This game is so much fun and really unique. I'll break my review down into separate categories: Art, Music, Gameplay, Story, Overall
-Art-
The artistic design of this game is riveting especially for a handheld game. I am personally not a big fan of Anime, but this Anime leaning interpretation was definitely capturing. It's the little details throughout this game that caught my attention more so than other games I've played. I don't necessarily play games focusing explicitly on the picture and artistic design but this game forces you to acknowledge it. Everything is athletically pleasing for such a small screen. I was very impressed.
The artistic design of this game gets a 10/10
-Music-
Another category I don't give especially detailed notice to when playing games, but again, the music in this game captures the attention. I love how the themes, tone, tempo, and overall mood fluctuate based on where you are and if an enemy is closing in on you. Sometimes you may be walking through the expansive world and not know a bad guy might have honed in on you from behind. But the music will tell you. Very impressed here.
Music gets a 9.5/10
-Gameplay-
The controls were very easy to get used to and everything felt super natural once you got the hang of it. Admittedly, especially in big boss fights, it can be overwhelming remembering what certain buttons to press when to pull out a shield (and remembering to holster certain weapons when using the shield), using special abilities, etc. This is by no means a fault of the game, but more likely user experiences. I did find myself being overwhelmed often in the big boss fights having to rearrange by layout so I could use certain shields, weapons, and abilities as needed. Others may find no issues with this, but it was a slight setback as a newer player to the Zelda franchise (I know I'm behind the times)... Despite these tiny complaints it was impressive at all the options you had and how you could evolve your layout the deeper you get into the story. Aside from basic controls the rest of the gameplay features were extremely fluid and natural. And the world and map is extremely large, again, for a handheld device platform. Very impressive.
Gameplay gets a 9/10
-Story-
By far the best aspect of the game. There was a lot of time spent into the story and you can tell the effort. The way everything ties together (no spoilers), and the evolution of the story as you progress really gets you invested into your success and the continuation of gameplay. I'll admit, the story got me hooked where I'd find myself exploring, doing side quests, and main missions, for hours at a time. Several times I'd have to recharge in the middle of gameplay; a sign of a good game. In my opinion, this game is the best on the Switch market simply due to story and playability alone. I didn't speak much to map and world in the gameplay section but will add it here - the secrets, shrine seeking, and little Easter eggs throughout the world definitely will grip you even if the story doesn't.
Story gets a 10/10, easily.
-Overall-
Being a gamer all my life, I'll say again that I'm new to the Zelda franchise. In fact, this is the first Zelda game ever played. I'm very behind on this, and if all Zelda games are half as decent then I've truly missed out. Overall, this game in my opinion was simply amazing. I loved every minute of it. Even with the minor setbacks I had I don't blame it on the game. Others will likely have no issues that I had. The only reason the game doesn't get a 10/10 for me is because after the last boss fight the game ends and the last saved checkpoint is right before the boss fight. As with most games like this, I expected to be able to beat the boss and then explore and do things (especially in the castle) without fighting off the enemies. Unfortunately that's not an option. I thought this was something I did at first, but after reading online it's how the game was built, and apparently, is how most (if not all) of the Zelda games operate. Not a deal breaker but just a slight bummer. Otherwise the game is near perfect for me... It's challenging, it's fun, the boss fights are no button mashers, and the secrets and mysteries of the world keep you wanting to play and replay.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild gets a 9.5/10
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