Topic: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

It was definitely a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to getting back in and doing more in the future. My main thing is I am also currently playing Xenoblade X, Ni No Kuni, Mario Odyssey, Mario + Rabbids, Samus Returns, PW: Spirit of Justice, and just got NBA2K18 for my birthday. That's not to mention eShop games I haven't played much like Oxenfree and Thimbleweed Park. Basically, I just have too much to play and too little time to play them to spend too much time on one game, even if it is as fun as Zelda. I want to move on for now.

Instead of saying everything the game does right, I'm going to list some improvements I think could be made.

• A beefier and more cohesive Main Quest line. I'm NOT saying they should do away with the open world concept, but even Red Dead Redemption (one of the most celebrated, and the only other open world game I've played) has a much more linear progression of Main Story missions, you just have the option to ignore it for however you long you wish. IMO, the Divine Beast quests were by far the strongest part of the game, largely due in part that they were the most focused parts of the game. Also, there should be at least a few Main Quest missions in every region.
• Shrines are actually a really cool idea (the perfect chance for non linear exploration & growth), but could be improved upon. The Shrines in Villages or near stables should be actual places the populace worships at, built in the region's architecture, it's just that only the hero is allowed into the "puzzle rooms". Combat Shrines & Shrines with no puzzles (since getting to them IS the puzzle) should just be a little altar next to a sacred tree, rock, or other natural element (maybe instead of the same fight in every Combat Shrine, maybe the guardian spirit of whatever forest, mountain, etc. you're at would reward you for defeating an enemy camp, Hinox, Guardian, or Lynel causing havok in the area). In fact, they should drop all quests that aren't Shrine Quests (which are already beefier than the standard fare), and make those even better. Also, though they could be completed in any order, they'd have varying difficulty levels, and would reward you with better gear/a higher number of Spirit Orbs based on it's difficulty.
• Other little things. I'd love to see at least one big city, and you should have the option to keep Stalhorses, Deer, and other special mounts (they're already just as rideable as regular Horses, so it makes no sense that you can't keep them as is).

@RR529 I definitely agree about the beefier quest line. I honestly thought there was going to be more after I defeated Ganon in Hyrule Castle. Maybe because of the videos I had seen of Link interacting with Zelda, I thought I would be rescuing her from the castle and then having to do more with her, but I guess all of those videos were simply from the memories that I haven't found yet. Some more interactions with more people would definitely be welcome.

I have more than 150+ hours in BOTW without the DLC. I am doubting to buy the DLC and then start the game again but then from the beginning. What would your advice be? Buy the DLC and play from my current safe file (defeated Ganon already, 115 shrines, 450 Koroks, most sidequests) or buy the DLC and start with a new safe file?

@Snadertjuh personally I'd carry on playing the DLC with your current save file - that's what I did. I also added another profile to the Switch OS and then started another game in hard mode, although I'm only really messing about with that at the moment. Lynels on the Great Plateau, yikes!

After beating this game awhile ago, and then lingering for a while, I was bored with my Switch (not many games on Switch I'm interested in). I did the unthinkable and.... gasp.... started a new game from scratch lol. Let's see if I keep it going and complete it again.

@kkslider5552000

You read my mind on your Sidon point

I've heard some people suggest the music in this game isn't memorable. I don't understand that at all. A lot of the music in this game has gotten stuck in my head, and not just the town themes either. The style is different and more subtle at points but Koji Kondo and friends (idunno if Koji Kondo worked on this one and for how much of it) still know how to make earworms.

Main problem with the music is there's not enough of it.

Well that's true. It feels like there's less music than even the N64 games (though I presume it's more like most of the music is limited to required story areas/cutscenes/battles/???)

Music was stellar imo!

Nice detail I found today that some people might not have noticed. (Spoilers for Champion's Ballad DLC and a certain sidequest in Hateno Village)
When you finish the DLC, Kass gives you a picture of the champions. After you've got the picture, if you've bought and fully upgraded the house in Hateno Village, you can walk up the stairs in the house and Link hangs the picture on the wall.

@Dogorilla That is a nice detail. They should give us a like button for comments like yours.

After playing a while, I've become dislike 3 facts. The weapons break too easily, the inventory is a nightmare, and I don't like the questlog system. Reminds me too much of the crappy open world games I've played.

@Cia when i first started playing i was annoyed right away by how easily the weapons broke.. after getting like 15 hours into it i realized it's a pretty good system because there are so many weapons in the game so it keeps it exciting finding new weapons cuz you always need new ones and also it keeps the combat intriguing because you're always using different weapons... the inventory is pretty decent i think.. the quest log kind of sucks though, yea.

@kkslider5552000

I thought that originally, but the more I've played the more I think the music has more effect for being sparing. Less is more. If that makes sense.

@Cia Considering how I always need to throw away weapons because I have too many of them, the weapon durability is really not a complaint I have ever understood.

But yes, the inventory is a nightmare and the quest log is uninspired to say the least.

anybody make it through the ninja clan hideout by killing everyone instead of sneaking?

@Inertiacreep

I've unintentionally tried it a few times. But, no. 😉

@electrolite77 i can one shot them with a sneak attack, but there's a lot of them in the second room and i kept alerting them.. I'm going to try again when i get home from work... btw that is hilarious their reaction to seeing a free banana on the floor lol... i was dying