and Minecraft etc then it's sad if things go that way.

The modded Skyrim comparison is a good one. It really does feel kind of like that.

Regardless I reckon I'll be giving it a shot.

Yeah it'll probably be quite fun as long as the multiplicity of options isn't shallow. A bunch of toys interacting with one another has a limited amount of interest for me, no matter where it lets you fly, how it lets you explode enemies, or whatever. The huge number of "possible solutions" suggests, unfortunately, that most puzzles have very simple solutions and structures: bring Object from Point A to Point B through tricky terrain and puzzle-doors, or get yourself from Point A to Point B by hitting switches across the room and riding a platform you made with the pieces in the middle of the room.

i think the NPCs and ecology of the game will make or break it. Zelda isn't just a game of physics-based gadgets with 3 or 4 "basic properties". There's a craftmanship to the world itself that I enjoy, even though I'm not much of a fan of the storyline/lore. I like seeing custom dungeons, handcrafted villages, dopey villagers with their stupid 10-line dialogue trees and a simplistic daily "routine". It's neat. There are 10,000 different items and 10 billion combinations, cool. But I'm gonna be disappointed if the the NPC interactions amount to "hero, please bring me a bluescale fish on an arrow" and puzzles amount to shooting a target with a Key Item stuck to an arrow. i can't help but assume that either A) the puzzle and NPC interactions are all very "basic" to account for the player freedom, or B) the story / quest segments will be artificially exempt from the "rules" of the world.

In fairness to the game, these problems have always been a matter of developer talent and grit. It takes a lot of time and vision for a team to work out all these permutations and craft a self-consistent system. SO... even if the game ends up being Fortnite Zelda DLC, if the world "rules" can be stretched and bent in absurd ways, that will make it a fun game by any standard of open-world sandboxes. But it might not be a very good Zelda game or even a good sequel to BotW.

 

[Hinedorf]

Trying to add some speculation here as I love all of the ideas going on.... if I were to ask any Zelda fan what is the single best Nintendo console for Zelda games. Let's remove remakes from the equation and just new titles......hard for me to say the Switch doesn't qualify as the single best console for Zelda titles between BotW/TotK.

For me and the childhood nostalgia it'd be SNES and a Link to the Past but we never got another entry IMO as good as that until BotW, so you're telling me there's essentially 2 BotW's on one console I'd call that the Holy Zelda Grail.

Also throwing this in there...the Switch is Link's generation, Mario has become an afterthought

 

[Franky Family]

Underestimated the strength of my hype levels, cannot go any further without some kind of Zelda talk, so I need this thread as a crutch until May 12th lol

There aren't any spoilers in this thread since the leaks, excellent job to this community of Zelda fans. I only skimmed, but the way Facts was reacting I thought someone might have been being disrespectful to the others who wish to remain spoiler-free until they play the game, which isn't the case. Everything is in spoilers tags

Well, can hardly wait tbh. Going to put down the money for two copies next week. Couldn't find the special edition with the books, pins, poster, and all that anywhere but I'm hoping the video game shops I'll visit will honor the Pre-Order and have the copies ready for pick up the day of. With this game I just get the feeling that someone without a Pre-Order will fork over extra cash to get hands on a copy due to changed mind last second

 

[Hinedorf]

Underestimated the strength of my hype levels, cannot go any further without some kind of Zelda talk, so I need this thread as a crutch until May 12th lol

There aren't any spoilers in this thread since the leaks, excellent job to this community of Zelda fans. I only skimmed, but the way Facts was reacting I thought someone might have been being disrespectful to the others who wish to remain spoiler-free until they play the game, which isn't the case. Everything is in spoilers tags

Well, can hardly wait tbh. Going to put down the money for two copies next week. Couldn't find the special edition with the books, pins, poster, and all that anywhere but I'm hoping the video game shops I'll visit will honor the Pre-Order and have the copies ready for pick up the day of. With this game I just get the feeling that someone without a Pre-Order will fork over extra cash to get hands on a copy due to changed mind last second

Curious why 2 copies?

 

[Franky Family]

Curious why 2 copies?

One for someone who has earned it, but would never think to reward himself with a brand new copy. Especially on release day

 

[p_banned]

Trying to add some speculation here as I love all of the ideas going on.... if I were to ask any Zelda fan what is the single best Nintendo console for Zelda games. Let's remove remakes from the equation and just new titles......hard for me to say the Switch doesn't qualify as the single best console for Zelda titles between BotW/TotK.

For me and the childhood nostalgia it'd be SNES and a Link to the Past but we never got another entry IMO as good as that until BotW, so you're telling me there's essentially 2 BotW's on one console I'd call that the Holy Zelda Grail.

Also throwing this in there...the Switch is Link's generation, Mario has become an afterthought

Wii U had virtual console and Twilight Princess HD which is my favourite Zelda and Wind Waker HD and better UI wise version of BOTW for those who likes this trash gameplay. So that gets my vote. I really dislike the Switch, from the joycons, hybrid console concept, dock etc. I can get why people may like it but Nintendo is not for me anymore. Loved the 3DS/Wii U generation but there's nothing from them that has my interest anymore.

 

[Chozofication]

To be fair, character development in a zelda game is practically non existent.

If I recall you haven't played Majora's mask... and you really should

 

[p_banned]

If I recall you haven't played Majora's mask... and you really should

I did, I have it for 3DS, didn't like it for N64, but the QoL updates for this version make it tolerable. I'm still not a fan. Will try to finish it someday. I'm currently playing ALBW which is more my style.

 

[Franky Family]

If I recall you haven't played Majora's mask... and you really should

Majora's Mask was beyond brilliant when it comes to the NPCs they had in that game, their routines, their agendas. I still yearn for that level of interaction in a Zelda game. Which is why I can't understand why you love Twilight Princess so much… If we compare MM's characters to TP's characters it's just night and day. The epitome of intriguing characters and then with TP we have some of the lousiest character development if not the VERY worst, in the entire TLoZ franchise

 

[p_banned]

Majora's Mask was beyond brilliant when it comes to the NPCs they had in that game, their routines, their agendas. I still yearn for that level of interaction in a Zelda game. Which is why I can't understand why you love Twilight Princess so much… If we compare MM's characters to TP's characters it's just night and day. The epitome of intriguing characters and then with TP we have some of the lousiest character development if not the VERY worst, in the entire TLoZ franchise

TP was weird in a sense that it I got a sense of despair higher than Majora's. Plus the music, amazing dungeons (maybe the best in a Zelda gane), get my vote. It was a very dark game (killing of a sage was beautiful). The dual claws and spinner are among the best items in a Zelda gane too.

 

[Franky Family]

TP was weird in a sense that it I got a sense of despair higher than Majora's. Plus the music, amazing dungeons (maybe the best in a Zelda gane), get my vote. It was a very dark game (killing of a sage was beautiful). The dual claws and spinner are among the best items in a Zelda gane too.

TP had its moments. While playing through the game I always felt that the overworld, the characters, and the tone was mainly uninspired. Like the way I felt while playing that game was: it felt like I was trapped in vapid plane of existence with all these dream-like characters. But not in the sense of dream as in good, dream more as in the sense of vague and cannot entirely grasp. Not like intellectually, I mean that the characters were so bland that it was almost like they vanish from your mind just as those in a dream would the first 10-15 minutes after you wake up from one

With TP I enjoyed the theme of the dungeons and their splendor, mostly, the navigating through them was pretty good. But the bosses, which I consider part of the dungeons, were not great. Stallord was the only great boss. The rest range from good to mediocre. Oh yea, the mini boss in Arbiter's Grounds was spectacular too, even if easy. 10/10 for presentation there in that instance

TP is a very strange game. Always had mixed feelings about it. TWW and BOTW are much better games than TP. I think Aonuma was smoking crack cocaine laced with old fishtank water when he was making the game

 

[Chozofication]

Majora's Mask was beyond brilliant when it comes to the NPCs they had in that game, their routines, their agendas. I still yearn for that level of interaction in a Zelda game. Which is why I can't understand why you love Twilight Princess so much… If we compare MM's characters to TP's characters it's just night and day. The epitome of intriguing characters and then with TP we have some of the lousiest character development if not the VERY worst, in the entire TLoZ franchise

Did I say I LOVE TP?

I honestly don't remember.

It's a good game overall, but no where even close to Majora. I love Majora's Mask so much that it's easily in my top 5 games.

I do really like TP, but it could have been astronomically better with Mr. Koizumi at the helm.

I swear to god if I had billions of dollars I would try to buy my way into Nintendo just to get that man to make another Zelda game.

 

[Chozofication]

I think Aonuma was smoking crack cocaine laced with old fishtank water when he was making the game

Then he needs to do that again fam

 

[Franky Family]

Then he needs to do that again fam

But that one cutscene with Iilia was too cringe to bear. The crime rate in Japan probably saw an uptick once the general population reached that point of the story back when TP released

 

[Hardensoul]

Underestimated the strength of my hype levels, cannot go any further without some kind of Zelda talk, so I need this thread as a crutch until May 12th lol

There aren't any spoilers in this thread since the leaks, excellent job to this community of Zelda fans. I only skimmed, but the way Facts was reacting I thought someone might have been being disrespectful to the others who wish to remain spoiler-free until they play the game, which isn't the case. Everything is in spoilers tags

Well, can hardly wait tbh. Going to put down the money for two copies next week. Couldn't find the special edition with the books, pins, poster, and all that anywhere but I'm hoping the video game shops I'll visit will honor the Pre-Order and have the copies ready for pick up the day of. With this game I just get the feeling that someone without a Pre-Order will fork over extra cash to get hands on a copy due to changed mind last second

Same, I keep checking this thread. Thanks guys for not openly spoiling.

I was lucky to get onto the Amazon JP for the Special Edition, then again SE for Amazon US domestic. I'm unlikely to cancel. Keep it unopen.

Bought TotK using eShop $100 voucher, which seem to be best deal for 2 full price games! Which is no brainer for me, I put in a lot of hrs on BoTW that I got digital version and gave away my cart!

 

[Franky Family]

Same, I keep checking this thread. Thanks guys for not openly spoiling.

I was lucky to get onto the Amazon JP for the Special Edition, then again SE for Amazon US domestic. I'm unlikely to cancel. Keep it unopen.

Bought TotK using eShop $100 voucher, which seem to be best deal for 2 full price games! Which is no brainer for me, I put in a lot of hrs on BoTW that I got digital version and gave away my cart!

If I can find the special edition I'll order it, but I reckon they're all gone and will be for months and months — if they even continually restock every couple weeks

 

[Zeta Dragoon]

After looking up every current? spoiler and leak I can only conclude-


Spoilers are a go than?

Ok then-

Spoiler: WARNING TotK Spoilers

TotK is simultaneous both worse but actually better than BotW in a lot of ways until more of its actual content, optional content/secrets are found, with its story managing to

Spoiler: Mega Spoilers Read at own risk

be both the dumbest shit and yet somehow it has the most absolute batshit stuff.

 

[macapala]

After looking up every current? spoiler and leak I can only conclude-


Spoilers are a go than?

Ok then-

Spoiler: WARNING TotK Spoilers

TotK is simultaneous both worse but actually better than BotW in a lot of ways until more of its actual content, optional content/secrets are found, with its story managing to

Spoiler: Mega Spoilers Read at own risk

be both the dumbest shit and yet somehow it has the most absolute batshit stuff.

Are they big spoilers? Bosses, dungeons, endgame?

 

[Zeta Dragoon]

Are they big spoilers? Bosses, dungeons, endgame?

Spoiler: Spoilers

Yes. Backstory, bosses, dungeons, endgame and ending. Though extent of enormous amount of mechanics, how far and extensive they can be, sidequests, locations, ect remains to be seen. Hyrule is so physically huge in TotK there could still be a ton of stuff people have not already found via certain methods to access the cutscenes. Game has to actually be played for that info.

 

[Hinedorf]

Same, I keep checking this thread. Thanks guys for not openly spoiling.

I was lucky to get onto the Amazon JP for the Special Edition, then again SE for Amazon US domestic. I'm unlikely to cancel. Keep it unopen.

Bought TotK using eShop $100 voucher, which seem to be best deal for 2 full price games! Which is no brainer for me, I put in a lot of hrs on BoTW that I got digital version and gave away my cart!

Did the same for TotK with the added bonus of Fire Emblem Engage which is a big win for me

 

[Zeta Dragoon]

Should there be a dedicated ToTK spoiler thread, letting the general thread remain along with the non-spoiler thread?

 

[Franky Family]

Should there be a dedicated ToTK spoiler thread, letting the general thread remain along with the non-spoiler thread?

I'd say no, that's too much work to put on your plate. People should go into an official thread realizing there will be possible spoilers. And most here know the spoiler code to put it in tags anyway, so it probably wont be much of an issue. Those who wish to avoid spoilers will probably just share their thoughts, screenshots, etc and either skim or leave the reading alone until they're caught up

 

[Snes nes]

Should there be a dedicated ToTK spoiler thread, letting the general thread remain along with the non-spoiler thread?

Shut up fact's alt

 

[Mickmrly]

I just hope they let you get a house again. This time I will make sure I do the quest line before finishing 99% of the game first.

 

[Hinedorf]

Should there be a dedicated ToTK spoiler thread, letting the general thread remain along with the non-spoiler thread?

Wouldn't spoil anything story-related regardless but have considered throwing out a few starter tips on release date because the start is a bit jarring IMO