He’s one of the most iconic characters in video games, and Nintendo allowed us to shape him into something that represents us even if it goes against exactly how the canonical universe might have wanted it. All these years later, it remains one of the game’s strongest elements, and it seems Breath of the Wild KOTOR 2 restoration Project is not only expanding upon the potential for fashion, but providing the player with ample tools to make this version of Link into whoever or whatever they want. Obviously, I’m going off a brief reveal trailer, but there’s so much here to delve i
I’ve touched on Breath of the Wild’s ending before, and how it’s an almost perfect example of melancholic hopefulness. The evil is vanquished, and now Link and Zelda are tasked with forming a new life together, with rebuilding Hyrule and comprehending what’s next after hundreds of years away from home. Hyrule is both keenly familiar and an unknown quantity, with so much changing over the past century while many of its core fundamentals remain the same. Now they need to move onward and figure out what to do next, carrying all of their past losses on their shoulders while adding further responsibilities to the p
Resident Evil 4 was a major departure from the rest of the series when it was first released. While there first three games in the series were methodical, strategic survival horror experiences, Resident Evil 4 was an intense action shooter first and foremost. While there was some doubt about fans’ willingness to accept this new creative decision, Resident Evil 4 achieved the improbable by being so outrageously good that players couldn’t help but feel excited about the new direction the series was tak
I’ll likely write an article defending Breath of the Wild’s use of flashbacks one of these days, but for now I want to focus on the sequel and how it should do away with them. The first game’s ending sees us return to the present day, with Link and Zelda embarking on another trip across the land to reunite with friends and mourn the loss of their loved ones. Things are returning to normality, at least until another threat emerges in Breath of the Wild 2 and once again throws everything into disarray. So when Calamity Ganon (or whoever is in that spooky cave) rears its head once again, I want the narrative that follows to take full advantage of the present day.
While the original Resident Evil 2 and 3 are fairly similar games, Resident Evil 4 is an action-oriented title with a faster pace than its predecessors. This variation in source material means that the Resident Evil remake series is likely pushing into new territory, leading to debate on what should and should not be changed from the original g
However, I think the first game was a stark indicator that this isn’t a company playing by the rules anymore. Knowing this, I’m hopeful Breath of the Wild 2 will be the most narrative-heavy Zelda game we’ve ever seen, perhaps even superseding Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess with the amount of dialogue it’s willing to subject us to. As long as it’s in service of a wonderful story, I’m more than happy to sit back and sink in.
One of the first anti-RPGs to come out that was woefully underappreciated for its time, people can see why Earthbound has such a cult following that continues to grow even now. The idea of controlling children in the modern setting who fight run-of-the-mill may not sound all that engaging but is a huge part of why Earthbound has such a dedicated fanb
As much as I love them, flashbacks simply don’t facilitate an approach like this. They’re an elusive manner of storytelling by design, providing brief snapshots of memories as we’re left to fill in the blanks for ourselves. It informed the overall tone and thematic delivery of the last game, but now that enigmatic atmosphere has subsided, it’s time to commit to something more definitive.
Link can’t speak, making Zelda the emotional core of a story in desperate need of one. Our protagonist can only stop and stare, providing the occasional nod or grunt to ensure he is with Zelda regardless of whatever circumstances might greet them. Given that so many of Breath of the Wild’s strongest moments are fragmented flashbacks and snapshots of Link’s own memories, it told a wonderfully coherent story of bittersweet heroism. Sacrifices are required to save the world, and Zelda is fully aware of the need to step forward and face the music even if it means giving herself up. She does this, but Link is able to save her, and Breath of the Wild 2 should explore their new lives and the inevitable threat that has the potential to wipe them out once ag
Breath of the Wild 2 seems to follow a similar trajectory, except Hyrule Castle is floating in the sky this time. See, it makes all the difference. Except it doesn’t really, and I can’t help but feel that potentially relegating Princess Zelda into the role of a helpless damsel in distress once again does a disservice to what is easily the best iteration of this character to date. In many ways, Zelda is the star of the show, especially in the previous game’s flashbacks where her struggle with accepting royal power and the inevitable loss of her friends becomes a crux for the unfolding narrat
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