Review: The Legend of Zelda - Breath of the Wild

I disagree with the score. But agree on all the cons.

I can't access it, mainly due to there being some sort of DDoS assholery.

Cynthia McGarvie

It is not ignorant at all. You might want to do a little digging into why Jim wanted to be independent in the first place before speaking about these matters. Many review sites are influenced by the Nintendos, Sonys, EAs, and Activisions of the world, and they are hesitant to be critical of their products. Just look at BotW. Insane scores across the board, but then you play it and see that it is nothing groundbreaking, nothing worthy of the title "Masterpiece" or any of the other hyperbole floating around. It's just a good game with good elements and flaws like any other. So why all the 10s and 5/5s??? There is no other reason for this except for other influence than the game itself. Maybe it is nostalgia, maybe it is brand loyalty, but in either case the game reviews are being influenced by factors that should not apply.

Jason Platt

So what you are saying is that everyone giving the game a high score is "influenced by (...) game developer(s) or console manufacturer(s)"? Isn't this just incredibly ignorant, believing that only the opinion one holds for themselve is the right one? You can't imagine people having the best of opinions about this game without being paid for it? Because maybe, just maybe, some people don't see the need for voiceover in this game because it may fit the atmosphere? I cannot recommend more to you to furthen your horizon. It must get really tight in there. P.S. Jim himself sees obviously quite a few extraordinary things in this game, in stark contrast to your opinion. Is he wrong too?

THANK YOU JIM. Reviews like this are why I donate to your Patreon every month. The gaming community needs more reviewers who can be counted on to not be influenced by any game developer or console manufacturer. I have been playing BotW since it launched and have yet to discover anything extraordinary about it. If I had to score it, I would give it a 7.5. The lack of voice acting alone is enough to knock off 2 points. Imagine if any other AAA title was voiced in only a few cut scenes and every other interaction in the game was just grunts and moans. No review of a GTA game or a Fallout game would accept that and be ok with it, yet here is Zelda with no voice acting and that fact is totally ignored. Every conversation you have with a female character sounds as though she is moaning and it is unnerving. Add to that the frustrating (and NOT fun) elements like tiny stamina, rain (GOD-DAMN THE F'N RAIN!!)) and weapon breakage and you have design decisions that are meant to frustrate rather than excite. Even cooking, which should be a fun diversion if done correctly, is just a lame and cumbersome chore. You keep doing you, Jim. Again, thanks. ^_^

Jason Platt

Great review, Jim. I think you're missing a word in this sentence, though: "Incidentally, I cannot recommend finding as many “hearty” foods as you can." The rest of the paragraph talks about how great hearty food is, so I think you mean, "I cannot recommend enough..."

Rachel Sandler

Awww, that comment section was comedy gold. Just says "Salt limit exceeded" now XD

Great review :) ... I'm really enjoying the game but find the shrines monotonous. Going from a beautiful open world I can climb and fly all over to a drab, uniformed physics/motion puzzle box with the climb ability toggled off is breaking my sense of wonderment multiple times per session... Why can't I get hearts for exploration or combat (you know stuff that doesn't feel like an awkwardly bolted on mobile phone game)? Also weapon degradation just robs hard combat of a a sense of achievement... I fought some demon centaur thing powerful enough to 1-hit me. But I persevered, learning to dodge and parry and counter attack... my reward? standing knee deep in the wreckage of ALL my beautiful weapons with only a couple of hoofs and horse gonads to wave at the next monster that tried to kill me.

Somehow that post has over 2500 comments and it's probably why the page can't load beyond just before the comments section.

The butthurt is real. Good on you, Jim, for being true to yourself. I hope you survive the DDoS attacks and BS in the meanwhile. :(

Andrew C

When I saw that score, I KNEW Zelda fans would be all over you. I'm really sorry, man. I haven't played the game yet, so I can't say as to whether or not I agree, but I certainly respect your opinion and empathize with your pain.

44KPanda

I feel like it was a fair review. Some of the things you dont like I really enjoy but that is personal taste and really you made good points.

not as good as Fallout 4

You should amend the review at the bottom and say "Not as good as Uncharted 4 or Quantum Break".

Wow the backlash is hysterical. We got notes of this in the podcast, but the real deal is better.

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Michael

If anyone is using Feedly as an RSS reader, the article appears to be cached there. It's a very informative and valuable review.

While Jim's review is certainly a fair opinion, I think its unfair to insult reviewers who scored the game much higher. It goes both ways.

Mithos56

Only in a perfect world, my friend.

Grim Ø

Gawd, this kind of blind, rabid tribalism has to stop. I mean, this is just a video game, but this kind of ignorant behavior is the cause of so many larger, more important sociological problems today. A huge chunk of these kinds of people are allowed to vote in democratic societies! In the US, their vote is equally as valuable as the vote of a critical thinker such as myself (not accounting for the inequality granted to individual votes by the US electoral system obviously). They're all so stupid that if they read this comment, they'd think I'm wishing they'd all just agree with me. I don't need them to agree with me; I just need them to behave, agree that facts are facts, and THINK. End of rant.

I don't know what the point is of reading reviews if you only want to hear praise or bashing towards a game. A review is someone's opinion on a product, not yours. Now I can understand calling out a reviewer if they are misrepresenting the product, because that is unacceptable. What is not fair is to expect a reviewer to parrot the popular opinion on a game or your opinion. Your review seems reasonable and is overall positive.

I really want to see a review of BotW from someone who's never played a previous Zelda game... I've watched a few youtubers get excited about it (ProJared mostly) but the things he gets really emotive about are just meaningless to me. I get the distinct impression that the game relies heavily on familiarity and nostalgia as a foundation to its world-building, and that consequently it would feel pretty hollow for someone like me who lacks both.

TheOldDruid

Hey Jim sorry about all the shit you are already getting cause of your review. You don't deserve the abuse. I really wish people would grow up. I don't agree with your score but that doesn't mean I should hate you or wish that bad things happen to you. What is wrong with live and let live?

So- I'm still unable to read the review. It's totes down. But I just wanted to chime in that I am incredibly excited to read a critical review of it. I am not a Zelda fanboy. I very much have enjoyed some Zelda games, but unlike with other Nintendo IP, (read: Pokemon.) I don't have that certain level of fanaticism required to enjoy every piece of media associated to the characters. I want to know what's wrong with it before I spend money on it. Everyone's talking about how great it is, if I go into it thinking "It's flawless." I wont enjoy it. I want to be prepared. XD

Freya Northman

Is the website down? I'm really tempted to get this as soon as the Switch gets back in stock, but I do have concerns about the game, would love to see what Jim thinks.

I'll rather comment here than on the jimquisition (because it's very pointless at 2000 comments...). I'm glad someone had the balls to point out some flaws of the game and not be wowed to a 10/10 review at day 1.

Where is the review?

Max

Here come the fanboys...

Mark Patten

My problem too Penny =/ The comments are like twitch chat

We done crashed your website again didn't we?

Freya Northman

Brace yourself :)

Aaron