The sequel toThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis one of the most highly anticipated games in recent memory. This is especially true considering the 2017 launch Switch title instantlybroke records as one of the highest-rated Metacritic games of all time. Since Nintendo announcedBreath of the Wild 2, fans have been waiting for any piece of new information, and there are many hopes and dreams as to what the game could be.
It seems as if Nintendo cannot make it through E3 2021 withoutaLegend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2reveal. Along with the excitement, there are plenty of features that fans are clamoring for in the follow-up. Some fans are hoping thatBreath of the Wild 2will see a return to some of the classicZeldatropes. Meanwhile, there are other requestees that are looking for more innovation and advancement.
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The Return of Classic Zelda Dungeons
Although 2017’sBreath of the Wildis beloved, one of the things that many fans missed was the traditional classic dungeons. The Divine Beasts and their unique puzzles were new and special, butBreath of the Wild 2could use classic dungeonsagain.
The conventional 3DZeldastructure was forgone inBreath of The Wildand replaced with a free-roaming and truly open-world game. Players were able to tackle challenges, regions, and Divine Beasts in any order they pleased, and this came with Nintendo ditching “old-fashion” dungeons altogether. This newZeldastyle is something that the majority of the fanbase loves, as the idea of going anywhere, exploring up and over any mountaintop, and tackling any challenge is truly liberating. WithBreath of the Wild 2, Nintendo will likely bring back that same free-roaming formula, but even if it does, it is possible toreintroduce dungeons withBreath of the Wild 2.
Part of the reason that a game likeThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princesswould be great on the Switchis becauseBreath of the Wildis such a non-traditional 3DZeldagame. But bringing dungeons back wouldn’t break that newBreath of the Wildfeel. Nintendo’s first foray intoThe Legend of Zeldaon the NES is the closest game toBreath of the Wildin many ways. Players were able to go anywhere and tackle any dungeon in any order. The freedom was not as vast asBreath of the Wild, but some of the principles were the same. Nintendo could designBreath of the Wild 2to have a set number of dungeons that could be taken on from the onset of the game and be completed in any order, much like the Divine Beasts or the dungeons in the originalThe Legend of Zeldaon the NES.
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Old-School Epic Zelda Bosses Should Come Back
When bringing up a list of thebest bosses inZelda’s history, most would not mentionBreath of the Wild. The roaming enemies that played like mini-bosses such as the Lynel, Hinox, and Molduga were a blast to battle—andBreath of the Wild 2would be better to bring them back and add more of them–but the game also should include traditional bosses at the end of those classic dungeons that would also see a return.
At the end of each Divine Beast inBreath of the Wild, players must take onone of the four Blight Ganonbosses. There were three major issues with this setup inBreath of the Wild. One, not including the final battle against Calamity Ganon, there were only four major boss battles because there were only four Divine Beasts/Dungeons (significantly less than most 3DZeldagames). Two, the “Blight” bosses felt very similar to one another in their lack of distinct design and overall gameplay. And three, the boss battles were not quite as memorable in comparison to games likeWind Waker, Ocarina of Time,orTwilight Princess.
Because the Blight Ganon bosses were similar and all inside of mechanical Divine Beasts, they did not stand out. Meanwhile,Twilight Princesssaw Link battling the flying Argorok boss during a lightning storm in the clouds in the City in the Sky; and in a collapsing ancient ruin in Arbiter’s Grounds, Link dashed around using the Spinner item to take down the massive Stallord boss. InOcarina of Time, Link uses the Megaton Hammer to bash the skull of the levitating fire dragon Volvagia. InWind Waker, Link must take down Gohma in multiple steps inside of the mouth of a volcano, including swinging over its head with the trusty Grappling Hook. These epic boss battles were very much a core part ofZelda’s DNA, and theold-school bosses should return inBreath of the Wild 2.
Playable Zelda in Breath of the Wild 2
Another intriguing thing that has been experimented with in previousZeldagames is the idea of playing as a character other than Link. Obviously, this is not referring to spin-off games like thewell-receivedHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Specific moments inWind Wakerallowed players to control Medli and Makar to complete dungeon challenges. InTwilight Princess, players take control of Wolf Link, and by extension Midna. InSpirit Tracks, players finally were able to control Zelda herself as long as she possesses a Phantom.Breath of the Wild 2could be a perfect opportunity to bring back those ideas and allow Zelda to join in on the fun.
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IfBreath of the Wild 2were to allow Zelda to be playable, there would be two main lines of thinking. One would be to give players full control and let her be a playable character from the jump, just like Link himself. And the other would be a strategic addition to puzzle-based gameplay moments within dungeons or specific moments of gameplay.
It seems feasible for Zelda to be a swappable character from Link. Theoretically, she could take on all of the challenges of Hyrule instead. Link could still show up in story moments, and players could take on the dungeons, bosses, sidequests, and monsters of Hyrule as the Princess with the Triforce of Wisdom instead of Link this go around. But Nintendo could also design the game so that there are specific moments in which Link “steps aside” and Zelda comes in to take care of business. Puzzle gameplay within dungeons comes to mind, as well as specific story-based moments. There are plenty of ideas, butBreath of the Wild 2would be the perfect opportunity to implement more Zelda into the gameplay.
More Unlockable Unbreakable Weapons
One of the big complaints for some with the originalBreath of the Wildwas the weapon durability. Whether it be a bow and arrow, shield, or spear, weapons break down and completely fall apart in time after usage. There are debates on whether or not weapon durability should stick around forBreath of the Wild 2, but one very smart decision could take care of the problem altogether–that idea would be implementing multiple unlockable, unbreakable weapons.
In the originalBreath of the Wild, there is one single unbreakable weapon, and a few additional weapons that are very special that would fall under a similar category.The Master Sword can be unlocked inBreath of the Wildand does not break, making it truly unique. Additionally, The Hylian Shield can be found or purchased and takes a massive beating before breaking. Meanwhile, the Ceremonial Trident and the Lightscale Trident can break but be reforged with special items after unlocking them.
InBreath of the Wild 2, players should be able to unlock many unbreakable weapons. These items would not be available from the start of the game, so weapon inventory management would still be something that needs to be done correctly, but in time players could collect powerful and unbreakable gear. Just like the Master Sword cannot be unlocked until players have collected a certain amount of hearts, there could be multiple unbreakable weapons that can be scattered throughout Hyrule stuck behind side quests and difficult challenges that take time and effort–but the reward would be worth it.
Nintendo could add, perhaps, one unbreakable item for each weapon type. This way players would have a new challenge to pursue in time. The idea that the weapons would be spread throughout the whole map would mean that it would take physical time to collect them, and the fact that some of them would even be locked behind a difficulty or progression level would mean that they can not be unlocked from the beginning of the game. So “cheesing” the experience would not be possible (just like is the case with not being able to get the Master Sword right away). Achange needs to be made to weapon durability withBreath of the Wild 2, and this system would work well it seems.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2is in development for Nintendo Switch.
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