But could it be Zelda? I’m unsure, partly because one outfit would leave her breasts completely exposed. I know Nintendo is daring these days, but not that daring. I reckon it’s an alternative version of Link or Zelda from another timeline, or a new face entirely who was awakened beneath Hyrule Castle. The possibilities are endless, and I hope their true identity serves the story of our main duo instead of taking away from it. The debate is fierce across our editorial team right now, and I adore how such a small trailer has sparked such an intense discuss
Whether it’s Link, Zelda, or something completely out of left field like Waluigi - I just hope the Princess isn’t left to gather dust as a prisoner beneath Hyrule Castle. As I mentioned earlier, Breath of the Wild’s timeline now exists in the present, offering a level of dramatic agency that simply isn’t possible with flashbacks. Our emotions will react to an ongoing story we’re an integral part of, instead of pondering on flashbacks whose participants have long since met their end. Princess Zelda is the strongest character of the whole lot, and pushing her aside purely so Link has a passive damsel to save is woefully archaic writing this series could do without. Who knows, I still have a feeling she’ll be playable. Or there will be time travel. Screw it - do whatever you want, Ninte
Hyrule is no longer a land of the unknown. We’ve explored it for literal days as we talked to citizens, tackled shrines, and eventually saved the world. People know who we are and what we’ve accomplished, so take advantage of that reputation and use it to shape the land in our image. Link shouldn’t be given a voice, but for a narrative set in the here and now to work his identity will need to be cemented in the surrounding landscape. I want to step back into reimagined versions of Zora’s Domain and Kakariko Village and be greeted with open arms by a populace who are happy to see me and perhaps want help with a few local issues as a larger conflict rages on in the background.
Despite Breath of the Wild being recognised as a masterpiece, its storytelling aspects are one of its most criticised elements. Given the nature of its narrative, and how Link finds himself awakening a century after the world began to fall apart, it’s natural that a number of critical characters have either perished, moved on, or just aren’t part of the picture anymore. It’s a lonely game, but deliberately so.
The final moments still make me tear up, acting as the perfect distillation of why these characters are so excellent. Zelda is steadfast in her resilience, but willing to fall victim to her emotions when it really matters. She’s vulnerable, but in a way that simply serves to make her stronger as she moves proudly into the future. Breath of the Wild 2 presumably takes place in the present, with Link and Zelda exploring alongside one another as they rebuild the region into an image they can be proud of. This inevitably leads them to investigate some unusual occurrences beneath Hyrule Castle. Because they’re the unluckiest duo in the world, this releases yet another ancient evil as Zelda is yeeted into a pit and Link finds himself adorned with a bad case of neon zombie arm. Time to save the world again, I gu
Playable Zelda likely isn’t coming in Breath of the Wild 2. I’ve made my peace with that eventuality, even if it could help push the series forward in some truly meaningful ways. When all is said and Adventuregameland.com done, Link is the hero of this story - the Hero of Time if you haven’t heard - and his presence is more than enough to carry an open world adventure we’ll spend hours being enamoured with when it arrives in 2022. Another mystery protagonist could be waiting in the wings, but whether they are related to Zelda remains to be s
Breath of the Wild tells an achingly human tale, but to uncover it you’ll need to invest dozens of hours into scouring Hyrule in search of brief cutscenes that chronicle Link and Zelda’s doomed pilgrimage in search of allies. None of the flashbacks are told with any sense of chronology, so you’ll stumble across them randomly and be forced to work out exactly what is going on and how it factors into the overall adventure. This mirrors Link’s own amnesia, so it feels like we’ve truly been placed in his shoes, trying to work out how our friends were lost and what we can do to save whatever it is they left behind.
Princess Zelda is busy holding back Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle, locked in a state of immortality as she tries her best to save the land from ruin. You can either embark on a journey to recruit allies and reclaim the Divine Beasts or simply dick around for hundreds of hours. Ultimately, it’s up to you, and thus any sense of urgency tied to the plot is lost. Player agency is the most important thing here, so for better or worse, the story takes a backseat until you’re ready to tackle it. A number of main characters like Sidon, Riju, and Purah can be found across the game’s major cities, but they’re mostly passive. They’ll initiate cutscenes and dialogue to push the plot forward once you engage with them, but up to that point, they just sort of exist, rarely influencing the world until you decide to acknowledge they even exist.
