After keeping fans waiting for years Nintendo finally released ‘The Lengend of Zelda- Breath of the Wild’ in the UK on the 3rd of March.

Nintendo have perfectly captured the open world atmosphere that people crave for, any way you look you will spot something that beckons exploration and I know that I will happily spend hours simply wondering around the map, soaking in everything the world has to offer. Previously in the franchise players where kept on one story path, completing tasks in a set order, whereas now you can pretty much choose to go anywhere you like and play the game however you wish, granting players with a luxurious sense of freedom. Furthermore the art style impressively blends certain aspects of realism with a cartoonish anime theme that appeals to a variety of ages. Staying true to the Zelda series the game includes fun and eccentric characters and creative enemies.

The interaction between the player and their surroundings is incredibly rich and like no other Zelda game (or any other game for that matter). In addition to this the weather, temperature and noise Link creates whilst moving now all impact how the player must acts. It makes an incredibly refreshing style of game play that encourages people to solve problems they face in surprisingly intuitive ways whilst taking all resources into consideration.

One thing that I was surprised to find in the game was that Link’s weapons take damage and can break, honestly I thought this would make the game needlessly difficult and may be even a bit stressful but I actually found myself enjoying this new strategic element as it doesn’t really make the game any harder but instead enhances a welcomed sense of realism. Personally I think it was the right move to include these features that keep the game ever so slightly more realistic as it allows the player to face some traditional Zelda challenges no matter where they go on the map. A fan of the Zelda series says ‘It is a step in the right direction for the Zelda games and includes lots of features that I would like to see Nintendo implement in other games.’ I certainly agree.

I could have gone into much more detail about all aspects of the game and identified its perks and flaws (mainly perks) but out fear of spoiling too much I have settled for brief descriptions. Overall I would say that the game is just fantastic. Definitely 5 stars and I have not even played it for long! My only complaint is that the game was released during my exam year because now I have to wait months before I dedicate any real time to it!

Jasmine Helm-Stovell

Rosebery