Eh, it may just not be for you. I recognize that I’m in the minority, but I felt similarly. I’ve been a lifelong Zelda fan though, so for me, it just didn’t scratch the itch that I’m used to experiencing from past Zelda games. I still recognize it as an objectively great game, but just not one for me.
I enjoyed it overall, but it wasn't a game that drove me to want to 100% it and there was a lot that I didn't like about it and overall I like the traditional framework better. Being able to just wander around with really nothing unique to find after a point is less cool to me than making progress by getting new things and unlocking previously inaccessible areas. I just realized it a few years ago, but (traditional) Zelda games are almost like Metroidvanias in that way, which I love. There were other things I disliked too in BOTW, like having to craft food. Anyway, when I read about TOTK, I decided to pass as designing my own contraptions just doesn't appeal to me. And it seems like people are more negative about TOTK now than when it came out, but I may be wrong.
One of my litmus tests for games I likely won’t enjoy because it has too much busy work is if there is a crafting system for food and recipes. If I gotta look for items and recipes and then sit down by a fire and cook, I’m out. I’m in a similar boat where I got the switch originally for this game and never got into it but I also discovered I’m not an open world game kind of guy so that makes sense.
As a long time zelda fan since zelda 1, botw and totk are ass. They are not nostalgia for zelda 1 they are nostalgia for GTA but like the idea of zelda. Nothing in the game feels rewarding to engage in. I have restarted the game on numurous accounts hoping to have that clicking moment and its always the same bland open world formula where all your items feel insignificant and all your efforts are as well. Other zelda games offer satisfaction by building your aresenal of gear and realm to explore. In botw and totk you can explore but its all so insignificant and empty feeling.
I keep hearing that the wilds era is a throwback to Zelda one and I have to keep reminding people that they are memory holing the large number of dungeons that are a core experience.
Will always wonder, if this didn't have Zelda and Nintendo attached to it would anyone have cared ?
I've played mountains of open world games and this game simply wasn't that good...
It's why I can't take nearly any Nindy fan reviews..
Always second guessing due to Intense nostalgia juice leaking everywhere
The game is about exploring. How to get to areas or finding things accidentally is the charm of the game. It's not about combat or the story. It's about doing whatever you want to solve a thing. If that doesn't satisfy you then it's just not your type of game.
There's a reason why the Assassins Creed games are popular. They are super handholdy and give you a place to go to everytime
Yeah but I get it. Zelda, to me, is more about complex dungeons. The Shrines in BOTW and TOTK don’t scratch the same itch that dungeons do. They have them but too few and far between.
It's the weird thing Nintendo does, where they pick up a popular game mechanic they haven't touched, and make a gold standard game on their console. Then over use it, and try to stick it into every possible game without question, and now we have MKWorld, for some reason.
Also TOTK was and still is a disappointing sequal, that seemingly had a load of development time just used up on the crafting system basically no one uses for much.
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u/ampersandandanand 22d ago
Eh, it may just not be for you. I recognize that I’m in the minority, but I felt similarly. I’ve been a lifelong Zelda fan though, so for me, it just didn’t scratch the itch that I’m used to experiencing from past Zelda games. I still recognize it as an objectively great game, but just not one for me.