Topic: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Purporting that one lackluster voice cast means all voice acting will be bad is incredibly shortsighted and dishonest. The problem with the story isn't the voice acting, it's the writing. Not to mention the fact that all of the cutscenes are too short for the cast to get used to their characters or even do anything.

They could've better explored the characters outside the cutscenes as well. Zelda's character is helped by the journals she keeps. They could've done more with that for other characters.

@FGPackers
Ya I get the whole argument against voice acting but, I still prefer it. Having to read everything just seems so lame nowadays. I mean, it's fine, but using voiced cutscenes really elevates the game. So glad they finally used voice actors.

No one has said that at all....where are you getting that from?

I was referring to the Nintendo Switch's reveal trailer last year. Cuz it opens up with that same horse theme at night before cutting to the catchy rock tune.

Nah, mine was completely different. I went north to check out the aurora on Satori Mountain, then when I got chewed up by octoroks and the aurora went away, I headed east and tried to climb the central hyrule tower and failed. I then went east and visited Kakariko and Hatena like you did, though I got to Hatena via Lanayru road toward the mountain, not Fort Hateno). I then went west again to conquer the central hyrule tower for good, and stopped by Hyrule Castle on the way. I kept going west and found the Rito, and I since have been conquering Hyrule in a roughly clockwise fashion (Hebra, Great Hyrule Forest, Akkala, Eldin, Zora's Domain, Lake Hylia, and now I'm in Faron). I hopped around a few times too, cuz I climbed Mt. Lanayru at some random point, and climbed one of those snowy red steppes too. I also eventually got to see what the aurora was all about. Last unlocked land is the Gerudo Desert; I'm really excited!

To those complaining about Zelda's voice acting, my main problem is when her voice quavers when she had dramatic lines. It comes across as over-acting; it's not a very realistic quaver.

I hope my avatar won't count as a spoiler to some... But I love Prince Sidon so much! One of my new favorite Zelda characters.

My journey in the game was normal at first, going from the Plateau to Kakariko and then to Hateno. After that, I ventured out west, briefly to Gerudo, before turning around to Central Hyrule. Then I went through Lake Hylia and Faron, before going back up to Lanayru and conquering the Divine Beast there. Now, I've ventured up to Akkala, but I'm not sure if I will progress. Thinking I may go either to Death Mountain or the Gerudo region next.

I'm the other resident anti-VA-in-Zelda, but I've sort of got used to it. Although, come to think of it, that's mainly because I've been making ample use of the mute button every time a cutscene plays.

I suppose I'm not completely against it in all games. Professor Layton broke the Three Golden Rules entirely, that is: No voice acting is better than any voice acting; if it exists, the original Japanese dub is superior; and American voice actors are universally awful at playing British roles.

That game was undoubtably made more memorable by VA; I prefer the English dub to the Japanese; and Layton's American voice actor is so perfect in his role that I can't imagine any British actor doing it better.

So I can't say for sure where I want it and where I don't, but I didn't want it in Zelda, and now it's out, I... err, still don't seem to want it in Zelda. It's not a big issue, and I think the creators were sensible for sprinkling some in, as I'm sure a non-negligible number of people would have mentioned lack of VA as "unacceptable in 2017" as negative points in various reviews. I think it's as stupidly limiting a mindset as saying "books are unacceptable in 2017", but w/e.

All we can really do is state our preferences on this one, and there's little we can do to change each other's. Perhaps some midground can be found in discussing the quality of voice acting available, but the topic of whether there should be voice acting at all is - I believe - too deeply ingrained and personal to really be of much worth trying to 'settle' for the umpteenth time.

Some people find it heightens the immersion. Some people find it shatters it. When you've built up an identity for a fantasy character in your mind, I find it disconcerting for the game to tell you that they speak in the voice of that dude you who came round to fix the boiler. Or anyone else you actually know. So yeah, I'm in the latter camp, for what it's worth (i.e. not much).

"The problem with the story isn't the voice acting, it's the writing"

It's not either/or; it can very well be both. I've found all the cutscenes a bit clumsy and awkward, and it's definitely been a combination of the two. Which is a shame, as I think practically all the rest of the writing in the game is really, really good. I don't think a Zelda game has ever brought as many smiles to my face - or laughs - as this one, from speaking to absolute random characters. I actually think the localisation team have done a really good job.

And while we're on a positive note, I actually think all the non-language voice acting has been superb too. Someone was saying a few posts back how adorable practically every kid of every species is, and I think a large part of that is due to the cutesy little songs and sounds they make. And the animation and design and writing, but still, the noises are super cute too. The adult characters have got a load of personality in their grunts too. The grunts get 10/10 from me. I love grunts.

Anyway, stepping away from the writhing can of voice acting worms, I worked out how to open one of the big stone doors in the north west snowy region and now consider myself an intergalactic-genius-brain! I was ecstatic when budged open. It's probably my favourite overworld landscape puzzle I've done. Maybe. There are so many good ones.

I also followed @Tsurii 's tip-off about the Super Mr. McStoneyFace near Hyrule Castle and it gifted me with not one - but two diamonds! So I owe him my thanks for that. I'm weirdly adverse to selling them though... I've got almost 40 rubies and sapphires, and 13 diamonds, but I seem to like hoarding them for some reason. I plucked up the courage to sell almost 200 ambers today, but even that ripped a small hole in my soul. I still haven't found the third fairy, so maybe everything will require a bajillion of every precious stone for the next upgrade, but I doubt it...

In the LA version, their policy is that all the workers' names must start with "Ka".

It's so random. I like it

One little complaint: You can't zoom in and out with the camera. You could do it in the Windwaker and Mario Sunshine, and that way you could really admire the enviroments. Since Breath of the wild looks so beautiful, I would have loved to zoom out a bit sometimes. Now it feels if the camera is always very close to Link.

@Henmii You can zoom in and out on the camera, using the D-pad. Not on the Sheikah Slate, but on the camera, yes.

After playing for a few hours last night & this morning i've finally managed to complete the 4 Shrines & have the Paraglider yay lol looking forward to exploring now

@Octane Re. our previous chat about that boss - I beat him this morning. Worked it out for myself eventually. I did in fact use the flurry rush approach to do it.

But what I was finding impossible was a moment when he was on his last bit of health and he would electrify himself and come at me with an electrically charged sword, hit me with a double-strike and wipe out my 4 hearts before I could do anything. I just couldn't seem to evade that attack. But for some reason, the time I beat him, he didn't use that attack. Sucka.

I'm having more fun memory hunting than should logically be possible. Like a kid in a candy store I just run around all the time jumping from one thing to the other. I get to finish the occasional quest in between though

I've been playing for over 40 hours now and I only just made it to Zora's Domain.I keep thinking to myself am I playing this right,I'm just making it up as I go along.I never seem to end up where I intend to go and I feel like I've still got a long way to go with the main story,.That;s the beauty of this game I suppose,we all make our own adventure.Climbing to the highest points and paragliding to a random place with the sun rising in the background has to be one of the most satisfying moments I've ever had in gaming.

Im really digging this game personally. Its a nice change of pace yet still feels the simular. Its certainly not perfect like some have said before but its a really good game

I've played for 35 hours and have avoided going into the Zora domain proper (I've been near there and spoke to the Prince, but thought - sod it! I'm going where I want; I didn;t like his attitude ). I've been mostly hunting shrines and exploring and going "WOW!!!" a lot.

Read what the prize is for collecting all 900 Korok Seeds. From now on i think i'll grab them just to increase equip slots...it is pretty disappointing...

I really like the game but I don't want another Zelda like this, at least this big, for a long time. Please give me something like skyward sword in terms. Of music, story, and linearity. Yes I said it, no I don't care if no one else wants it.

@Operative2-0 I've heard a lot of people give the same sentiment, and I agree. It's tiring doing this much exploring.

I will say there is a neat little thing that happens when you acquire all of the furnishing from Bolson Construction for your house in Hateno Village.