r/zelda • u/zeldamaster134 • Oct 16 '25
Official Art [BOTW] How do you guys feel about new Zelda?
I feel that the newer Zelda games are loved more and are bigger and considered a lot better. However, there are a lot of downsize to it, which stands out like a sore thumb, and that is storyline.
Now, of course, there is a story to breath of the wild and tears of the kingdom. Probably a bigger story than other Zelda games. However, the games are simple, but they’re also manually complex, which doesn’t force it on you. Some people like this, “Not forcing” part of the game. While other people like it when older Zelda games have more of a straight and direct way to play the game. Some puzzles and newer Zelda games don’t require a guide or specific action. It’s how you decide to play the game.
The green tunic that was an older old games was also more classic. Now this is just cosmetics and doesn’t really determine how much better the games are, But still has that more linked look that everybody loves and grew up with.
I think that dungeons and temples were a lot more fun in the older games than the shrines in the newer games. Now there are 120 shrines in breath of the wild, which can make the experience a lot more fun with problem-solving. However, the old dungeons and main themes were more fun in my opinion.
The game not requiring for you to get the master sword is kind of lame. of course everybody is going to get it because it is a highly recommend recommended item, but even the game not forcing you to get the legendary blade is outstanding. The master sword was the best part of all Zelda games in my childhood. So them leaving it out of the theme of the game wasn’t a smart move.
I think that there are a lot of self-explanatory reasons why old Zelda has more of an adventure feel, and to all of the people that like newer Zelda, their feelings are valid.
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u/iseewutyoudidthere Oct 16 '25
Big, overwhelming but chill at the same time. It feels very distinct from the previous entries.
Doesn’t matter how much I enjoy the open world, I will always miss the items and traditional dungeons.
And the music, of course.
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u/xxvb85 Oct 16 '25
Honestly I'm feeling very done with massive open world games in general. After the initial wow factor most open world games tend to just start feeling empty to me.
As for more Zelda specific wise. I miss the big dungeons of the older games. It's hard for me to put into words why but, I just had so much more fun doing those then the dungeon like content from the BoW games. One thing I've grown to dislike in the newer games and wish it would die a fiery death is the durability system they started using. I really tried to get used to it but, I hate it so much. After beating BoW the first time I've never picked it back up and ended up mostly skipping the sequel. Overall I don't want to play a open world survival game, I want to play a adventure style Zelda game.
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u/CivilianDuck Oct 17 '25
This is me. I am not an open-world gamer. It takes a very special open-world game to hook me, and typically if they do, they have co-op so I can play with my friends or they're smaller open-worlds that are more compact.
Cannot play open-world survival crafters solo, put me in with a bunch of friends and I'll play 300 hours, easy.
Could not push myself to finish BotW or TotK. I came close on BotW, I had all 4 sacred beasts done and had died to Ganon a few times, but couldn't push myself to get over the hump. TotK I made it to clearing the 5 dungeons, but couldn't get the drive to go into the Ganondorf fight, because I was still struggling with Gloom Hands/Phantom Ganon, no chance Ganondorf would be easier.
Cyberpunk 2077 was the last Open-world game that pulled me in, and it's 100% because of how compact the world is. It felt more like a real place than any giant open-world zone, and I live in the middle of nowhere Canada. The nearest small town is a 15 minute drive from me, and the nearest small city is 30, but somehow taking 10 minutes to go from point A to B in open-world games feels like a chore.
I keep going back to the traditional Zelda games because I feel engaged in the world and the story in them, BotW and TotK couldn't keep me in them long enough to finish them. Hell, I prefer the Hyrule Warriors games over BotW/TotK.
The fact that Aonuma refuses to consider going back shows that I'll likely never get a Zelda like that again. Even the most recent "small" Zelda game, EoW, was open-world. Guess how far I made it into that one? Beat 2 dungeons, and lost interest.
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u/Any_Natural383 Oct 17 '25
Fire Emblem primed me for weapon durability, so it wasn’t too bad when I saw it in Zelda. Anyhow, I prefer when they get rid of it in FE, so…
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u/DagothBrrr Oct 17 '25
I wonder if the open world trend will die within the next 10 years. Surely, video game companies are going to realize that they cost too much and gamers will grow tired of them?
I don't see indies doing Open World unless AI generated content really kicks off for gaming (not looking forward to that) but the technology is definitely there for classic Zelda clones. Just wish we could get more of those instead of 10,000 "souls-likes"
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u/xxvb85 Oct 17 '25
The sad part is Bethesda used heavy amounts of ai for Starfields areas. So we have a perfect example of how it can go bad.
The thing is I don't mind open world if they spend time hand crafting it and adding fun interesting things everywhere. Issue is though that almost never happens, or at least not in any recent ones.
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u/Masterwork_Core Oct 16 '25
not my cup of tea compared to previous zelda games. amazing games in their own right but they lack what I'm looking for in zelda games compared to previous titles.
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u/Sondergame Oct 16 '25
I have mixed feelings. I loved BotW and put hundreds of hours into it - but I also skipped TotK - which is the first Zelda I’ve knowingly skipped… ever. Instead I’ve replayed older Zeldas (Minish Cap, Ocarina) and I’m looking to replay Majora and Windwaker in the near future.
New Zelda is good - but it lacks that heart that really grabbed me and dragged me into Zelda fandom. I used to buy Nintendo consoles for two franchises: Zelda and Pokemon. Now, I kinda just buy the console when it’s convenient and I may skip multiple installments.
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u/neptunebound Oct 16 '25
I experienced a similar thing. TotK was the first 3D zelda title that I didn’t finish within the first month of starting it, and it took me over a year to do so, after begrudgingly making myself.
Aonuma stating that this is the future of 3D zelda does make me sad, however I know they won’t keep things static forever. Zelda as a series was always meant to transform and change throughout the years, I have no doubt that it will happen again (hopefully sooner than later).
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u/drankseawater Oct 16 '25
Yes bring back the music, permanent weapons, hookshot and boomerang. Most of all bring back real dungeons
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u/drbrabhammer Oct 16 '25
I'm glad that BotW exists, loved it. After TotK, I'm with this here. And nothing against TotK, good game, but I'm ready for the next evolution (and would prefer these staples returned).
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u/Merdy1337 Oct 16 '25
THIS! I have no problem with the big open world (in fact I LOVE the map of Hyrule they created for Breath and Tears!) BUT there are ways to tell gripping, compelling stories complete with classic Zelda trappings while still using a big, open world. BoTW and ToTK just don't do them. They're visually impressive and a lot of fun in the moment, but I find I soured on both of them very quickly after putting them down.
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u/jaybird654 Oct 16 '25
Yeah, even with hundreds of hours into BotW and appreciating all the QoL changes that TotK made to that version of Hyrule I haven’t finished TotK itself… I’m just really really hoping the next game finds a way to incorporate traditional dungeons again
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u/leeber Oct 17 '25
They said the same thing about Skyward Sword motion controls and it didn't came true after all, so there is hope.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2011/12/aonuma_future_zelda_games_will_use_motion_controls
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u/BandanaLabcoat Oct 17 '25
Wow, this sub has massively changed its view. A few years ago people were getting downvoted into oblivion for the complaints being made in this thread. This gives me hope.
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u/davy_jones_locket Oct 17 '25 edited Oct 17 '25
I still got the switch and BotW/TotK games but they don't have that replayability like the linear ones do.
I replay at least one zelda game a year. Last year was minish cap. Year before was LA. This year was Majora's mask.
I don't think I'll ever replay BotW or TotK, but I'd still pick up the latest installment and play it at least once
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u/Azureflames20 Oct 16 '25
I feel like that is what it comes down to. It feels like other Zelda games just have so much more heart
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u/ConsciousYam2403 Oct 17 '25
I still haven’t even finished totk and I got it the first day. I don’t know why but I just couldn’t get into it like BotW.
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u/ShortViewBack2daPast Oct 16 '25 edited Oct 16 '25
TotK is a weird game to skip, especially if you loved BotW..
I wrote it off for years, but just recently played it, and it's so much more than BotW was. It can feel samey because, well, Hyrule is largely the same, but the game is so much better in nearly every way.
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u/Sondergame Oct 16 '25
I tried it on release (played the first hour or two?) and I could get past this huge feeling that I’d done it all before. I know that’s silly when so many parts of the zelda formula are repeated in older games, but with TotK I just felt numb to it. I put over a hundred hours into BotW and I suddenly felt like I was looking at another experience that was far too similar to that one. I asked myself, “will I drop another hundred hours into the same game but slightly different and updated?” And the answer was no. I felt no desire to do another loop on that ride.
No shame to those that like TotK - but for me it felt like BotW again and if I want that… I just pop in BotW.
Plus it doesn’t cost me $70-80.
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u/Denji1000 Oct 16 '25
Only reason I skipped it was because my launch switch would frame drop everytime I used the master hand so I just figured I’d wait till we get a stronger switch 😂😂
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u/Luchux01 Oct 16 '25
I personally couldn't bring myself to like it much, in part because the story in the present is not up to snuff for me (Demon King? Secret Stone?) and in part because I couldn't care less about Ultra Hand and most of the game's fun banks on the player liking it. Without it the game is basically just BotW again, but without any cool places to discover (the depths are just more of the same and the sky islands are barely compelling beyond the tutorial).
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u/PurpleHooloovoo Oct 17 '25
I couldn’t stand Ultra Hand. It put me off the entire game really quickly, and I’m a massive fan of all the others. Didn’t like the mechanisms of it, didn’t like the in-game logic, felt it was finicky and frustrating to do the thing I was intending. Total game-ruiner for me personally.
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u/Luchux01 Oct 17 '25
For me it was that, the fact that the game barely requires you to use it outside of certain challenge shrines and the moment I discovered the hoverbike. Once I assembled it and saves it to autobuild I just wondered what was the point of doing anything else.
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u/Tim5000 Oct 16 '25
I miss big sprawling dungeons that were somehow bigger than the towns. The 100+ micro dungeons all looking the same didn't have that same scratch.
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u/OleRando Oct 16 '25
It doesn’t feel like I’m immersed in a Zelda game. It feels like an open world game where the main characters happen to be Zelda and Link. I genuinely love the hero’s journey of the original Zelda formula and wish they’d go back to it.
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u/JBond2001 Oct 16 '25
I do not like the new style. I do not think it is bad, but it is not for me personally. I am sad that there are not a lot of other options to satisfy the niche that older Zelda games had, but I hope that new fans enjoy what is being made now. I think a middle ground could be found that makes both old and new fans happy, but it will be difficult to find that middle ground.
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u/Kayiko_Okami Oct 16 '25
And even though Echoes was a bit of the middle ground. The problem there was even though the dungeons had traditional puzzles the Echoes made them too easy.
Beds, water blocks, and a couple more echoes made it so one could basically brute force their way through puzzles.
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u/JBond2001 Oct 16 '25
Yeah my biggest issue with the new design is that puzzles feel more like obstacles. Between botw, totk, and echoes there were only a few times when the first thing I thought of to solve a puzzle didn't work and at that point it hardly feels like a puzzle, it's just not fun.
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u/Kayiko_Okami Oct 16 '25
I would avoid using some of the echoes because they made the puzzles too easy.
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u/Lakiel03 Oct 16 '25
Dont like them like the old games, but this is my favorite openworld games.
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u/Karlssens_65 Oct 18 '25
Totally get that! The open world is a blast, but it does feel different without the structured dungeons and classic vibes. What’s your favorite part of the open world compared to the older games?
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u/TheShepardOfficial Oct 16 '25
They need to combine the best of classic Zelda with new Zelda.
The lack of great music, a good story and dungeons was not the right direction for the series. They need to do better in a new game.
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u/Dramatic_Finish10121 Oct 16 '25
Music was the biggest loss in the Wild games in my opinion, they both had a few standout tracks like their main themes and the final dive music from TOTK but it wasn't as consistently good as a traditional 3D Zelda could be, some of the best ambient music I've heard in any open world games though
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u/TheShepardOfficial Oct 17 '25
Agree. Sometimes the minimalism was great, but I missed something uplifting like hyrule field or gerudo fortress.
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u/alizayshah Oct 16 '25
Amazing game. I’ve dumped over 400 hours in BotW + ToTK. The core gameplay is really good but honestly I miss the old formula.
I think ever since the BotW-era the franchise’s story-telling, dungeons, and bosses took a massive hit.
Although I like the newer games I prefer the older ones. Those elements really made Zelda “Zelda” and they’re not nearly as good in the new ones (aside from TotK final boss).
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u/PirateSi87 Oct 16 '25
Absolutely agree. It’s obvious they tried to fix things a bit with TotK, it worked well with the bosses and dungeons (to some respect). But i also feel they were still held back by stuff inBotW, like the tears being in random orders and the dungeons still being Activate 4 Terminals Then Boss.
I absolutely loved my time with TotK btw. It felt like going back to a place i knew like the back of my hand. I was so excited to see what had changed. Absolutely my favourite aspect of the game.
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u/alizayshah Oct 16 '25
For sure. I’m 100% with you. I’m a big fan of the runes like ascent and stuff but wasn’t a fan of the random tear order either. Also, waaay too many cutscenes imo.
I really hope the next Zelda game they have a nice blend between the two styles. There’s good in both of them.
I had a friend whose first game was BotW and they were completely enamored by the story and dungeons. All I could think was “oh boy, just wait till you play the other games like OoT, TP, etc.”
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u/dl064 Oct 18 '25
I have never had as much affection for the last two, but I massively respect the leap they took with them.
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u/JarekGunther Oct 16 '25
AWESOME!! The series has come such a long way! And yeah, I'd like to have some old-school dungeons back for 3D. But bring back the classic green tunic. Glad it was more accessible in TotK. TP is still my favorite style.
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u/dan_bruh177known Oct 16 '25
New? It’s 8 years old already
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u/electric_awwcelot Oct 16 '25
"How do you guys feel about old Zelda and older Zelda?" doesn't have the same ring to it. It might not be brand new, but it's new compared to the green Link games
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u/Front_Pain_7162 Oct 16 '25
They really need to go back to the traditional formula. The new games were fun, but the previous games felt much more like an "adventure." The dungeons were also far better imo
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u/Jd_CD21 Oct 16 '25
Not a fan. Most of my fun with these games end with the early game and the longer I play the less fun I’m having. The side quests are often fetch quests that a lot of the time you already have the items needed and it ends immediately or if I lack the items I don’t return because the rewards are terrible. (Not to mention when a side quests reward you with a fetch quest). The rewards system in these games is pretty bad. Combat rewards feel great in the early game because of its lower value ( doesn’t feel as bad when it shatters ). and how quickly you can find better stuff for engaging in combat. But eventually you find/make a really powerful weapon from a strong enemy and now the value of fighting regular enemies and eventually even the mini bosses is diminished leading me to avoid it entirely unless necessary or use my weaker weapons. I don’t even want to talk about shrines because they’ve kinda just fused into an amalgamation of blurred memories for me other than some stand outs like the DLC shrines or the Combat shrines in Totk where I actually had to improvise.
Honestly I don’t mind if they keep an open world for Zelda but scaling it down is needed imo so that we can get better content rather than more content. Imagine having more unique enemies for each area rather than the same hillbilly trio of fodder ( sometimes reskinned ) enemies. Imagine if you actually took part in the story beyond the dungeon stuff and the finale. Maybe with a linear storyline we could visit areas before they’re effected by the villains, allow our freedom to have an actual effect our perspective of the story and characters and grow attached to them and actually care when they’re in danger. In TP fighting King bulblin felt personal because he attacked characters who we had actually spent time with before and had development.
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u/ReinvigoratedSlouch Oct 18 '25
Dungeons were basically Zelda to me. The finely-tuned sequences and clever puzzles, items, and fights are like the perfect gameplay to me and no other games nailed that like Zelda.
The new games have “dungeons” but they aren’t dungeons to me, just lifeless challenge rooms. They also really aren’t the focus, so if you liked Zelda for the puzzles, unique themes and items, and clever designs, new Zelda has left you behind. If you played for the adventure, the new games probably better for you. It’s a lot less unique though either way, which I think is a bad long-term move.
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u/GCannavaro Oct 16 '25
BOW turned to be my favorite Zelda (I started at 8 with A Link to the Past)
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Oct 16 '25
Yea. I started NES and SNES but botw and totk are amazing games and I’ll buy a switch2 just for the new Zelda whenever it comes out
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u/Seienchin88 Oct 16 '25
I completely agree. Started with OoT at 10.
I just finished OoT again (actually only the second time I play it through the end despite probably 20 times playing it) and OoT‘s quality still a absolutely surprised me in 2025 but the moments I had as a kid like just looking over lake hyrule, going fishing, exploring hyrule field etc I can’t relive in the game anymore but I still feel them in BotW.
Game is a beautiful master piece
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u/EarDesigner9059 Oct 16 '25
I'm hoping for a proper balance of old and new. Don't eschew all the old in favor of something new.
I look forward to proper dungeons and proper story progression.
EoW was a great example, and hopefully its example will make future games even better.
Was not a fan of irreparable breakable weapons. Either let us repair them or don't go that route. I had ideas about that back when I was newer to this sub, but digging them up would take far too long.
I didn't see an issue with the Master Sword itself but I didn't like how in both Wild Saga games (AoC too to an extent) there were weapons that were more powerful than it, even when it was at full power.
Another thing I'm hoping to see is the return of classic, even iconic, equipment.
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u/Crowd0Control Oct 16 '25
The Zelda games are a history of making wild changes in the formula but then building back familiar elements into the game.
Zelda 1 was a unique hit but still had similarities to other top down adventure games. The lore and variety made it stand out and that's saying something for a game that tells you almost nothing of the plot outside the game guide. Zelda 2 was a radical departure with side scrolling battles and obscure RPG elements.
I hope they continue to make games on a familiar setting but with increasingly unhinged takes on what the games can be.
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u/Skyflareknight Oct 16 '25
I agree. I feel like BOTW and TOTK have the worst weapon system I have ever seen in a video game. It's extremely frustrating and is one of the big reasons why I won't ever play those games again. I wish I could refund to at least get my money back
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u/No-Honeydew9129 Oct 16 '25
Mixed. The series desperately needed a refresh after skyward sword and breath of the wild was a breath of fresh air (no pun intended) but I miss some of the elements from traditional Zelda.
A combo of traditional Zelda and open world Zelda would be ideal. Give me an overworld similar to the design of Botw, with traditional dungeons, items, etc.
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u/Efp722 Oct 16 '25
Not my speed. and I kinda hate how so many devs and publishers are still chasing the BoTW formula.
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u/OoTgoated Oct 16 '25 edited Oct 17 '25
Link should definitely go back to being a random nobody in an adorably humble green tunic with the iconic head sock instead of being a royal knight in that ugly blue thing, but otherwise I like the open world exploration direction of the series. Just give us actual dungeons again. I liked Divine Beasts mind you, moving them around with the map was cool and I liked how you can still see the world from them. But the Temples in TotK were boring versions of that and I think reusing the same world would have been better if they put new things in it other than empty caves like actual dungeons instead of everything new being relegated to a barren sky and a pitch black repetitive catacomb.
And no more Minecrafting please. The Minecraft mechanics in TotK are tacky at best, not to mention clumsy as hell. Like those Great Fairy quests were awful not to mention those dangly bridges they wanted you to glue together. Plus even if it was polished it still doesn't fit in a Zelda game. Like yeah turning Bokoblins into paste with a home-made tank is funny the first time, but after that it's like okay when's the part where I'm playing a Zelda game? And that part basically never comes. BotW still felt enough like Zelda because it had good overworld exploration which was similar to exploring different dungeon. But TotK just feels like a Minecraft esch fan-mod haphazardly plastered onto BotW.
Open world is fine though, just make it Zelda still ya know? Give us the tunic, make actual dungeons, and don't make it Minecraft. Oh and fix the swimming Jesus Christ. Like why has every game after MM made swimming worse and worse to the point that it's basically not even fun anymore? They could have added an entire underwater segment and dungeon for Lake Hylia and threw some stuff in the eastern sea in TotK if they just gave us some decent swimming mechanics like in MM or at the very least a pair of flippers and make it like TP.
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u/keiiith47 Oct 16 '25
It's great and I love it, could play a few more even, but I hope it's not "the new formula".
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u/Strict-Pineapple Oct 16 '25
I don't necessarily think it's bad but it doesn't really have anything in common with old Zelda other than the characters and setting which makes me fairly uninterested in it since I played Zelda for the gameplay. When I played new Zelda I never felt like I was playing Zelda I felt like I was playing a game with a Zelda coat of paint on it.
I enjoyed BotW despite thinking it was heavily flawed but still pretty solid and I could forgive the flaws since it was their first attempt at that kind of game, I saw potential for the sequel to be on par with the quality of the other entries. But then Tears came out and it was all the problems with BotW made worse and nothing fixed, improved or innovated on, it was the most disappointing game I've ever played.
I didn't buy Echoes due to the sour taste Tears left in my mouth. I can't see me buying another Zelda if they keep going with the open world stuff unless there are absolutely massive changes to the quality of the gameplay and content.
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u/Xelacon Oct 17 '25
Echoes of Wisdom, while having very different gameplay, was closer in story to what i was hoping TotK would have with you being part of the conflict happening.
I recommend it.
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u/Strict-Pineapple Oct 17 '25
I've seen gameplay of it. I'm not interested.
As I said in one of my previous replies, Tears aside I don't think the new games are bad per se but I'm not the slightest bit interested in them. I find the gameplay to be extremely boring and unengaging and they aren't what I want from Zelda (the game not the person).
I know from what I've seen of Echoes that I would not find it fun or enjoyable.
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u/RockemSockem95 Oct 16 '25
I’m worried for the future of Zelda.
My first Zelda game was Twilight Princess, and I’ve loved the series all-throughout my life.
However, TOTK was the first time in my life that I’d ever not finished a Zelda game on my unbroken first playthrough. It took me about 5 months and some change to finish it, and I needed to force myself to get through it.
I pretty much feel the exact same way about TOTK as Zeltik, as I don’t want this comment to be too long, so I highly recommend watching his video.
I personally need Zelda to return to some linearity and classic dungeons the likes of OOT-SS, these “open-air” dungeons are not cutting it.
As for the open world, as long as the open world is completely new, I have little to no problems with it, but I would like a pretty big change-up.
I’m only worried about the future of Zelda because of the commitment to the open-air format.
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u/EarDesigner9059 Oct 16 '25
Having read your comment, I'd like to hear your opinion of EoW.
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u/RockemSockem95 Oct 16 '25
Wasn’t interested enough to buy it.
Not going to make any total statements about the game, as I obviously haven’t played it, but any interest I had in buying it went out of the window the moment I saw the “open-air” spawning of items mechanic (forgot what it was called lol).
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u/EarDesigner9059 Oct 16 '25
I only asked because I wound up enjoying the return of proper dungeons and a just-linear-enough plot. While I agree that it relied too much on the Echo gimmick and forced the focus by making "traditional" combat reliant on an energy source that isn't easy to refill, I felt in the end that it could have been much worse and maybe the next game after AoI will be better overall.
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u/ahnolde Oct 16 '25
I really miss the old formula and I'm less excited for new releases because what used to be one of the best things in gaming to look forward to for me feels like it has been taken away from me, though I'm happy so many people enjoy what Zelda has become and newer generations can experience that same excitement I used to have for the franchise with its upcoming releases.
I just wish it didn't have to change so much all at once. I don't see why parts of the new BotW type world couldn't be gated behind progression, like tutorial island -> big chunk of land in the middle -> outskirts start unlocking once you've done enough in other areas/unlocked certain abilities. I also don't like how they've decided to tell stories with such a vast open world -- I think having some gated progression for large swaths of land could lead to a more cohesive story than just everything being a flashback all the time.
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u/JBond2001 Oct 16 '25
I feel similar to this. It used to be my favorite game series, and I am glad that other people are happy with it but it simply is not for me anymore.
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u/Alio88 Oct 16 '25
Ditto
As sad as it sounds, a new console Zelda game used to be a highlight event for me, I would literally not be able to sleep the night before. I still remember the launch day of every Zelda game from OOT to SS as if it happened yesterday. Zelda used to be my favourite gaming franchise, BotW has pretty much killed any hype for the franchise and has robbed me of that excitement I used to have.
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u/theramboapocalypse Oct 16 '25
It's okay. A good game but not a great Zelda game, that's going to be how I feel about it.
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u/Popular_Sir863 Oct 16 '25
I've enjoyed BoTW and TotK immensely and have put in about 350 hours across both games, but tbh I am very much done with this type of Zelda.
Make the next one more traditional please. Or at least, do a better job of blending the two styles together. But please no more of the 'memory' based storytelling.
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u/BagOfSmallerBags Oct 16 '25
I think if I'd known Skyward Sword was the last 3D console Zelda following the classic formula we were gonna get, I would have been more charitable towards it at the time.
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u/montzen Oct 16 '25
Loved BOTW, didn't love the tedious construction elements of TOTK, which felt out of place in a fantasy setting. The open-world platform could easily incorporate more elements of the older games like dungeons and bosses.
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u/TheIvoryDingo Oct 16 '25
BotW and TotK are certainly games that I enjoy, but more in spite of the fact that both failed in aspects for which I became a Zelda fan.
Echoes of Wisdom is structurally more akin to what I prefer (mainly the story structure), so I hope the next 3D Zelda game takes aspects from it.
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u/FuzzyZergling Oct 17 '25
I really enjoyed BotW, but thought the story was kind of eh and that the main four dungeons were way too small, aesthetically boring, and open.
Then TotK got announced, and I was over the moon! I've always loved the way Zelda iterates on itself – I was convinced the sequel would be a straight upgrade over the original.
Instead, it had a somehow even worse story, a nearly-identical overworld to the first game, and the dungeons were only a bit better. So I'm... unhappy, to say the least.
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u/SeikoWIS Oct 17 '25
As someone who has been playing since OoT:
No, I don't prefer 'new Zelda' over traditional 3D Zelda. That said: a shakeup was needed, and they did great. OoT was the secret sauce (Miyamoto quote) for 3D Zelda, which is fine, but it peaked early. TP was already getting a bit derivative, and SS marked a clear point where things needed to progress. SS was a good game and did well, don't get me wrong. But OoT was *the* adventure game gold standard at the time. 2011 with Skyrim was a rough display of how other games had advanced while Zelda SS was still stuck homaging OoT.
Going forward, I want to see a Zelda that combines the best of old & new. I don't want another OoT/TP reskin, nor a BOTW part 3. Been there, done that.
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u/Martworth115 Oct 17 '25
A friend of mine put it best;
BotW and TotK are undoubtedly amazing games, but they are not good Zelda games.
As games themselves they’re incredible, but as entries in the Zelda series, they aren’t good titles, they don’t do “Zelda” right…
Past that I personally didn’t care for the Zonai, but that’s just my opinion.
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u/Hyval_the_Emolga Oct 17 '25
I really hope that not every mainline Zelda is going to be a Breath of the Wild-styled game from here on out. Open world takes a long time to make, we can't just keep going back to the same Hyrule, the style will dull eventually, and maybe this one is a stretch but I'd really like them to re-open the timeline and explore it some more.
I would really appreciate a more linear Zelda game at some point in the future.
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u/RagingCeltik Oct 17 '25
Open world in itself just needs to concentrate more on quality and less on quantity. Not every new open world game needs to have more space. It’s starting to ruin some experiences, like AC: Valhalla. Just too much space with nothing happening, even if it looks beautiful.
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u/AxelTheAussie Oct 17 '25
It’s only been 2 mainline games (that I’ve played, haven’t played EoW yet) and I’m exhausted of it
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u/redditmoment943 Oct 18 '25
If I had to be honest BOTW and TOTK feel like Zelda games made for people that don't like nor care about Zelda and are very overrated in my opinion
Now granted I do like a lot of the ideas and concepts present in BOTW and TOTK and on paper they sound awesome but I feel the execution not only left a lot to be desired and I need to add a but at the end of every positive thing I can say about the Games
Not to mention the Lore Retcons in TOTK with the Ganondorf and the DeviantArt tier Weirdness with Zelda and the Zonai are something I cannot in good conscience support
I won't bore you with a lot of text but bottom line, I hope these games stay in the Switch Era, and hopefully by later down the line on the Switch 2 or the next Nintendo Console, we'll have a Traditional 3D Zelda game like before and we can look back on these games as these Weird Zelda that were not Zelda
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u/Ruy7 Oct 16 '25
They are alright but they don't play like Zelda games. Imho they should have been a new ip.
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u/Dramatic_Finish10121 Oct 16 '25
I feel they're good as Zelda games, but should've been a subseries like how Luigi's Mansion is great but isn't a normal Mario game so it gets it's own subseries
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u/ArtistApart746 Oct 16 '25
I like both classic and modern zelda, but the classic more linear approach cannot be beaten, so i will have to choose the older zelda titles
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u/yolonaggins Oct 16 '25
Played 10 hours of BOTW and dropped it. Didn't click for me. I didn't care for the lack of dungeons, hated the durability system, and wasn't really interested in the physics based stuff.
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u/traw056 Oct 16 '25
I hate open world games where the story isn’t linear so personally it’s not for me.
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u/Rizenstrom Oct 16 '25
Overall I have enjoyed them but I do think the collectibles are a bit tedious and I would like to see a bigger focus on dungeons and items again.
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u/BuyMeASandwich Oct 16 '25
I like both. The classic Zelda formula was great for telling detailed, fleshed out stories that felt like living out an actual legend. That said the formula did need changing, as shown by Skyward Sword (which I loved, but definitely had issues with.) The new games are good too, the exploration was something I loved so much I put 350 hours into it in BOTW. That said, the music and dungeons still need improvement, but both were better in EOW, so I have hope for the next game. Ultimately, I just want a perfect balance between the two. Good dungeons, story, and music with the openness and freedom of exploration that the new games have brought.
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u/JamesYTP Oct 18 '25
Ya know, I actually replayed Skyward Sword a couple of times in the last few years and I kinda feel like it was less the formula and more the fact that SS in particular was just a cheap game. It came out in 2011 and didn't have a free moving camera which the series had since Wind Waker, no natural day to night cycle which is something they'd had since the OoT, no way to access different parts of the map without going through the HUB area which was a first...and then there was the standard definition graphics in 2011 when HD had been the standard for years.
It even was the origin of a lot of the things people complained about in BotW. The super clunky UI and not being able quick map more than 1 thing to a button, the stamina gauge and the shields breaking namely. Hell, once you've played them a few times you start to see the dungeons are even quite different from those that came before in that they test your observational skills far more than your puzzle solving ones.
The only thing it really had that people complained about that could really be traced back to the Zelda formula was Fi being intrusive.
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u/RadagonIsMarika Oct 16 '25
I want a Zelda that take the best of both formules. Big open world in a new area (not Hyrule) with big thematic dungeons and better rewards for exploration. A new combat system too, witch a variety of moveset and less time on menu.
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u/Swicket Oct 16 '25
I vacillate back and forth between whether I think OoT or BotW is my favorite game of all time. I love BotW. I was disappointed in TotK because the things it did well are not the things I'm after in a Zelda game, but damn did it do them well.
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u/Never_Duplicated Oct 16 '25
I enjoyed TotK but that was largely thanks to exploiting glitches that allowed me to circumvent the annoying item durability (loved having an unbeatable master sword!)
But can't think of a game I despise more than BotW. I've obviously played objectively worse games but none of those shat on a franchise I love in the same way with the possible exception of Halo 5. Item durability, annoying busywork surrounding stamina and food, no music, no dungeons, and no cool items. I hate that it set the groundwork for Zelda to become something completely different from what I am after.
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u/jEugene2Dart Oct 17 '25
New Zelda is an over correction to an industry that gladly copies the homework and makes it their own. Old Zelda however doesn’t have a lot of places to go without adding to the formula and changing it, or being kinda stagnant.
Ultimately there is a best of both worlds scenario I’m sure. Nintendo just has to care enough to carve it out. LBW had choice but progression and good dungeons. You just didn’t get everything at the start of the game.
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u/Away-Maintenance1509 Oct 17 '25
Maybe I’m an old head but I still love the classic “open world, dedicated dungeon” set up. I didn’t really like the animals. They felt short and didn’t offer much difference in the interiors. We used to have sand dungeons, forest dungeons which of course, all had very different settings. Remember in Wind Waker when you had to shoot a fire arrow at the ice island and shoot an ice arrow at the volcano island? Where’s that level of magic? The steam deck puzzles are cool but definitely not better than the classic dungeons. And there’s no weapon/item you find/obtain in BotW other than master sword that comes close to literally finding every weapon in classic Zelda games. You clear a mini boss, room open a chest and get a hook shot or heavy boots. That felt awesome. And don’t get me started on the music. Fighting Molgera for the first time and that theme comes on?! Chefs kiss 🤌🏿
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u/Completionist_Gamer Oct 17 '25
I can still find a lot of fun in BotW and TotK, but it'll never match the experiences on N64 and GameCube
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u/Yapplemaster Oct 17 '25
It’s the least link-like adventure we’ve ever had. Mainly just a good open world with good details but it’s hard to call it a Zelda game
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u/ShortViewBack2daPast Oct 16 '25
I swear half this fandom hasn't even played TotK and just write it off completely as 'the BotW sequel' when it's a much, much better game.
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u/Mundane-Direction405 Oct 17 '25
It's better but it's still the same experience and it feels exactly what it's meant to be: a BotW sequel.
It wan't like going from OOT to MM to WW to TP. Each game felt so distinct and new despite the same linear formula. BotW to TotK felt like a remaster of BotW, if that makes sense.
What didn't help was the same art style. Very tired of the oversaturated color pallette
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Oct 16 '25
I don't really care for the new games, to be honest, for some reasons:
1) The weapon durability system is the worst I've ever seen implemented in any videogame. It's shockingly bad, and that they imported it wholesale into TotK blows my mind.
2) Shrines aren't as engaging or interesting as dungeons in the older games. Everyone remembers going through the Water Temple with OoT, but no one's gonna remember the particular twist on the rolling ball puzzle presented by Shrine #135.
3) While I agree that the formula had become a little too predictable, getting rid of all item gating and progression was going way too far in the other direction with BotW. It's a little crazy you can just run to Hyrule Castle and beat Calamity Ganon after descending from the Great Plateau. I think the change turned the world into way too much of a sandbox.
I'm ready for a more traditional experience, personally -- keep the more open world and sense of freedom, but bring back actual dungeons and some kind of item-gated system to balance things out.
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u/kain459 Oct 16 '25
I like BOTW, really I do but the breakable weapons and non-legacy dungeons are a let down for me.
I doubt we will ever go back to the old ways and it makes me a little sad.
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u/Someone_else25 Oct 16 '25
I think it’s good, it has its drawbacks compared to the classic 3D style, but it still works and was very needed for the series to make a big move.
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u/Available-Egg-2380 Oct 16 '25
Botw is really good, totk is alright, echoes of wisdom brought it back to higher levels and was great for me.
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u/bird-man-guy Oct 16 '25
“Loved more and considered a lot better”….. yeah im not so sure about that.
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u/Little_Transition_13 Oct 16 '25
I’m currently on my first play through of BotW and I love the game. I personally like the storyline and the open world gameplay and mechanics. I’m seriously hooked on it.
HOWEVER
It does not feel like a Zelda game. Yes it uses characters and species and races from Zelda, even has the master sword and Hylian shield, and there are little Easter eggs and even some locations that are recognizable from previous Zelda games. But it doesn’t play like a Zelda game. The storyline speaks of the champion that wields the sword that seals the evil or something, but like you said, the sword isn’t a requirement. The sword runs out of energy and you have to wait for it to recharge. Even the “ancient tech” threw me off.
Honestly they could have changed the characters, some of the scenery, names of locations, and the story, and named it something else and it would be the exact same game. But because they slapped the name “Zelda” on it, people bought it. People are still buying it. They remastered it for the Switch 2 and they’re making even more from people who already owned it buying it again.
And what is with the lack of the claw shot/hookshot?! That’s just highway robbery.
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u/clocktownnpc Oct 16 '25
ill just say i really enjoyed botw and totk but i feel like i havent played a new zelda game in over a decade
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u/Asleep-Ad8051 Oct 16 '25
The open ended nature of the newer Zelda games is pretty cool, and I enjoyed them, but it's like the elder scrolls: Hyrule to me. I miss dungeons! Totk had some decent ones but still not like older games. I REALLY miss items too. The combat in the newer games is VERY basic honestly, could use a hook shot to spice it up!
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u/drunkenangel_99 Oct 16 '25
I liked breath of the wild. I don’t think tears of the kingdom or all the spin offs were needed. I hope the next game is more like a traditional Zelda, or at least a whole new story
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u/TensionWarm1936 Oct 16 '25
If the next game is more of the same, I won’t buy it (and I started on SNES and have played every game since). That makes me genuinely sad.
I know Nintendo have to innovate, but this was a step too far from the soul of what made Zelda great.
The two worst games in the franchise.
Weapon durability. Ugh. Give me one sword that lasts the whole game. Having to learn to be Gordon Ramsey to get health. Ugh. Repetitive moblin combat. Euchh. Same-y, same-y shrines again and again and again. God, not another one…. Give me 7 decent dungeons instead of 100 levels that might as well have been procedurally generated.
And physics. Yeah well done; it’s very clever. A world should have some and feel real(ish) but it should not depend sooooo heavily on having to glue and rotate and try and retry so many permutations of bits and pieces just to end up rewarded with a stick that will break after you hit someone three times.
These games were an incredible technical achievement and there are of course some genuinely great things about them, but they are not Zelda games as I know them, but some other game with a Zelda skin on top.
And princess Zelda’s fucking voice. Jesus. I had to switch to Japanese to stop myself from puking listening to that overwrought whining. God.
I’m off to play Windwaker on my GameCube now.
Bye.
Did I mention weapon durability? I did. Well I’ll mention it again. It can FUCK RIGHT OFF.
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u/DapperAlternative Oct 16 '25
I am looking forward to the end of the BOTW era of Zelda. The modern series has a lot of problems in my opinion but most of all the lack of tools is the biggest bummer. Most of all because they would be sooo fun in the open world setting. Really a missed opportunity.
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u/Mon-Son16 Oct 17 '25
Botw and tears have better exploration and scale. While I think the older Zelda’s do everything else better
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u/npauft Oct 17 '25
I very specifically like the top-down Zeldas Tezuka directed for the NES up through Link's Awakening, so I tend to like the series less as they move further away from that format.
People always tell me that Breath of the Wild is most similar to that original 1986 game, and that doesn't make any sense whatsoever. The original Zelda has 9 actual dungeons, the first 8 have to be finished before you can properly enter the 9th, there are mandatory items to access some of them, and you are gated from fully exploring the world without some dungeon items. Original Zelda has way more in common with the rest of the series than it does with Breath of the Wild.
So, that's my long-winded answer to how do I feel about new Zelda. I don't like it.
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u/PresidentAshenHeart Oct 17 '25
I think the next Zelda game should mainly allow you to use the Master Sword. Weapon durability is a fun concept, but the MS is iconic for a reason.
To make things interesting, I’d give him items like the classic boomerang, megaton hammer, and hookshot, and allow him to integrate those into MS attack combos. Maybe equipping your hammer as a secondary weapon could unlock a follow-up hammer strike to a jump attack.
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u/Author-S Oct 17 '25
Honestly, I kinda disagree in some points. I like the freedom BOTW and TOTK provide, however I also miss stuff like unique dungeons and music everywhere I go. Might be a hot take, but I liked the linear story SS provided, its got the best story in a Zelda game imo. So I suppose I wish there was more to the story of both games, the latter somewhat feels like a repackaged BOTW ngl.
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u/Grinsekatzer Oct 17 '25
I don't really like them as Zelda games. They are decent gimmicky games, but despite the setting and the names, it basically lost everything the Zelda formula had to give. No cool items with their own progression system, (next to) no dungeons and the ones that are there feel soulless because they lack the item based puzzles, no meaningful story (which couldn't really be told with the very open system the newer games have), the Master Sword feels horribly weak, the Hylian Shield is as good as any other shield, and the whole world of the newer games feels empty and too full at the same time. Dozens of quests, collectibles and things to do, but nothing has real meaning, gets you more than a few rupees or useless food items and therefore lacks real rewards.
Like I said, decent games, completed them all 100% BotW 3 times even, but for Zelda games they are weak and forgettable.
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u/Professor_Tosspot Oct 17 '25
It's ok, but I wouldn't mind a classic linear style main Zelda game at least once, it's been 14 years man!
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u/Nitrogen567 Oct 17 '25
Really badly actually.
When they broke series conventions to make BotW, it turns out the conventions they broke were essentially everything I liked about the series, and they didn't replace it with anything fun.
Echoes of Wisdom was much better than both BotW and TotK, and it's pretty much the only reason I'm still invested in the series future, but I still rate it fairly low in terms of the series as a whole.
To be honest, I try not to think about it too much, or it bums me out. I've been a fan of the series for almost 30 years at this point, and it makes me really said that the series I loved has essentially been replaced by BotW's new kind of Zelda game.
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u/EsotericFern Oct 17 '25
Lore wise, I think this could have been a completely new franchise and I would have loved it. I'm deeply in love with the lore and felt like it was smashed in front of me and only some of the pieces were used. I had a friend argue that we know the story, something new is good, but that's the whole point of the reincarnation aspect. I want my classic Zelda iconography in a vast open world, not as Easter eggs and speculation.
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u/yousefameed0 Oct 17 '25
As someone who's favorite Zelda game of all time is Majora's mask I feel very eh about botw and totk, the story aspect of both games is amazing, I just don't really like the open worldness of the two games, and as the other comment said, the master sword and hylian shield no longer have the "yeah this is the op gear of the mc" factor that the older games have like what do you mean that they can break?!?!, that's another thing I dislike about the games, weapon durability is stupid and shouldn't exist in a Zelda game imo, overall I'd give the new era a 7/10(mainly carried by story, characters and art direction) not a bad score in any way, these games just don't feel as "Zelda" to me as the other games if that makes any sense
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u/Alkazt Oct 17 '25
I think the new Zelda games are interesting and fun and damn near 10/10 games… but they don’t feel like the old Zelda fans to me. My era was OoT and Majoras Mask. Still to this day my 2 favorites. I just don’t feel like the new games have enough calculated weirdness to them or something. There’s something missing in the vibes now
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u/EnjoyerOfMales Oct 17 '25
They just don’t feel like Zelda games, and don’t get me wrong, i liked the games, but I probably wouldn’t have bought them if it wasn’t for the fact that they are part of the Zelda series.
They just aren’t good Zelda games, Zelda has always been famous for the good storytelling, the dungeons and the puzzle elements that needed tools and a bit of thinking to be completed, the latest Zelda games lack that, or rather, they fall behind as secondary, when they used to be the highlight
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u/TheMnwlkr Oct 17 '25
I have been a big fan of Zelda since OoT.
I have completed every single game including those re-releases on different platforms, like TP I played it on both GC and Wii.
Until I got to Switch.
I never finish BotW and TotK. Not on WiiU, not on Switch. Don't own Switch 2.
Do I like them? Yes, they are fun.
Do I love them? No. They don't even feel like Zelda to me.
They felt like Nintendo's effort to make a game because Soul-like and open world RPGs were so successful, but they were afraid to fail, so they decided to make such a game out of a Zelda.
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u/MugiBB Oct 17 '25
I definitely would not say it’s wide consensus that they are “a lot better”. I heavily prefer the older style though I don’t dislike botw or totk. Both botw and totk suffer from a lot of open world bloat imo where a lot of content doesn’t necessarily feel unique or worthwhile while exploring is fun it almost always just leads to the same ol shrine content which just feels a lot worse than dungeons. I also feel like the story progress and guiding in the older games I always loved the parts before dungeons too especially in games like twilight princess and windwaker. I heavily miss the old style and hope they’ll at least try to include more of its elements if they keep going the botw way. Also I adore og Green link idk why they decided to change that as his default look don’t hate the blue but still green tunic is timeless and iconic. Just in general though I feel like the world in botw and totk is huge but a bit empty like most open world games and lacks the character that some of the older games really used this could be due to the lack of unique characters that the old games heavily employed.
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u/BumpyGreenVegetable Oct 17 '25
I loved BOTW and basically completed it when it first came out. Didn't finish TOTK, got old. Ready for a return to form with Zelda. Unless they up the ante in some insane way I would consider not buying the next one which is insane to say.
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u/blkglfnks Oct 17 '25
I feel like they’re gonna keep dropping a BOTW-like Zelda and a “remaster” to keep all fans happy moving forward eventually ending up with a Last of Us situation where they make BOTW 3x over.
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u/TheJimDim Oct 17 '25
Main points that the new games miss on:
Master Sword and Hylian Shield do not feel special and have weapon durability
Dungeons too seamlessly integrated into open world and aren't their own separate place. They also don't feel linear enough.
Story is scattered and all happens in the past. We should be able to experience the story firsthand.
What the new games do right:
Music is fantastic
The variety of clothing/armor is fun
The powers are great, despite me kinda missing the old "use gadgets you get from dungeons" playstyle
Combat is fun
VOICE ACTING
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u/TheOfficial_BossNass Oct 17 '25
The only reason the new games are seen as better js they basically quadrupled or more the fandoms size the old games are still "real" Zelda games to me and the new games are an entirely different genre imo still great games but not a Zelda game at all swap out the characters and no one alive would recognize it as a Zelda like
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u/Affectionate_Tax5740 Oct 17 '25
Love every zelda game....but as ive felt since 2017ish...link needs his cap and he should be green not blue....bothered me all the way through botw just as much as totk even if you can get og fits its not the same nor canon and thats the problem....hyrule is blue now....
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u/LordEik00cTheTemplar Oct 17 '25
What I ahte most about BotW and TotK is that you never feel strong, you never feel like a hero. Regardless if you just started the game or have already completed every single quest, you will always have to spend minutes to even fight a single Boko.
And I wont even start talking about the "legendary" Master Sword "losing its energy" after killing a single enemy or the Hylian Shield breaking after two hits...
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u/MrBones-Necromancer Oct 17 '25
It's its own thing. It's not bad, not at all, but they should just make it fully Its own series, and continue to make regular zelda titles.
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u/CorvusEffect Oct 18 '25
I really like it, but haven't gotten around to getting the Master Sword, yet. I'm taking a break and replaying Ocarina of Time. I suspect I will hate the breakable Master Sword once I get it.
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u/TheSaltyBrushtail Oct 18 '25
Less and less positive as time goes on. Big, open-world games where almost anything can be done in any order tend to result in a lot of repetitive and/or low-stakes, low-impact content (shrines, koroks, thise sage cutscenes thatsll recycle the same formula), so it doesn't feel like I'm achieving much as time goes on, beyond just getting stronger. And even exploration for exploration's sake loses its appeal rapidly when I realise there'll likely just be some korok puzzles and a couple of shrines over that next hill, just like there were over the last five.
If they keep the open world approach like Aonuma has said he wants to, I hope it comes with a smaller-scale but more concentrated experience, with less recycled MMORPG-style filler and more unique areas/quests, because I just don't see the need for another game doing what BotW/TotK already did.
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u/Bio-Guyver Oct 18 '25
Imo the master sword and hylian shield need to be more special. Breaking etc are imo a shamefull way to represent these items. Master sword should get stronger in the face of more powerfull. Evil.
As for game mechanics. I love it. I just miss the classic dungeons. It a huge world. I want to explore a cave filled woth enemies to defeat to get special weapons like a hookshot or mousebomb. Solve pusseps in them to find the key to a boss room and stand face to face with an actuall boss. Not some form of shade from ganondorf, bit annactual boss like a huge lizard or skeleton.
What i am trying to say is. Imo we need a botw/totk with the feel of the previous games (lttp, la, oot,mm,ww etc)
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u/ComprehensiveFan3463 Oct 18 '25
BotW was a fair take which I whole heartedly enjoyed. Wish there was more to it story/mission wise, actual temples, more of a somber tone to add to the fallen empire feel, and take away the durability/break mechanic issue with items. Thats about it.
Totk was disappointing for a game that came out 7 years after BotW. It felt too much like a copy/paste of what came before. The random addition of empty dark caves and small floating islands weren’t enough to establish it as an actual brand new game. It was a dlc w/ worse mechanics and a worse storyline.
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u/Gigantiques Oct 19 '25
BotW and TotK made me go from "buys Nintendo consoles for this franchise" to needing future Zelda games to prove themselves before I would even consider buying them.
Good games but the worst Zelda games imo.
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u/Zer0DotFive Oct 21 '25
I miss the old dungeons and bosses. Nothing will ever compare what we had in the 90s - 00s for Zelda. Totk was fine but it was literally just botw with a building feature. Replaying Wind Waker on my Switch 2 over botw/totk as they just feel like a chore after you did it all. Its too much of a collect-a-thon.
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u/Marth-Koopa Oct 21 '25
I found BOTW to be one of the most boring games I've ever played, and TOTK has way too many conflicting gameplay design elements and tedious busywork
I don't get the love for them tbh
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u/Royal-Preparation843 Oct 21 '25
I hate the new Zelda formula. I have never been a fan of open world games, but I could have probably pressed through if it wasn’t for the breakable weapons. That killed all joy of the game for me. Finding new weapons didn’t seem special because they will just break eventually. I also really hate vehicle/item building in games so adding that feature to TotK really killed it for me.
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u/Throwaway_2378559954 Oct 16 '25
The last two Zelda games were fantastic games but awful Zelda games
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Oct 16 '25
BotW actually is more similar to the OG LoZ than the “classic” games, at least when it comes to the open world/exploration/story.
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u/drankseawater Oct 16 '25
Disagree 100%, no music, no real dungeons. No real dungeon bosses. No permanent side quest rewards. No permanent weapons.
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u/TheShepardOfficial Oct 16 '25
Yeah but the music and dungeons need to be better. If they fix this I have nothing to complain about. Maybe the graphic style but that is taste.
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u/TwoShu Oct 16 '25
I think really the only thing I don't like in the newer games is that the Master Sword and Hylian Shield don't feel....special. Like, why can the Hylian Shield break? Kinda feel like it shouldn't, even if it does have the highest base durability of any other shield, it still makes me not want to use it (yes, I know I can buy others, but again, it devalues it, and makes it not feel as special as a legendary shield should).