Breath of the Wild Review

Some very minor spoilers for the other 3D Zelda games as well. You might want to pause to read some of the text that appears at points but if this is your first time watching I recommend just letting the video continue to play.
My previous Zelda reviews can be found here: • Ocarina of Time Review
Patreon: / matthewmatosis
Sources:
World 1-1 as an Introduction
• Miyamoto on World 1-1:...
Reality vs. Realism
web.archive.or...

[@MatrixEvolution17]

25:26 "Sometimes it seems the only thing Link can't mount is Mipha" holy shit lmfao

[@cortster12]

I know, right?

[@epsilonsigmamu]

YOU CAN'T SAY THAT ON KZbin!

[@ThurstonDog]

Are you that slow fella who doesn't know how dark souls works

[@MissAshley42]

Oh, I totally didn't catch that. :X

[@blongdoesstuff2055]

I was not expecting him to say that lmao I actually thought it was a game design opinion

[@dave8619]

I was waiting for the "Hello ladies and gentlemen. This is the sixth in a series of 5 reviews that I've done on The Legend of Zelda"

[@pickyphysicsstudent201]

"If you haven't have watched any of these videos before, then I'd have to recommend that you start with my Ocarina Of Time video instead. In this video, I'll be looking at Breath Of The Wild instead so spoilers for the entire game will follow."

[@jeffd.683]

Reminds me of the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's trilogy.

[@ujjwalmishra8962]

oh god y he didnt do that !

[@arenkai]

For a moment I thought you were doing a MauLer reference and I read that in his voice

[@arenkai]

@DrTheKay Given how some people don't understand what it means and use it as an easy cop out from actually backing up their points, I think it's a good thing to get everyone on the same page ;) But MauLer and Mathew's content are very different in nature, so I wouldn't expect a fan of one creator to be a fan of the other. I happen to love both styles, with a preference for Mathew's style of analysis but I value greatly the discussions that MauLer puts forward. Sometimes I wish Mathew was a bit more MauLer; and sometimes I wish MauLer was a bit more Mathew. But I'm glad both exist. (Heck ! Even MauLer only has praise directed at Mathew and recommends his content on a regular basis !)

[@gardenhead92]

It's such a minor point, but I was really disappointed I never had to cut down another tree to cross a chasm through the entire game. What's even the point of that section?!

[@Seth_M-T]

There's that one korok seed in Lurelin Village on top of the boathouse that many people (including myself) used a chopped-down tree to obtain.

[@ivang5874]

Dark souls reference lol

[@AlquimistEd]

@@Seth_M-T The one with the bog of mud? I was gonna mention that.

[@hoodedman6579]

@@Seth_M-T Is the alternative just flying to it with the paraglider?

[@TheGrifter42]

It's quite possible that the great plateau was designed first as a test bed for the multiple interactions possible in the game before the designers ultimately moved on to the greater world. Note the early stable version of the plateau used as a demo before the game release proper. It's also possible that there are more instances of the bridge making mechanic in the overworld, but they are easily bypassed because of the climbing and parasailing mechanics and so go unnoticed. I actually noticed quite a few interesting mechanics are very easy to miss simply because climbing and sailing are such effective problem solvers. Some shines and a couple towers are made trivially easy depending on when you find them because of this. It's hard to say without a good look at the overall design process itself though. Lots of games do end up leaving little interactions like that on the cutting room floor for all kinds of reasons. I'd still rather it be there than not though, it was an interesting way to show how the player how they can interact with the world in ways that aren't present in 90% of games.

[@doctor-goggles]

"People think they want complete control over their experience when what they really want is to cut down trees to cross ravines--something they'll never actually do if they have complete control over their experience." Damn if that isn't the truth.

[@luisullrich5253]

Trying to think of an area where that was used in the game again and there isn't a single one

[@jordanhendricks3307]

There was one, it was right around the start. Idr exactly but I do remember doing it

[@kayturs]

​@@jordanhendricks3307 That was in the tutorial, so it was teaching it to you for use later. But it taught you that for nothing cause it was never needed again. It's just a random isolated event

[@jordanhendricks3307]

@@kayturs thats the point tho, you have so much freedom you don't need to do that

[@kayturs]

@@jordanhendricks3307 I mean there's so much freedom you technically don't need to do anything. You can go straight from the tutorial to ganon. But with the tree bridge its extra random, because you literally never would do it again. Not a big deal, just an example of how the glider/climbing mechanic made separate mechanic redundant after one use.

[@shaw1484]

I know that I'm extremely late to comment on this, but this is easily the best review I've ever seen or heard period. I have watched it through in it's entirety about 6 times now, and often reference it in full or small parts when trying to improve my own designs. This is THE review, it goes in depth in all the right places, makes sensible criticisms and even references that the developers may have considered and rejected things prior to making outlandish recommendations as most reviewers do when trying to "improve" a game. Matt here has crafted one of the most articulate, detailed and above all realistic criticisms of a game I've ever seen. Your catalogue is fantastic and you regularly make great points but for me this is the apex. Please for the love of god make a review of TOTK, while not everything you mention here is addressed, I feel as though they have addressed small issues here and there, and once again the game is fantastic and yet still lacking in many of the areas mentioned above. Your reviews are king on youtube as far as I'm concerned and while I know the effort required to make a 1 hour video is huge, please consider creating some more. We need more reviewers like you who are actually able to criticize correctly and constructively, rather than the usual uninformed ramblings and opinions of people without a single creative bone in their body. I'm not sure if you have a background in development but it feels like you do, and this accurate in depth analysis definitely portrays it that way. Thanks for this video, really hoping you have more in the pipeline.

[@Enaccul]

I also highly recommend Joseph Anderson's video if you haven't seen it. Another certified hood classic.

[@pangur3257]

@@Enaccul Absolutely not. Goes into the said "usual uninformed ramblings and opinions of people without a single creative bone in their body" category easily. Just because he sounds smart, doesn't mean he's smart. And out of some his recent stuff I've seen, however little it is, he doesn't even sound all that smart anymore.

[@Enaccul]

@pangur3257 Oof. All good if his content doesn't resonate with you, but yeah I have to disagree. I think he's always fair in his criticism, and for botw specifically, he seemed to be one of the few people actually talking about the games flaws instead of just giving it a 10/10 like most people. But to each their own, take care!

[@SchaffrillasProductions]

His 100-year slumber from reviewing Zelda games is finally over, hallelujah

[@basilofgoodwishes4138]

And he is going to piss off the Zelda fanboys soo hard.

[@TheMusicMan1012]

@@basilofgoodwishes4138 Why? He seemed to like it.

[@liamcurran5612]

Review Majora's Mask mate

[@AHylianWarrior]

@Yuwan you probably should've watched the video before commenting, mate.

[@robertburnside]

Heyyyy, I loved your Persona 5 review, man!

[@alexsmith-x9c]

"Hello ladies and gentlemen, this is the sixth in a series of 5 videos that I've done on The Legend of Zelda."

[@aquamidideluxe5079]

I was hoping for this :'(

[@yomayradrpr1]

Theres like 3 times i had too use it but it was used for getting koroks across a small river. Btw getting 900 koroks was a nightmare

[@EldenRingStreams]

You smart ass mad lad. Top ten comments

[@kevinmayfield6182]

Taylor255 longman bad

[@lightbrand_]

@@yomayradrpr1 what are you even talking about?

[@CrashDunning]

37:06 "Since Nintendo is known for their unique hardware, maybe one day they'll release a controller with a touch screen that can be used to quickly manage resources. One can only wonder the lack of such a controller affected this game's design." That level of stank LOL

[@Narniak69]

LMFAO, I thought maybe that was a stab at Nintendo BS crippling of the Wii U version and gamepad function. They just had to SELL those new Bitch units!!

[@CrashDunning]

@@Narniak69 That's exactly what it was. Many people were salty that they had to cut out WiiU-specific features to make the Switch version look the same or better.

[@Gatitasecsii]

This demonstrates this stupid ass author of the review didn't even pay attention and just wanted to nitpick the fuck outta this game.

[@8pac37]

@@Gatitasecsii whooooosh

[@Ryham93]

Nasty-looking Navi I’m impressed you can call the reviewer that while missing the point entirely lmfao

[@SilvethTheRadiant]

I have always really enjoyed how you have your closing thoughts over the credits of the game your covering. It creates a nice feeling of closure to your videos, without falling into that final word 'sting', before loud dubstep or something, that a lot of video essays fall into. There's no facecam asking for likes and subs, no links to other videos as if the viewer doesn't know how to navigate to your channel page. Just a soft resolution to the thesis. I've enjoyed so much of your work, but I've never commented before. I hope you see this! Thanks for the well constructed vids.

[@MrCompassionate01]

I feel like such a fool watching other people play Breath of the Wild. There are so many physics tricks I hadn't tried.

[@HonsHon]

I feel like finding your own playstyle is MUCH more important than going by somebody else's.

[@leahdragon]

Lol I tend to use weird ways to beat the shrines so I feel dumb for not seeing the way you’re MEANT to do them 😂

[@xBINARYGODx]

Mostly, outside of a few standout areas where you need to, they are all mostly useless - systems thrown into the game for their own sake.

[@TheNightquaker]

@@xBINARYGODx The thing is that there doesn't have to be a "need" for the physics tricks, they don't need to be useful either. They're great to play and experiment with, and get intrinsic enjoyment from, which is a very, very important thing in itself.

[@Scroteydada]

@@HonsHon unless you're a speedrunner

[@Foostini]

The thing that excites me about BotW is, should Nintendo capitalize on it well, it's an amazing template for an even better game down the line.

[@classclown6ya]

Yeah, a majora-style asset reuse. Plus making more impressive and unique dungeons and more enemy types

[@drfoto2673]

Yup, I honestly think that this game was for the most part an experiment in how they could move forward in game design and that's why it pretty much changed everything in regards to the "Zelda formula" as well as seemingly trying to do too many things at once. It's an exercise in just trying as many new things as possible and seeing how they work out, what positives and negatives the different aspects bring with them and how the different elements interact and can be utilized. It's also very probable that they are learning a lot from watching player reactions to all these different things and seeing what players do with all the mechanics. The mine-cart magnesis flying machine for example was something that Aonuma said made the entire development staff speechless. Things like Hyrule Castle is essentially a preamble to how more open world dungeons can work, together with things like the labyrinths, the pitch black ruins, and the forgotten temple also hint at these possibilities. Caves are very shallow and rudimentary but there's some definite signs of future potential in all of this. Something as core to the Zelda games as underwater traversal isn't even touched in this game which gives a whole new possible dimension of gameplay to explore. The thing is that Nintendo is amazing at creating game templates, you got Super Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and many of their iterations. Game structure and game mechanics etc are not copyrightable things, there's nothing stopping people from making Ocarina of Time clones with their own dungeon designs, their own take on the various items and how they work etc. Heck even Pokemon, as long as you don't actually use any of the copyrightable materials there's nothing really stopping you from making a Pokemon clone with your own tweaks on battle mechanics and whatnot. My biggest hopes from BotW is that people will copy and tweak the new formula and hopefully make some awesome games from it, whether these people be Nintendo themselves or other studios, the recipe is already out there for anyone to use really.

[@painuchiha2694]

Exactly! Just like Mario maker 2 gonna be compared to the original I believe Nintendo knows what they are doing

[@johnmacleod2874]

Yeah, I have no doubts the next main-line Zelda game will be astonishing. Especially considering this amazing game was able to come to life given the hardships of having to redesign the game to suit the switch.

[@ComicAcolyte]

I honestly think they are going to drop a new and improved template of this game like Majoras mask.

[@Pan_Z]

Love the shot at the Wii U & Switch parity. Nintendo displayed full Wii U touchpad functionality with Breath of the Wild in an early demo. Come announcement of the Switch version, the feature was suspiciously dropped.

[@chimeragenesis361]

Except Eiji Aonuma has stated in interviews why they removed it, because it simply didn't work well and was gimmicky at best. A lesson many wish Shigeru Miyamoto would have learnt before releasing the middling Star Fox Zero.

[@Pan_Z]

@@chimeragenesis361 He was nigh certainly lying. It worked wonderful for the Wind Waker HD. It seemed to function fine in the demos. Also Star Fox Zero is not a reliable comparison. That games used motion controls horrendously. BotW was using the touchpad for the map and inventory space.

[@SammyPebbles]

"Suspiciously dropped" I would say it was more obviously dropped.

[@AeroBigDick]

@@Pan_Z Something I remember hearing is that Eiji Aonuma felt that having to use the secondary screen pulled you out of the game too much. It's strange it wasn't at least optional

[@Aimela136]

Even without prior gameplay, it's pretty apparent that the Sheikah Slate's functions were intended to be used in real time while the game was being played.

[@srsbizman6649]

25:27 “Sometimes it seems like the only thing Link cant mount on is Mipha” J E S U S

[@EdwardoFE]

the logical follow up to the Ganondorf comments from OOT’s review.

[@ujjwalmishra8962]

owwwww

[@Gorgod69]

;_;

[@bananatubeOG]

Matthew confirmed scalie. I don't like it.

[@nergalsmom]

S A V A G E

[@Serafiniert]

19:55 That is acutally a pretty cool easter egg: Someone wanted to shoot that EYE symbol in order to trigger something. Like the player is expecting something to happen, since the Legend of Zelda games have conditioned us to shoot eyes in almost every Zelda game. Either it's a weak spot of an enemy or boss, or it functions as a switch to trigger some mechanism that will drop a chest, open a door or solve a puzzle.

[@Felicificity]

Sera Finiert If I remember correctly it also is a hint that if you shoot the eye yourself, you earn yourself a Korok seed. So it works on several levels - it’s an Easter egg, it’s worldbuilding, and it’s a concrete extrinsic reward for observant play.

[@raime-st]

I'm 4 years late but iirc as soon as you enter the village they warn you about the Yiga clan, so I thought those arrows were from them or a fight with them. I guess it really does work in multiple levels

[@budgoodrich6000]

I lose it every time... "These two are delighted to have found some durians and live happily ever after..." As Link descends on them with lightning arrows. Your out-of-nowhere timing mixed with your deadpan delivery are an amazing combo. Toss in all of the amazingly insightful, intelligent video game commentary, and I'm sold. You win at KZbin.

[@5amariu5]

52:25 Two years after the game came out and I still get "I didn't know you could do this!" moments.

[@ramonperales7269]

And that's not the only one I got from this video.

[@TheEtherny]

I love those moments and can't believe I still find them

[@Odinsday]

The fact that you can actively make a high leveled Bokoblin use a metal weapon during a thunderstorm as a way to kill it quicker is fucking genius. I had no idea I could do that till now. lol

[@timmy3441]

Same here. I've literally played this game through 15 times now and I've watched two people do their entire playthroughs, it never occurred to me that you could stasis those blocks and hit them back at Waterblight Ganon. That's pretty cool.

[@samyak128]

I learned yesterday that the Death Mountain ocotoroks will suck in rusted weapons if you throw one at them and spit out a non rusted equivalent!

[@sagewaterdragon]

Matthew, my dude. This is easily your best straight-up review that you've ever done. In a way, it serves as the perfect companion piece to your God of War case study, which I previously considered the best video that you've ever made. It still might be the better standalone package than this, but together they help explore the roles of game design goals, and how they can affect the product for better and for worse. (Breath of the Wild is my favorite game, and I'm incredibly happy that you explained its strengths and weaknesses in a way that helps me understand my relationship to both in a more complete way.)

[@laffycade3151]

Well said The critique on gow was a masterpiece by itself which is why even the developers reacted to it positively and were thankful to matt But this video is also the greatest

[@Nexpo]

I'm so glad I discovered this channel. All of your videos are incredibly well done.

[@MegaSpides]

So are yours! Between matthew here and your pleasant nightmare fuel I get a nice boost through the work day, thank you both

[@aran511]

I really like your videos I think you should make more reviews such as the Majoras mask video if you think that would be a good idea but I think a lot of people would like that content

[@TheJordanPayne]

Hi Nexpo!

[@Minion_on_the_cross]

Yea and yours aren’t

[@sirrfossy]

@@MegaSpides dc. K n

[@aquamidideluxe5079]

33:09 I remember reading some sort of interview with someone important to Breath of the Wild-maybe Aonuma or Fujibayashi-where it was said that Bokoblins were intentionally made likable with the implication that maybe something happened that made the Bokoblins start acting so violent.

[@d3lvn]

Lots of people commenting on the Mipha joke, but the best gag in the video is at 19:56

[@bryal7811]

>>>To Be Continued

[@Gabranth121012]

What's the deal with mipha joke? I havent played botw

[@celesteelka]

@@Gabranth121012 It's heavily hinted through memories that Mipha had strong feelings for Link, but neither of them acted on them before disaster struck.

[@ghostuscoyote]

@@celesteelka This is so sad! Now instead of a wholesome Nintendo exploration of Link and fish girl romance I have to turn to NSFW artists and hate myself for it. They better step it up as far as story goes in the next game...

[@David-xn9mu]

@philipfuchboi they actually explain that in the movie The Shape of Water

[@nolandost3070]

"The only thing Link can't mount is Mifa" Nice

[@Gorfinhofin]

And then you remember that you actually mount Sidon.

[@MCain-ky2yv]

had to pause it there

[@thelastgogeta]

Mipha*

[@Chaosshield]

Mipha > Zelda change my mind

[@DontEatWhales]

Here lies Link. He never scored

[@OrangeVision]

25:55 One of the most depressing realizations while playing botw was that I couldn't keep my cute skeleton horse

[@thelastgogeta]

Same, I'm sure I still have a photo of my horse in front of the stable. I can understand that in universe those guys would be scared of them but the skeleton horse is functionally identical and it would have been a cool reward.

[@Seth_M-T]

When I realised that, I rode my skeleton horse to the edge of a cliff so that we could watch the sunrise together before the sunlight would inevitably kill it.

[@waterymelon9640]

Seth M-T dang that’s sad

[@lordofhostsappreciator3075]

@@Seth_M-T F

[@jackbiesty3729]

Matthew: "Nintendo's family friendly slant might also explain the lack of human corpses in the Overworld even though they could be used to great effect for world building proposes" Nintendo: "Hold my sequel"

[@lostuser1094]

Jack Biesty I’m starting to wonder if they’re just watching him for idea now...

[@calaza100]

@@lostuser1094 Mathew works for nintendo for free

[@zhikos_6441]

@Mikko Lopez what the fuck arevu taking about using @ and $ to spell stuff

[@TheSoulHarvester]

@@zhikos_6441 He's trying to avoid being reported, correctly, for hate speech. Which just goes to show, even the severely brain damaged can be taught simple tricks via algorithmic feedback.

[@tbotalpha8133]

I mean, I thought his point about corpses was kinda daft, since it's been 100 years since the Calamity, and he was showing ruins where the buildings were nothing more than mossy timbers slowly rotting in the sun. It should hardly be surprising that any corpses leftover from the disaster have long since rotted away, and their bones crumbled to dust (assuming the wildlife didn't get to them first).

[@qwertydar]

Probably the fairest review of the game I've seen. Most of the other analyses are an almost knee-jerk reaction to the universal praise of the game, and in the process they exaggerate the games flaws, making them out to be game breaking.

[@samuelabbottchannel]

qwertydar exactly, so many reviews over emphasise the flaws just to get views.

[@thelordstarfish]

Responding to an almost a year old comment yay, but have you seen Arlo's big fat review of the game? I think he, too, did a great job of fairly critiquing what was a game he very obviosly loved while being honest about its shortcomings. (And admitting that, at the end, if he were to give the game a score, he would still give it his highest rating because despite him mentioning a *lot* of things the game did wrong in his mind, the game was so exceptionally good in other areas that anything less would feel wrong.)

[@samuelabbottchannel]

Lord Starfish I agree it’s good but it kinda annoys me that it’s like three hours long. This review perfectly sums up BOTW and it’s a sensible length, a review doesn’t need to be any longer than this.

[@rishavroy1368]

Yeah there's a bunch of reviews that literally say because the game has flaws it's broken and bad, but then you have other reviews which say the game is perfect, and I'm just really confused on why people can't just accept that no game is perfect and it's just that a lot of people like what this game is.

[@Pan_Z]

@@rishavroy1368 Hyperbole sells. What title attracts your attention most? "Breath of the Wild Review" or "Why Breath the Wild is Overrated/Why Breath of the Wild is a MASTERPIECE"

[@pancito8292]

Thank you for pointing out climbing. While it's really cool to climb everything except the fish girl, maybe giving Link tools would make the gameplay more engaging. Give him some sort of climbing pickaxe to climb while raining, give him a rope arrow to climb or descend mountains (death stranding pretty much nailed this), or give him a rune to interact with surfaces. Idk, i feel they tool the easy way out with climbing and general travel. Great review man. I'm actually rewatching it. Love your content.

[@gr33dl0cknein3]

Add skulltullas and it 100% solves the "climbing problem". They could even make some Lizalfos stick to walls. They are lizards after all. Also some kind of tunneling creature that claims certain walls as it's home. So many possibilities.

[@liahansen6896]

slipping in a joke about climbing the fish girl instead of the fish boy whos literally like 7 feet tall... tch... pathetic...

[@catbeans4685]

Yes, convolution, for the sake of it, is such a wonderful idea.

[@tojojr5616]

@@catbeans4685doesn’t sound that convoluted to me tbh

[@FateStrife]

This! Climbing gear! In a game about climbing EVERYTHING, why can’t I get some cool climbing gear that resembles the hookshot which is one of the most beloved items!?

[@Sheecacaa3]

Wow, what a brilliant review. I've watched countless video essays on BotW, and this is easily the most fair and thought-provoking one. Your point about how players *think* they want obstacles removed was especially interesting. It's one of those things that I understood subconsciously while playing, but couldn't internalize until it was stated. There were so many great points that had similar effect. I can't recall a single point I didn't agree with, even the points about limiting/rethinking Link's movement options (sailing/climbing). Much like with all of your reviews, if I could only give one video review to the game developers for them to reflect on, it would be yours. Great job!

[@Cuix]

oh my lanta it's the King of Pain him-got-damn-self

[@reidysmeidy5772]

Tis a simple game design concept you learn pretty quickly making games. Often times when someone first starts making games they focus all of their attention on the controller and making the "MOST AWESOME CONTROLLER EVAR" and what they fail to realize giving the player so much freedom to do what ever just makes it harder to design a game around that freedom. More freedom you give harder it is to design challenges.

[@mrGlitch2000]

"It's one of those things that I understood subconsciously while playing, but couldn't internalize until it was stated." To quote Plinkett from Red Letter Media, "You might not have noticed. But your brain did."

[@MissAshley42]

Yeah, the game really could've used a few more restrictions. _At the very least,_ foods that provide "armor" hearts shouldn't refill _all_ of your hearts.

[@siamesetool7103]

Word. Felt exactly the same way watching.

[@just2good]

The mad man actually did it.

[@ThePreciseClimber]

Oh man, a reviewer made a review and he's being a reviewer. Inconciveable.

[@collette3428]

ThePreciseClimber Imagine replying to a popular comment with an obnoxious reply and thinking you came out looking good. Wow.

[@Superschokokeks]

@@collette3428 thinking making a funny comment, but is in fact very unfunny and cringy. wait fuck that's me shit.

[@ThePreciseClimber]

@@collette3428 Are you calling JonTron obnoxious for commenting on Phil Swift's bucket?

[@collette3428]

ThePreciseClimber You can take another try at a "gotcha" there, if you want. No one will judge you if you delete that poor attempt at one-upping and make a comment that makes sense

[@peckc16]

Thank you for mentioning the lack of WiiU gamepad!!! I was royally pissed when I got this game on WiiU and the touchpad was just blank. It made no sense at first since this second screen was the best part of the remakes. After playing some, it becomes painfully apparent that regardless of resolution or frame rate, the WiiU would have been the superior gameplay experience compared to the Switch with inventory management and the map. But Nintendo couldn't have the new system have the worse experience...

[@RockEsper]

To make it worse, the gamepad constantly glowed its text at you if playing on TV. It could be pretty distracting.

[@Ageleszly]

That was for me as well the biggest missed opportunity, this game was at every fibre designed for this gamepad, but to rob the WiiU Version a benefit over the switch version, they willingly stripped an entire feature from the game, imagine how the person who developed the Tablet component must feel about it.

[@VashdaCrash]

Is this speculation or is there evidence that Nintendo strip out one feature from the Wii U version in order to not hinder the sales or the customer experience for the switch version?

[@Ageleszly]

​@@VashdaCrash Theres of course no official statement from nintendo, but it's obvious that they deliberately removed the feature from the gamepad. In old footage you can see how the gamepad functionality was used. The whole game was designed to utilise the features of the gamepad and I'm sure that it would have improved inventory management and keeping downtimes short.

[@VashdaCrash]

@@Ageleszly It's a real shame, thanks for the response.

[@Pan_Z]

38:42 Here's a reason I love this channel. Instead of tediously lecturing off every single possibility to make his point, he gives a list you can read if you're interested, as to not cause the video to drag. These videos may be long, but they don't waste your time. Content gold.

[@ShadowedAgony]

This is honestly what separates Matt from the longer style content creators that came after him. You now see videos over 5 hours yet they end up becoming so tedious their argument ends up losing all momentum. Matthew’s videos are tightly written and he never just covers a game, there’s always a clear thesis.

[@paris-1911]

@@ShadowedAgony That's my biggest con with a creator like Mauler or hbomberguy. Both are exceptionally good at media analysis, but I think they get too long winded for their own good. I've never watched a Matthewmatosis video, save for his commentary ones, where he's expositing info to pad time; it's really no wonder he has earned the respect he has.

[@ShadowedAgony]

@@paris-1911 I agree with everything you said. I also am a fan of those two yet they are guilty of a common issue that plagues seemingly all long-form content, the need to recap the entire game. I think MatthewMatosis main advantage is he makes content intended for people who have already played the game. He feels no need to recap the entire game or cover every single aspect because he is assuming you already played it. It also helps that Matthew only reviews games for a specific reason. There’s an actual thesis as to why this game is worth talking about. So often his contemporaries seem to cover a game just to give their thoughts on it and not much more.

[@paris-1911]

@@ShadowedAgony Recaping isn't so much the problem for me, as I feel even some people who have experienced a particular media could have forgotten a key detail, and thus a short summary can help catch them up. When done right, like in the case of Matthew's critique of Dark Souls II, it can serve as a fast detour and aid for the main point. Where it becomes a problem is when recapping effectively becomes most of the video, such in the case of Mauler's movie reviews where it feels as though he gets too caught up in spur-of-the-moment commentary for several hours, and saves the all encompassing (and all important) dissection of the full body of work toward the end, effectively making it feel as though you've watched a developer's commentary. Some people may be fine with that, but I feel it detracts from your main point about a story if you have to frontload a ridiculous amount of plot synposis and expositing just to get to it. Once again, this is why Matthew tends to beats out so many other creators, because of his willingness to get straight to the core of a game right away. Hbomberguy's been getting better with his issues, though. Atleast, I think so.

[@mookiestewart3776]

nice pfp love that song

[@Rave.-]

I'm inclined to disagree with your suggestion to stray from Hyrule and the known races for this first venture into truly open world context. Perhaps for the next iteration, but this reinvented open world post-apocalyptic Hyrule was a dream come true akin to having your favorite book adapted into a high-budget series/movie. It's different enough (post-apocalyptic) that you don't expect an exact replica, but nostalgic enough to bring what was once limited by game engines into full, glorious view. We get to finally SEE the Hyrule they've wanted to give us for decades. And that truly is a treat. Now, with that accomplishment, they can venture forward into more unknown territory with Zelda, without that "what if" regret of not envisioning the most iconic of Zelda aspects first. I'm excited for the future, but would have felt cheated if my first truly open world venture was not Hyrule itself.

[@Rave.-]

As a final sidenote to my plethora of comments, I simply need to make it known that the Labyrinth/Lost Woods soundtrack is by FAR my favorite in the entire game. Its temperature and mood are sheer perfection for what it intends to convey.

[@ninalyne9944]

@@Rave.- Nah, the 2017 trailer background music wins.

[@TheSoulHarvester]

Cool to see some dissent from the review that doesn't involve frothing at the mouth.

[@GreenEyedDazzler]

Dude how are you not sick of the same setting and races they’ve been using since ‘98?

[@GreenEyedDazzler]

It’s always Zelda and Ganon in Hyrule with Zoeas and Gorons it gets old

[@omega17ds]

This is a great video. The way that this video (and Abe's Oddysee) takes the time to consider all angles. I love both of those games, but your ability to see both sides is ridiculous good. Your attention to detail is remarkable. I'm currently in Law School and the skills you display as a reviewer are very refreshing to see. Many people fail to think this carefully and critically about things, so I'm excited to see it in your videos. Cheers!

[@hockeylad2727]

my man this isnt some unique view you have. Hes been knocking it out of the park for years

[@omega17ds]

@@hockeylad2727 I agree. I've been watching his videos for years, but I want to express my gratitude for his hard work.

[@unblorbosyourshows9635]

pay taxes you coward

[@HamsterPants522]

@@unblorbosyourshows9635 Wouldn't paying taxes be safer (and thus, more cowardly) than not?

[@lunasmileyy]

Im pretty sure matthew is a game developer or at least a software dev, so he has insight that the common consumer doesn’t necessarily have.

[@Juliett-A]

Every time a cloud randomly passes overhead, I always look up expecting an attack.

[@ExitusGSZ]

Your review is completely different than Anderson's. You're net getting lost in uninteresting design details, but manage to keep the big picture in mind. It seems you have a much better grasp on game design that most people do. Hats off.

[@dandre3K]

Instead he gets lost in meaningless speculation on developer intent. What's the difference between interesting and uninteresting design details? Your ignorance.

[@Tub-Nub]

@@dandre3K Everything is meaningless if you try hard enough

[@dandre3K]

@@Tub-Nub It's safe to assume every developer intended to make a valuable product. Knowing that doesn't mean I will like the product so fuck your intentions. I don't need to know the intent of the inventor of Chess to analyze aspects of that game. My ignorance of their intentions is quite literally irrelevant, they're always meaningless when evaluating the product.

[@Tub-Nub]

@@dandre3K "I don't need to know the intent of the inventor of Chess" Is nintendo the inventor of video games? When analyzing a chess match, knowing the intent of what they're trying to do is quite important

[@dandre3K]

@@Tub-Nub Your comment has nothing to do with what I said lol

[@nerdpiggy]

This is one of the most thoughtful reviews of anything I've ever seen. It really made me appreciate this game more than I have been.

[@rouge939]

I’m curious how he feels about TOTK. I thought it was very disappointing

[@eleccy]

I agree. It felt like if they had taken any community feedback at all, including points raised in this video, TOTK would have been much better.

[@thundercurrie0]

Well, I think you have bad taste in games, but that's the beauty of opinions.

[@thebuddah1253]

​@@thundercurrie0and people with bad opinions and poor taste (you) will slurp up any slop they're given as long as it's popular. You bought a 70 buck expansion.

[@Leee275]

@@eleccy I honestly get more of an impression that they listened mostly to people that gave opinions on the game's difficulty more than anything. One video on Botw made by a channel called The Yesh raises several points that were addressed in Totk, hence why the channel owner seems to be very positive about it.

[@eleccy]

@@Leee275 Interesting, I'll check it out.

[@superdriver]

good game but it ain't tetris

[@MrGshinobi]

galaxy brain comment

[@containercore6832]

19:04 Twilight Princess really nails the Temple of Time in this regard. It visually communicates its function by setting the actual dungeon in a past version before its fallen into ruin. They didn't even have to alter the cathedral design to accomplish this.

[@SuperButterBuns]

the highlight of my day

[@Humpsterlicious]

You are the highlight of my life! JK. Only my sub feed.

[@DrWiley-fm3ik]

@@jordan4270 thirsty and neckbeard, what a nice combo

[@Laternater]

You forgot to type that in all caps.

[@hamishmacdonald8593]

@@jordan4270 no it's no ya wee spastic

[@DrWiley-fm3ik]

@@jordan4270 you aren't cool, stop trying so hard to be

[@CreepsMcPasta]

I was just thinking about this channel last night. What beautiful timing.

[@Zaveaus14]

Fancy seeing you here

[@andrewprahst2529]

The algorithm is in your head

[@turtleanton6539]

Can I e-mail my stories to you ?

[@ProxyDoug]

"These guys found a durian and now live happy ever after" *charges bow*

[@TinyPrinceGames]

Phenomenal, every moment of it. Nice chunky runtime without feeling like you're droning on and on about the same topics, incredibly fair criticism and praise. Love this review as much as I love this game. Thank you.

[@Huzoozoo]

For such an enormous game I'm surprised how much information you condensed into an hour long video. I feel my time is being respected and that you are conveying all the points you wish to explain. Just wanted to say I'm thrilled with the direction your commentary has taken.

[@edgarramirez409]

Unlike say, Joseph Anderson's 3 hour essays.

[@liamcurran5612]

@@edgarramirez409 I get why people might like Joseph Anderson but his writing isn't nearly as concise and holy shit his videos are long-winded

[@jonathanwilliams1271]

@@liamcurran5612 You make a good point, but to be fair, JA's video's are far more thorough. Don't get me wrong, MM fit a crazy amount of the game's pros and cons into this review, and condensed it far better than Joseph's, but JA's video was way deeper, and he talked about things that MM didn't even mention here. While yeah, it's long, and could be better written, you'll still find more there than we have here.

[@StrlessXbow]

Nice to see a positive retrospect come out. Lot of people seem to try tear it down because of a few tenable weaknesses such as shrines and weapon durability, which ignores how great of a job they did reviving the original concept in a way that works some thirty years later.

[@booski1865]

Yep. Forest for the trees.

[@hoodedman6579]

Some people value different things than you; their perspective isn't any less valuable because some things are bigger deals to them. Shrines being garbage is going to matter a lot more to some people than it is to others. In particular, " how great of a job they did reviving the original concept in a way that works some thirty years later." is both subjective and also something that many aren't going to care about at all.

[@Thierce]

From what I've seen most people have been praising this game and glancing over its flaws and not the opposite

[@hubblebublumbubwub5215]

“reviving the original concept in a way that works some thirty years later” aka making an open world game

[@washaa]

@@hoodedman6579 It's fairly obvious that people have differing views the result of the Nintendos experiment. I can't see why you took Jacks comment to undermine your own opinion.

[@liwendiamond9223]

Imo the most revolutionary element of Breath of the Wild I want to see return to the next titles is the physics engine. That may sound silly, but the dedication they put into simulating physics in a way that is logical, intuitive and consistent did absolute wonders for immersion and making the world feel real, while still retaining a lot of fantastical elements. As an example, just think of the myriads of ways you can create and manipulate fire. A lot of games would grant you one or two fire themed attacks. They would look like fire, they would deal more damage to stuff that is traditionally weak to fire in fantasy settings, like Ice Monsters and Wood/Forest Creatures, but otherwise they would function just like a regular non elemental attack, like say a sword cut. Sometimes these "fire attacks" will trigger damage over time to simulate burning as an enemy is "lit" on fire, but this is no different than a poison dot, or a shock dot, or a physical attack that arbitrarily applies a dot and justifies it as bleeding damage. But not in Breath of the Wild. In BotW, fire behaves like real fire would, because the developers dedicated an seemingly ludicrous amount of time making sure every element of the physics engine reacts to fire as it logically should. Rain puts out fire, fire spreads, and does so more or less effectively depending on what it lits on fire, fire can manifest from combining flint wood and a strike from a metal object, or as the result of lightning, but only when said lightning strikes a flammable object. Fire generates a localized pocket of heat which protects Link from the cold or makes already scorching temperatures even worse, fire can burn or cook anything burnable or cook-able that gets too close and even creates a usable updraft of wind, but only if there's a sufficient amount of fire concentrated in one spot. For goodness's sake, even carrying a fire empowered weapon on your back is accounted for when it comes to regulating Link's body temperature. What an insane level of attention to detail! How many games do you know off include a fully fleshed out ambiant temperature system, and then allow you to use anything from makeshift camp fires, to torches and even the weapons strapped to you back to help you keep warm?! And this is just fire! They've dedicated the same attention to detail for cold, lightning, wind, climbing, swimming, gravity, totally made up magical laws of physics like magical magnetism and stasis, and the list goes on. Like one of the only things BotW doesn't get right about simulating an immersive realistic fantasy world, which I can hardly blame it for because no game has ever depicted this correctly, is the idea that you should take a metric ton of damage for hitting a body of water at terminal velocity, and also the fact that Link can shield deflect a Lionel's charge instantly and effortlessly which according to Game Theory and THE SCIENCE! means his arm packs more punch than a tactical nuclear warhead or something... But aside for a few, probably deliberate deviations from what a physics nerd would expect to happen, this otherwise amazing cohesive mesh of code that doesn't feel like code, the never seen before or since physics engine of Breath of the Wild comes together in such a manner as to almost make me forget I'm playing a video game. It feels like a real world, albeit one that is peppered in gameplay contrivances that don't make sense from an in universe perspective, like those 900 korok seeds and 120 shrines. One would think if everyone's goal was to help Link defeat the ultimate freaking evil once and for all as quickly as possible because Zelda is running out of time, that the ideal solution would be for all the sheika monks to stand next to Link in the Slumber of Resurrection and just pump him full of spirit orbs, hand him over a bunch of high end gear, have Zetsu perform his stupid inventory expansion magic 60 times in a row and send Link on his merry way to kill Ganon within an hour of waking up instead of having him spent the equivalent of several in game months combing Hyrule for all this stuff, but of course there wouldn't be any game left for us to enjoy if that were the case. :D So for the next title, real quick because I've ramble long enough as it is, let's have the physics engine make its return in full force again, possibly even expand it although I don't know how they could do that given how well they nailed it this time around, but I also would like a return of more traditional dungeon sequences, lengthy gauntlets of battles and puzzles made to test a player's endurance and skill. Possibly also a ton of full length super hard optional dungeons with appropriately scaled rewards in place of 120 bit sized shrines. Say 20 of them, each thematically unique and each rewarding the player with an full extra heart container or equivalent. As for the equipment system, certainly more durable weapons would be a welcomed tweak. New additions could include the ability to craft new weapons in an hands off experiment based mini game similar to cooking, the ability to enchant weapons, more than one enchantement per weapon and more randomized and amazing monster weapon drops that provide a strong intensive to tackle with powerful monsters. A new setting that is not Hyrule, a more directly involved story that unfolds in the present and not the past and better voice acting, including the dubs for every language if they want to continue down that route. Moving away from Ganon, possibly moving away from Link as the protagonist or at least granting him a quest that isn't necessarily saving the world from an all consuming big bad. More morally grey characters, especially villains, because Wind Waker Ganondorf was best Ganondorf in that regard but still criminally under utilized. More effort put into reinventing boss battles and a faster pace than Breath of the Wild, because for all of its merits, that game was slow. Incredibly. Slow. If you really wanted to complete it all that is. 900 freaking... Korok Seeds. Have to comb this GIANT map for them all? Enough said. Example of a concept for next Zelda game : You play as Zelda/Shiek herself for once, which could use a lot more battle ready magic that would also double as puzzle solving tools and essentially substitute for Link's items. You use a fast recharging magic meter instead of stamina to get things done. Instead of slowly climbing a cliff side, you could combine several movement focused magic abilities that are intrinsically linked to the way Zelda moves around to dart up the same cliff in a fraction of the time. Things like mid air jumps, augmented running, wall running and outright short distance teleportation, or the ability to unleash fire spells under your feet to create an updrafts that allow you to gain considerable altitude using angelic wings, (the latter of which would be a suitably epic substitute for the paraglider). Since you are the Princess herself, the game's plot could revolve around rebuilding a new kingdom proper after the endless cycle of Demise's hatred has finally been broken, but several factions of this new emerging kingdom might have conflicting interests, forcing you to make tough decisions as the monarch. Here's a pitch of the macro gameplay loop in one example. : One of the first areas of expansion for this new kingdom could be a nearby enchanted forest, initially tainted by a malevolent force you must purge by clearing one or two dungeons and an overworld boss as major objectives, which would be followed by minor objectives to help the region prosper, such as helping NPCS on awesome hand crafted side quests, clearing monster camps and perhaps having the hard choice of helping the native forest dwellers thrive, or colonize the area heavily with Hylian folks, both yielding different tributes for your kingdom and possibly pissing off factions that wouldn't otherwise be hostile to you in the process. There should be an emphasis morally grey and imperfect choices, perhaps suggesting that Demise's Curse isn't truly gone, but instead has evolved into an unvanquishable form ; the potential for evil that resides in anyone's heart, including Zelda's.

[@denimchicken104]

Sir, this is a Wendy’s.

[@alexhosten1508]

that the ideal solution would be for all the sheika monks to stand next to Link in the Slumber of Resurrection and just pump him full of spirit orbs, hand him over a bunch of high end gear, have Zetsu perform his stupid inventory expansion magic 60 times in a row and send Link on his merry way to kill Ganon within an hour of waking up laughed so hard at this! It was EXACTLY what I thought

[@clag1109]

bro this is probably one of the best youtube comments i have ever read

[@Ogeret1405]

I think you probably really enjoyed totk

[@arbernardo7554]

"although I don't know how they could do that given how well they nailed it this time around, but I also would like a return of more traditional dungeon sequences, lengthy gauntlets of battles and puzzles made to test a player's endurance and skill." I hope you got the chance to play TotK.

[@barrywade3774]

Breath of the Wild needs more enemy types, especially those that will fill less occupied areas. Wall master's lurking in cliffs that either return you to the cave of awakening or at least toss you off the wall would add challenge to climbing areas. Peahats that chase you in the sky could also complicate gliding traversal.

[@gr33dl0cknein3]

That would've been great.

[@scottleneau6221]

The name appearing in the corner of the screen makes sense, because Link lived in this world. It's a moment of shocked realization--"hey, I know this place". We're witnessing the discovery of Hyrule's dilapidated state through the lens of someone who used to be its guardian. It adds a sense of melancholy to those immersed, and provides a useful signpost to those who aren't invested yet. Still, more contextual details and environmental storytelling would be nice. But I'd argue that there's nothing wrong with the approach the designers took.

[@morganhalle9905]

I have a hard time buying the that Link was able to recognize every bridge and path in Hyrule, though a flash of recollection at places such as Hateno becomes justified through such an explanation. Besides, if the goal of this excuse (for lack of a better word; I don't like the negativity I'm implying here) is to further immersion, then I personally can't shake the question of why then Link doesn't instantly know the location of each photograph in the flashback quest, and therefore the goal is unfortunately unfulfilled.

[@hoodedman6579]

You're telling me that Link memorized every little location in Hyrule, to the point that he recognizes all of them withing a couple of seconds?

[@DrNaviMD]

I don't think Link has any clue of where he is unless there world explicitly tells him. We needed those contextual clues.

[@fatanimetiddies9760]

It's still non diagetic tho

[@inglorii]

The moment "Royaume d'Hyrule" (Hyrule Kingdom) appeared on my screen as I landed from my first parasail jump was one of the most awesome subtle touches I ever experienced in gaming.

[@Henry_Chan]

I've never understood the appeal of BotW, but now I think I get it. After years of expecting extrinsic rewards for doing things, that was what I wanted from BotW when it just isn't about that. Jesus Christ, Matt, every video you make is better than the last, and always comes at things from a different perspective. Thanks for consistently providing different ways to think about a medium I love.

[@drfoto2673]

As a person who absolutely loves what I suppose would be intrinsic rewards this game is probably my favorite game of all time and it actually pains me a little because I have a feeling that I'm in the minority there. Sure there are some undeniable moments of greatness like Naydra or Eventide but what really makes this game shine for me is how big the world is and the fact that there are areas with what most people call nothing. For them it may be nothing but for me it's a beautiful area that's just enjoyable to traverse. The fact that there are just so many different paths you can take and discover small spots that you just know were purposefully designed even though there's at most some animals or just ore deposits just constantly keeps giving me that thrill of discovery. He did mention there were no corpses around but in the field by the Dueling Peaks stable there's a group of bokoblins sitting just beside an area with 10 or more travelers claymores. I suppose you could look into that however you will but I saw that as the bokoblins essentially eating various travelers they manage to hunt down. I do agree with him that there could be some more significance to certain things and that the emphasis on freedom brings it's own share of problems it's also something I would sorely miss in any upcoming title.

[@JonLucy_downunder]

Yeah but can we talk about 25:27 real quick

[@bloocheez3]

@@drfoto2673 I agree. The swords-as-corpses is all through the game and once you start looking at them like that, many areas of the map become downright depressing as you see a ton of soldier weapons strewn about.

[@drew8235]

Games such as this, and Dark Souls and the like, really change your expectations as a gamer.

[@dirkkrid3231]

I am glad you enjoyed BoTW. The fact that, even after hundreds of hours, I still learned game mechanics from watching your video exactly shows what makes this game great.

[@MrBioBlue94]

I remember watching this video when it came out. It was eye-opening at the time, in that it made clear to me why I liked Matthew's videos so much. The guy just gets it. I won't go into detail, but watching some Botw critique videos since then make them look embarrassing in comparison. The same applies to other games as well, but that one stands out so much.

[@MattObviously]

Matthew clearly understands video game design very well. I wish he uploaded more, but I’m sure there’s a metric ton of work that goes into writing and creating these videos.

[@lazedreamor2318]

@@MattObviously He probably plays a lot to understand them too. I think he said in Meta Micro that he spent 200+ on BOTW.

[@Quietpower99]

@@MattObviously He's working on a game currently, you can follow the progress of it on his Patreon. Another thing that makes his videos stand out, they don't have intros, outros, sponsors, or plugs. The videos are 100% content related to the title topic.

[@wesshiflet2214]

the critique of the game is fine. the “intrinsic players vs extrinsic players” bit is nonsense

[@DryTony]

@@wesshiflet2214 that isn't nonsense, it's rather revolutionary and I think about it all the time

[@MasonOfLife]

Maybe the paraglider in addition to being more like in Skyward Sword, it could be used for going distances only if their was a strong air current to use otherwise you wouldn’t be able to go far, this would prevent abuse of the power of the paraglider but still have use for it in appropriate places

[@davinchristino]

Maybe there could be opposing air currents to block players from using the paraglider.

[@Kultas]

*Return Of The Mack playing in the background*

[@efefe48]

Ты когда обзоры на аниме делать будешь?

[@Voduke789]

Return of the Matt

[@wuwei473]

Uh oh.... did somebody say KNACKKKK?

[@exiliahs]

@@wuwei473 knack 2 baybeeee

[@Largentina.]

@@exiliahs GOTY 1986-2086

[@takemetoyonk]

17:50 ooh boii! Subtitles and Zelda's voice fading in while entering or even re-entering certain sacred locations would ooze personality. Might not be as lonely and sad, though.

[@joebailey8294]

Intrinsic motivation gang is having a field day with TOTK

[@BelchingBeaver69]

Huh

[@TheFloodFourm]

Yes! lol that was like the core change they made

[@gabrielmeyer5644]

I also like that they provide more extrinsic motivation to raid enemy camps, because of horns and the fuse mechanic. Other instances of extrinsic motivation aren't really as present as this, but it's good something this integral was thought about during development.

[@TheFloodFourm]

@@gabrielmeyer5644 I wouldn’t call intrinsic motivation “integral” to a video game. People don’t continue to play a bad game because of intrinsic motivation (or at least I hope they don’t) and they won’t sit around all day and hit a skinner box button either. A game needs to be worth playing before it’s worth grinding for, thats integral.

[@gabrielmeyer5644]

@@TheFloodFourm I just mean that there's more of a gameplay loop. Ideally, extrinsic rewards facilitate intrinsic enjoyment; in TotK's case, horns and such are tangible end-goals which encourage more engagement in combat. It also helps that doing so doesn't eat into your resources in the same way as it does in BotW.

[@FunnyAnimatorJimTV]

I wrote a summary of the video, with timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:37 BotW’s “Freedom” philosophy 4:17 The Great Plateau as a tutorial faithful to the game as a whole 5:23 The Shiekah Slate with generic abilities should make puzzle solutions less obvious (good), however the simplicity of Shrines often make solutions obvious/less satisfying (bad) 7:15 Puzzle-solving Motivation 9:13 Temperature system is great, but equipment system is bad (too easy). Many things are good to be convenient, but need more restrictions on equipment to increase survivalist aspect. Could also give permanent upgrades 12:38 - Combat has problems but is more engaging/impressive than most games because all of Link’s actions are available at all times 18:11 Improvements on open-world design 18:49 The world still lacks realistic depictions in key locations, environmental storytelling 22:37 Less common overworld/characters would be more interesting 24:28 Motivation, utility 26:31 The power of permanence 28:28 Restrictive moments are more satisfying within a world of freedom 30:17 The paraglider is overpowered, enemies are too easy to avoid 31:47 Enemy variety is OK, and their designs are great 35:40 Climbing is dull and overpowered (48:46) 36:15 inventory is too big (or is it?) 37:42 Players can tweak difficulty for themselves 38:59 BotW’s definitive feature is that all objects can affect gameplay (physics, state calculation) 40:07 The Zelda series had always been building towards these new gameplay mechanics 40:59 BotW’s art style is a crucial component to the gameplay with meaningful decisions behind it 42:30 UI details 43:20 Reduced soundtrack allows the world to speak for itself, but still well-designed music 45:30 Divine Beasts are extremely well designed, combining classic Zelda dungeon feeling with new freedom philosophy, but unfortunately each one is short and visually repetitive 46:38 More on Shrines: They can be created in large numbers, and reward exploration, but are too repetitive and puzzles less satisfying 48:53 Nintendo will also need to defy conventions FROM botw 49:09 Hyrule Castle is very threatening (good) while also emphasizing freedom and exploration 49:43 Story is nonlinear, nonlinear memories make it complex, but it honors the player’s freedom. Even the story itself has a subject of “freedom”. But the ending doesn’t feel as bittersweet as it should 52:01 Final boss phase 1: Item usage should be encouraged (but not mandatory), and clearing divine beasts should enhance, not reduce, the experience. Dark Beast Ganon fight is OK because the overworld is the main character. 53:32 Outro: BotW’s new formula has problems, but also extremely great moments - both of these coming from the unwavering commitment to freedom.

[@FunnyAnimatorJimTV]

Summary: Best things about BotW: - its concsious unwavering commitment to allowing player freedom - restrictive moments within that freedom - high incentives for exploration - physics and temperature engines - many streamlining and quality-of-life improvements Issues for improvement: - too many shrines causes puzzles to be broken up too much and unsatisfying - many features are overpowered (climbing, gliding, clothing, inventory, non-threatening enemies) - issues with environmental storytelling, divine beasts and final boss issues

[@moritzkorsch9029]

@@FunnyAnimatorJimTV That's some work you did there. Thank you! I'd have appreciated a less summarized version even more, using only thematic topics as names, like someone did for the Dark Souls commentary. These feel more like your personal notes - which is also okay.

[@TheBooBomber609]

22:08 About the whole corpse thing, you gotta remember that the Calamity happened 100 years before the events of the game, so it makes sense not to see any dead bodies. If you're talking about just bones, however, I'm pretty sure there are a disturbing amount of bone piles found within Hyrule Castle. Therefore, the explanation for the lack of bones in Castle Town is either the monsters gathered the bones and brought them to Hyrule Castle for some unknown reason, or the bones merely sunk beneath the earth after so many years.

[@blizzardregulus]

Also, Ocarina of Time wasn't squeamish about putting down bones in tombs or placing Redeads in the ruins of Hyrule Castle Town to imply not everyone made it to Kakariko. There's precedent for them doing such things if they had bothered to.

[@brycebitetti1402]

@@blizzardregulus I think that there just wasn't a place for that within the narrative. The game does tell you that not everyone made it out through much more subtle means, like the overall destruction of the Hylian culture as a whole. While there's still a discernable history and legacy that can be easily observes with the other races of the game, the Hylians' culture has been all nut destroyed. There's no more soldiers, blacksmiths, artisans, barely any craftsmen, no historians, nothing save for a bunch of refugees trying to get by day by day. Most of them don't even know what they've lost, and I find that way more interesting than if the game really tried to hammer home how large the losses were. The fact that it's so understated is part of the game's implicit message. Societies may crumble, but life always finds a way to bounce back. Just because the kingdom of Hyrule is gone doesn't make the world any less alive. There's a bittersweet atmosphere to Breath of the Wild's world that hearkens back to Miyazaki in a way that not many pastiches are able to capture, and it's what really ignites my love for this game in spite of its flaws.

[@wunderwalze]

My gawd the bone weapons used by enemies could be made of humans :o

[@browncoat697]

There's also the fact that Bokoblin and Moblin weapons tend to be made of bone (whose bones?), and wild animals would have easily gnawed on whatever human remains were left, digesting much of the deceased.

[@theunknownsissel9943]

Hey man, love your content and I am glad that you take your time with your reviews to make them better. It is good to see you back!

[@DrWiley-fm3ik]

My jaw literally dropped when I saw the notification.

[@oldman2470]

Same

[@aquamidideluxe5079]

Same. I'm waiting to watch this until I can order myself a sandwich

[@seyedmohammadhoseinbathaei9040]

Same

[@robertgraydon146]

Couldn’t have said it better myself

[@benhobbs8705]

Are you the dedede guy

[@Kajotex]

One thing i truly dislike is that some food items are overpowered. I can venture to all 4 corners of the earth, gathering butter, salt, a rare fish and a pepper to compile a most pleasing meal that heals me for 10 hearts, or i can just chuck a hearty radish in the pan and not only get a full heal but also some hearts on top. Additional hearts break the cooking for me. And it would've been such an easy fix too. Just make it so the extra hearts only come out if you are already at max health. Meh. Otherwise i quite like the game. Thanks for the review!

[@TheDevilinThePaleMoonlight]

I agree, if cooking is going to be tied directly to how many hearts can be gained ,it should always favor the rarest items combined to get the most hearts example: instead of 1 hearty durian filling u up and giving u 4 extra hearts, for that kind of efficacy it should need to be a full 5 piece recipe filled with the rarest ingredients. I also think there should have been a cap on what u could carry that way u could feasibly run out of food and thus health. Also it would mean there would be a trade off when it comes to armor upgrades, if u want to upgrade a piece of armor it would take all of ur health boosting food leaving u much more vulnerable until u collected more. I absolutely love the game but u become op a little too quickly for my liking. The game is so much more exciting when ur weak.

[@squilliam8]

I also think healing shouldn’t pause the game, it seems kinda broken

[@BaldorfBreakdowns]

Here's an easy fix, don't eat food. Mind Blown! It's like there is a freedom of choice...

[@Kajotex]

Why didn't I think of that. Truly a mind to behold.

[@BaldorfBreakdowns]

@@Kajotex Amazing Learn

[@shpladau]

Your videos never disappoint, and I have to give particular praise to this one for engaging me from the start (Albeit by making me think I clicked on the wrong Zelda video) and smoothly transitioning me into the bulk of your essay without extra fluff in the way, just like the game itself does with no title screen.

[@ShadowedAgony]

Anyone else come back to these? With all the content discussing games, some of which are go on for hours into the double digits, I find almost all of them immensely disappointing when compared to Matthew.

[@adamyohan]

Yup, 100%

[@GigaDonk99]

So far the only one who comes close to this level of quality imo is Noah Caldwell Gervais

[@moritzkorsch9029]

@@GigaDonk99 I need more recommendations of channels like Matthewmatosis, but I had a look at your recommendation and the guy's most recent uploads vary around TWO hours! The original commenter was complaining about precisely that. Did you have a specific video series in mind?

[@SaberRexZealot]

@@GigaDonk99 Noah is fantastic but Matthew is still the best. Much sharper editing and efficient writing. Noah’s editing is practically nonexistent which is why his videos are so long, even though I love to hear him talk.

[@davemarx7856]

I would have liked a shadow of the colossus style final ganon fight. Use the light arrows to melt away the gross malice covering the beast and then climb up to the eye and stab it. If you didn't get the master sword it would require multiple strikes. No this isn't really my idea. Someone else came up with the basics.

[@collette3428]

BotW is a game I enjoyed more than any in recent memory, I put in 150+ hours in to it, and I regularly rate it highly when I'm asked about my favorite games...I have no desire to ever replay it from the start, though, far too tedious in regards to weapons.

[@classclown6ya]

Matthewmatosis, your script transitions are incredible. From shrines to custom clothes was SO smooth. 9:00

[@romano-britishmedli7407]

Yep! That's exactly what I was thinking too!

[@classclown6ya]

@@romano-britishmedli7407 he's an amazing writer

[@roryookane]

Personally, I thought the transitions were _too_ smooth. They make it so easy to keep watching, but so hard to remember what he was talking about afterwards. For example, what did he say about shrines again? They are self-contained, then something about the existence of extrinsic and intrinsic rewards, then something about chests and the clothes in them… and then he doesn’t return to the subject of shrines. All the individual points seemed to make sense, or at least be leading somewhere, when he said them, but now it’s hard to get a firm mental grasp on. I would have preferred a more explicit conclusion to his thoughts on each subject - perhaps even listing his points on the screen at the end of a section for easy reference.

[@chimanruler15]

@@roryookane I agree. His review was good but made his points rather hard to follow.

[@gammafighter]

7:15 I wonder where I should put the portal...

[@tyler-xo3rb]

Classic

[@ebaynetflix]

It's been a few years since I've watched a review of yours. I'm kind of amazed at your level of progress. Your script is clear and concise and gets to the root of the appeal or flaw quickly without fluff.

[@ShyGuyXXL]

Matthew: Dang, the game is making me gather more wood. Me: Hooray, the game finally gives me a purpose for all this wood I've been gathering just for fun.

[@deal_4_real]

Seriously lol, I had never used wood for anything before Tarrey Town so I was able to skip most of the collecting phases.

[@ChefOnACloud]

>sometime it seems like the only thing link can't mount is Mipha Did u just

[@NegitoroIsBestShip]

He did.

[@wakewind4129]

Joshua Osborne Yes

[@yersiniopestis2553]

My take on this game was that I didn't enjoy it as much as some of the earlier Zelda games. Not to say that it isn't a good game, it clearly is, just one that I feel conflicted about. I had a blast early on, my favorite moment in the game being getting to the Zora village since I didn't stock up on weapons so I had to kill things on the fly if they caught me, but after getting further and further in, I found some of the things that I originally found fun to than be tedious. For example, originally the weapons breaking was neat since I would constantly have to use different ones to kill an enemy, but once I got royal weapons and knew their locations, it was tedious since I knew where they were but I would have to back track to get the weapon over again since it was the most optimal way to do things. Or the shrines, I thought that they would be short puzzles that would occasionally shake up the the overworld, but in reality they are completely necessary to explore further and since they aren't dungeons that each have very different looks and puzzles, I just found them to be overly uniform and drab. Also wish that their were more equipment to be found throughout the world for traversal and for the glider to not be as good of a movement tool as it is. I rarely ever go on roads or see many of the sights that the developers intended me to see. I always just go to a higher area and just glide through whereas if I could get a hookshot or a grapple hook my movement would be increased, but not accelerated to the point where I never am traveling on foot.

[@liamf2300]

“Given the opportunity, players will optimise the fun out of a game” - Civ 6 Developer

[@yersiniopestis2553]

@@liamf2300 Yeah pretty much, I really wish that early on with the weapons its the same but after you unlock say your own village and complete it, you get to repair your weapons and your shield for some rupies. I think that this would have helped somewhat especially since I at least went to the village regardless to get stuff and it would all be in one place rather than going all over to find replacements. Also on that point, it only seems obvious to do so since you need weapons and since you know where the best ones are, why not just go get them instead of carrying around your disposable club?

[@cameronjohnson3217]

Idk I never went out of my way to find weapons and always had more than enough good ones. Maybe cause I also didn’t try to glide everywhere, I liked collecting things along the way

[@cameronjohnson3217]

It kinda seems like your problem with the game was having more freedom than you knew what to do with

[@jonathanwilliams1271]

@@yersiniopestis2553 I strongly agree, though for me, I lost interest more at the lack of meaningful collectables and content, rather than weapon system and movement. Thirty minutes into the game, you'll have seen 90% of the main content. Shrines, weapons, koroks, runes, etc. The only unique rewards are the different outfits, and eventually, that novelty wore off. There was no meaningful progression besides hearts and armor upgrades.

[@zerarch77]

37:06 As a Wii U owner, I appreciate that sick burn.

[@peckc16]

It's true-I was stunned when I found out the screen wasn't used and immediately connected the dots to the implication that, at least in menu navigation, the switch version would have been inferior- which Nintendo would never allow.

[@chrisbrannigan6210]

It was delivered in such a dead pan, that I took a moment to realise it was a quip.

[@DarthFennec]

"A better compromise would have been to use some lesser-known races such as Mogmas or Subrosians." If another Zelda game ever has Subrosians in it I'll be so happy

[@Pawn2e4]

Hopefully we'll find some Subrosians on Breath of the Wild 2's sky islands...

[@facerip2222]

I am so incredibly happy to see you back Matthew. I love all of your videos, and this new one is excellent. Cheers on another job well done dude.

[@rook8808]

I know this is a year old but as someone who only got the game like this year on the switch I absolutely love how you can make your own game within the game itself...I spend most of mine just collecting pretty horses, it's easily my favourite thing to do lol, as well as collecting clothes only so I can go dye them.......this makes it sound like some Barbie Horse Adventure game....... (although those extra design notes going around for the horses are sorely missed...like petting them, or having them sway to music....such cute ideas....) I think the paraglider is fine but if anything Revalis gale kind of makes it too easy, parts where I'd just climb my way up a cliff or look for alternative routes because I never make any bloody stamina potions have kinda just changed to "eh ill just use the gale thing to get to the top" also it charges up the quickest i think so you can use it most of the time without having to wait too long Tarrey Town's music I think also should count as a reward for the side quest...part of the draw of that quest can just be the tune changing and growing over time with each new resident (Scruffy has a great vid that talks about this) and I think lots of areas of the game have this kind of music reward....like riding your horse long enough at night without running into enemies or stopping lets you hear the main Zelda theme with the violin, or knowing you're approaching a town from the music fading in as you get closer. I also think this is the best Zelda soundtrack....controversial opinion I know lol but it just fits the theme of the post-apocalyptic setting of the game very very well, the whole world oozes this sadness like its constantly grieving a world-that-was....just sitting around in-game listening to the Cave music or the Ruins music can be enough because they're just such beautiful pieces

[@DrOlimario]

My God I waited to watch this video for so long because I knew it would be amazing. Matthew, you're a bloody genius. Your criticism is so unique, refreshing and, most importantly, superbly explained and logical. Your videos are always a treat. Also. thanks so much for shouting out Mogmas, love those guys and an underground mole town would have been awesome. My own small response to the video is on the lack of enemy variety (or lack thereof as you point out). I agree with your assessment that enemy types and patterns are still represented even if they're not superficially present, as the item-looting Like Likes and bomb-swallowing Dodongos are essentially disguised as Octoroks. Additionally, the circling wolves as Wolfos-lite is an excellent point. From this example comes my silly pet theory that we're missing certain classic Zelda mooks because...they'd be too scary. Moblins, Bokoblins, Lizalfos and Wizrobes are silly and goofy. Childlike as you point out - clearly this was intentional. Lynels and Hinoxes are perhaps the most threatening but they're not too ugly or uncanny, the threat is in the difficulty of their encounters. I realize this is pretty subjective but if anyone is still reading my comment stick with me lol. Recall the wolves - a dog isn't too scary, but a bipedal werewolf might be a little too frightening for kids. When it can just sneak up on you out in the open world where you may be unprepared to face it, it may be too unsettling. Something about not just being able to run back to a previous loading screen to get away could be offputting to younger players. This theory expands out to other enemies such as Skulltulas - a giant spider is hard to make goofy. The last thing I'll reference is an enemy I sorely missed. The king of creepy Zelda baddies: the ReDead. Matthew even seems to miss these ghouls as he laments the lack of corpses in Hyrule. A post-apocalyptic Hyrule seems to be screaming out for the presence of ReDeads and the similarly supernatural Poes. This was even the point of the ReDead's conception - Ocarina of Time's ruined Hyrule was littered with these reanimated corpses. I can't think of a good reason for why they're missing given their thematic aptitude other than the fact that the potential for a child to wander unwittingly into a den of ReDeads with nothing but a stick and have a heart attack was off-putting to Nintendo. This isn't 1998 and these aren't blocky N64 graphics. You can't toss a child in a room with a greasy, hi-res Dead Hand. I think Breath of the Wild is likely more approachable without such elements and it helped make it as explosively popular it was, in some small way.

[@highestsettings]

"There needs to be wrong answers in a puzzle for the right answer to be meaningful" Wow, I never thought about it that way but that really defines what makes a puzzle interesting at all. I've always struggled to determine what makes the simple "find the eye you're supposed to shoot the arrow at" or "push the block onto the switch", etc. puzzles in Ocarina of Time so lackluster for me (as much as I love that game). I know they're bad, but I could never figure out why. But that really hits the nail on the head. That's what separates a great puzzle from a boring one. You need to have seemingly correct wrong answers, otherwise it's not even a puzzle at all. If you can't be wrong, there's not satisfaction in being right. Those aspects of early 3D Zelda games are so frustrating to me, because those elements (along with other nitpicky things like how slow the text can be, or having to pause every five seconds to switch boots in the water temple and so on) are what really what prevent them from being perfect games in my book, or at least as close to perfect as you can get. I suppose that's why Majora's Mask is my favourite Zelda game, because aside from Woodfall Temple, all of the dungeons in that game require you to manipulate something that affects the whole dungeon that in turn affects the way you navigate the dungeon. Like in Snowhead, how you have to destroy the ice blocks to shorten the massive pillar in the centre of the dungeon to create the path to the boss room. The whole dungeon is one single puzzle. When you raise the pillar, it changes how you even move through the dungeon, but you need to raise the pillar to beat the dungeon. Which the divine beasts in this game do very well also. I just wish there was some theming in the dungeons and they didn't all look the same. This game would have been _perfect_ if it had forty shrines, 8 divine beasts and a map about half the size with more towns. It felt to me like they did too much and they couldn't add the details that brought the early 3D Zeldas to life for me. Majoras Mask is brilliant because it's concise but it's extremely well executed. I love Breath of the Wild, but I always felt like it could have been so much more. The shrines are excellent, the art style is fantastic, the combat is the best of the series, but it's just missing... something. I hope they do a Majora's Mask style sequel to this where they use the engine and models to make something small but articulate in it's execution. If you could mix the theming and world design of Majora's Mask with the freedom and engine of this game, you'd have the best Zelda game ever made. But then perhaps the things you need to do to create the theming and world design of Majora's Mask directly contradicts the freedom of this game. I guess that's why I don't work at Nintendo.

[@jonathanwilson7949]

And guess what… they’re making a Majora’s mask type sequel :)

[@lightbrand_]

@@jonathanwilson7949 nobody said that? Just because the first trailer was in a dimly lit cave and had a mildly creepy vibe with how Ganondorf was presented absolutely doesn’t mean it will be at all reminiscent of majora, that game wasn’t just about being darker than it’s prequel for the sake of it

[@jonathanwilson7949]

@@lightbrand_ lol

[@fan5407]

38:59 - I love this section about a game that works realistically vs. a game that looks realistic. Very interesting.

[@TheKpa11]

You know BOTW's game would be the 3D Pokemon experience many have wanted. Replace the enemies with any variety of pokemon. Replace the vehicles and horse with pokemon. Have the towns and dungeons be caches and general pokestops. The travellers and such would be trainers. And etc.

[@wonderguardstalker]

There are several reasons this will never happen unfortunately. "Open world Pokemon" is one of those markers that tips you off to someone blissful naivety of the industry

[@TheKpa11]

@@wonderguardstalker Breath of the Wild was that at some point too really. Sure it may take a long time, but it could happen. But whatever nothing I can do 😒

[@wonderguardstalker]

Those two development histories are not the same at all. This is exactly what I'm talking about. Not saying yer wrong to wish for it. Just that yer wrong to ever expect it

[@RockEsper]

@@wonderguardstalker But when did they ever say they expected it? They said it could happen which is true. It's possible.

[@superapm9620]

Its funny you make this comment with the announcement of Gen 8

[@TOGYS7]

now review Mario Gear Solid: Phantom Odyssey

[@vulkandrache1928]

"Pause if you want to read it." Fyes, ive been waiting for someone do to this for so long. Let the viewer decide what they want to read instead of keeping it on screen for some nondescript amount of time. While i personaly strongly disliked the gameplay in the 4 "dungeons" of this game i can understand why someone would be all over them. The shrines however i could not get behind. They are clean and pristine, unnaturaly so. As if they were build as challenges for the player instead of for Link. Storywise they are supposedly training facilities and they were build with ancient technology, but that shouldnt make them immune to time. If even just a few of them had visible damage (a caved in wall, some treeroots crashing through the ceiling, a watertank having leaked out,...), even in such a way that it interferes with some puzzles, they wouldnt appear so clinical and samey.

[@TheSoulHarvester]

Having to adapt complex solutions to what WAS a simple puzzle, but has been damaged by time to make it harder to complete, is a great idea. Props for being the 1st person I've seen come up with it.

[@Mayeur000Donz]

38:12 I've been consistently surprised at how obtusely some folks have refused to understand when I've said I prefer it when a game imposes limits, compared to a player choosing to impose them themselves. A Nuzlocke, for example, sounds like a lot of fun on paper, but when the only one maintaining the harsh penalties for a Pokemon fainting is myself, the challenge feels arbitrary. And it's not a self-control problem because I have seen challenges like this through, and not felt a smidgen of the satisfaction I would have if working within those restrictions hadn't been mandatory.

[@nart216]

I agree, I know the pokemon developers know about Nuzlocke or even a hard mode. I mean one search for what people what in a pokemon game can be found easy. I wish they could just add it already. They must know they still have alot of hardcore people who play the game

[@_ArsNova]

This is just the cycle of ignorant players and bad devs feeding off of each other. Players demand more "freedom", regardless of if it is good for the game or not, and developers are felt to oblige in order to make more money, either at their own behest or that at the publishers. People tend to have a really difficult time grasping the concept that Matt mentioned in reference to the game's soundtrack, that restraint is equally as important as indulgence.

[@muat1155]

I hope Matthew has had an opportunity to play Tears of the Kingdom. I am genuinely intrigued as to how he feels about the additions to the gameplay and for how he feels Zelda should evolve given the monumental success of the past two games.

[@muat1155]

Having the same physics engine and graphics does not equate to the same game. That’s like saying Majora’s Mask and Ocarina of Time are the same game.

[@wuwei473]

@@muat1155 how about same main story quests, same weapons, same topography, same upgrade systems, same combat mechanics, same outcome, and same problems?

[@Teybort]

@@wuwei473 None of that means bad perse. Same field become a whole new experiencie given new transformative tools for interacting and exploring. Few things deserve a sequel as much as botw did.

[@wuwei473]

@@Teybort but it does mean same.

[@N-Khal]

@@Teybort Except it was bad

[@paulryan220]

I first became a big fan of your channel from your Mario and Zelda reviews. The way you talked about games and the careful thought that goes into them taught me to look at the games I play through an entirely different lens. Breath of the Wild is a very personal game for me and I was extremely excited for when you would cover this game. Your review did not disappoint and I am once again enamored by the new ways you've gotten me to think about a game I've player over 400 hours of. Looking forward to whatever you cover next!

[@booski1865]

It amazes me how this is a game so many people have played and discussed, and yet it's such a personal experience. It's the first game I can remember trading stories about with friends since grade school. Hell, when it first released I used to chat with strangers at the bar about it.

[@cliffsnowfield8006]

I really didn't like Breath of the Wild. I've been playing Zelda my whole life, since Link to the Past. I've played every single one and I always stayed away from hype, spoilers, and preconceptions, never even forming an opinion until I had played most of the game. To be honest, I've loved pretty much every Zelda game, some more than others, but it was a series I always felt close with and connected to. But to be honest, I don't even know if it matters that I don't like Breath of the Wild, because whenever I play it, I get the overwhelming feeling it was made with the intention of giving the finger to all the old-school die hard fans such as myself. This game wasn't made to make me happy, because they took out everything I liked. When I read the developer's comments about how the team's mission statement in developing this game was to "forget everything you know about Zelda" (or whatever it was they said), part of me died on the inside. I didn't want to forget! I liked the "archaic" "repetitive" "formulaic" game design that was supposedly "in need of a breath of fresh air." It didn't seem that way to me. Nobody hated Okami, or Megaman Legends, or the entire Metroidvania genre, just for being repetitive in design philosophy. I never understood how people hated the dungeons in any of the Zelda games except Link's Awakening, and no one hates that game's dungeons except me! In fact, Breath of the Wild seems to have been made from the ground up as an appeasement to all the disenchanted Zelda fans who hated the series I loved. Everyone who thought Twilight Princess was lame and Skyward Sword was a joke, seem to be the same people who love Breath of the Wild. I never thought a series I've been a fan of since childhood could feel so cold and unapproachable to me as Zelda does now. Anyway, sorry to shit up your comments section like this. It's just that your video was amazing and very well done, and it inspired me to share my dumbass opinions. My favorite thing about you and your videos is that you never feel cruel or unfair; you always speak facts gracefully and share your opinions tactfully, and it creates a great atmosphere for viewers like me. Thanks for uploading this video!

[@ClumpypooCP]

Dude I totally agree with you. Botw took out so much of what Zelda is, that it barely feels like a Zelda game.

[@blacklotus561]

"Give the player want they need, not what they want" How many times can you remake ocarina of time? Hell, even ocarina is basically a 3d-remake of a link to the past and that game is from 1992. I love zelda games more than any other franchise, but enough is enough. Especially in twilight princess and skyward sword you could feel that the designers were incredibly restricted by the decades of zelda traditions that they had to adhere by. As soon as tradition stands in your way of making a good game, then it's time to shake up the franchise and boy did they do that with BOTW. Do we need a bomb-bag in our zelda games when we could just have...bombs? Do we need a "longer hookshot" in every franchise entry? Do we have to upgrade from slingshot to bow and arrow in every zelda, even though that only made sense in ocarina due to the timeskip? Is the boomerang truly a needed item in your inventory, when you will basically never use it over the bow and arrow? Is it necessary to litter your inventory with a dozen items that you will use once in the dungeon you find them in and then never use them again? Is the "use dungeon item on the dungeon boss" fight formula still exciting (spoiler: it's not)? Does every story have to resolve around the master sword? Does link even need his green clothes for you to recognize him? The answer to all of those questions is no (in my opinion), so what parts of the franchise *are* vital to it? Exploration, combat and puzzles. That's really it, the franchise isn't built on top of very special mechanics. The first legend of zelda was just a kid with a sword and a shield cutting through enemies, with a few "bomb this crevice" puzzles sprinkled on top. BOTW cut out all the bullshit that devs have added on top of that framework over the next 25 years and yet it's still undeniably zelda in my opinion. That's what a great "reset game" should strive to be.

[@ClumpypooCP]

Malte Diekmann My answer to all your questions in the middle paragraph is also “no.” I agree its good to make some changes to give us a fresh new game but at the same time still feeling like a classic 3D Zelda game. They could make a lot of changes while still keeping the core gameplay intact (look at A Link Between Worlds). Anyway, this is just my opinion. I will always prefer the classic 3D Zelda gameplay over BOTW.

[@internet11]

Honestly the thing with metroidvanias and other game subgenres is that they've evolved over time and built on top of each other to make better games. Zelda has been basically exactly the same game since OOT and I think Skyward Sword was the final nail in that coffin, as it was harshly criticized for being ANOTHER Zelda game with an annoying sidekick, linear progression, and all of the same unfixed flaws that were present in Ocarina of Time. I think about how a game like Half Life 2 feels kind of generic to play in 2020, despite being so revolutionary in 2004. It's because what it laid out for FPS games and source games was expanded upon so much that the originator of these standards now feels overly standard itself. In the same way, Zelda began to feel like any other yearly franchise with barely any innovation between 5 mainline games. Other 3D adventure games took leaps and bounds beyond Zelda's formula to create much better and less derivative experiences.

[@QuiteDan]

28:08 They should never have made the korok collection count toward 100% They give you the golden turd as a "haha you wasted your time" joke, yet they legitimatize it with that % in the corner of your map.

[@lucasmachado720]

To say something that wasn’t already said here, i really love your bit about an hypothetical tablet controller at 37:08 Not only your humour is on point as always but it really gets the point across and leaves one thinking about the whole thing with the dual console release and how the switch version really affected the wii u version. You are a treasure Matthew

[@elim9054]

This is a great review. BotW enraptured me the first time I played it, and I still enjoy playing it, but that doesn't mean it's flawless. The more I played, the more I have found the armor system to be a big stumbling point. Having such a variety of armor in a Zelda game is cool and definitely new, but mechanically the armor sets end up feeling very samey. Most pieces of armor give the exact same amount of defense at each upgrade tier, and most of the set bonuses aren't very impactful or exciting (at least in combat). And don't even get me started on how weak the DLC armor is. I haven't used Amiibo, but I'm assuming the Amiibo-exclusive armor had the same problems as DLC if they also are not upgradeable. The whole system just seems primarily focused on letting you change Link's appearance. Why not have more sets that boost the power of only certain weapon types the way the Ancient set does, giving players more options to build for a certain play style? Why not have optional equipment slots that don't mess with set bonuses, so the jewelry equipment doesn't become mostly pointless? Why not let bonuses from food and armor stack so you can combine both to get a bigger boost than you would from only using one or the other? Even having penalties with some pieces or sets of armor could be a way to make the armor you wear a more meaningful decision, provided those penalties are balanced in a way that makes sense.

[@jamesneeson5751]

I can't agree more with your assesment of the races. While integrated really well, I would have much preferred less obvious ones or new ones entirely.

[@booski1865]

I'm torn. I agree in theory, but the Mogma in skyward sword were so bad that the gorons were a welcome return for me. But ideally we'd get some awesome new races.

[@JezMM]

I think for this first foray into open world Zelda, it wasn't a bad idea for them to stick to the beloved classic races, but in a sequel I'd certainly like some surprises. For what it's worth, in a sense we did at least get to see the Shiekah tribe in their prime, as well as new settlements like Hateno and Lurelin. The fact that the latter was completely optional to discover from any of the main quests was a bold move too, and very appreciated.

[@MasonOfLife]

Yes. I was kind of underwhelmed with something in Botw and I couldn’t put my finger on it, but when he mentioned this in the video it clicked. I totally forgot the feeling of seeing gorons for the first time and they just felt like a Zelda staple at this point, But to bring in entirely new races with different functions and behaviours would be way more engaging

[@TheCrimsonSeven]

Another great video, with a really tight script and a cohesive train of interesting thoughts. Thanks for the hard work.

[@ExtremalMetal]

Out of all the BotW reviews this is the one. Thank you, it was very thought-provoking and expressed ideas and gripes I could feel but couldn't figure out and put into words myself when playing the game. I hope someone at Nintendo will watch this review if none other. Again, if you're reading this, thank you. I'm still playing through the other Zelda games and watching your reviews as soon as I finish one. Well, exactly one, since besides BotW I only finished OoT so far.

[@ExtremalMetal]

I'm starting Skyward Sword and already tired at this rate. Even took a break from gaming for a month in the middle of TP playthrough. Also due to burnout and leaving Destiny. But still. I'm feeling more and more angry at the time-wasting stuff. Carrying out puzzle solutions for too long and stuff. Sailing. MM is my favorite. Love that atmosphere and the character quests. But I really wish I had a Wii or any Nintendo console back when I was a kid. If a game like Twilight Princess was all I had, I would've loved it much more. Alright I already regret writing this hopefully no one sees. Can't wait to watch the last two of your Zelda videos when I'm done playing the game.

[@m0oop]

I've been checking your channel periodically for the past 2 years looking for this 😂

[@tehdrumerer3]

crazy listening to some of these points after playing TotK.

[@Looneyboy]

Would you mind listing some that stand out?

[@KarmaPaym3ntPlan]

@@Looneyboy they would mind

[@gabriellarena2256]

Kinda wish they elaborated on it, haven't picked up Totk yet and wanted to know if some of these points have been addressed without getting spoilers

[@tehdrumerer3]

@@gabriellarena2256 yes

[@caesta7168]

@@tehdrumerer3 Partially. Most of the problems are still there.

[@LANBobYonson]

Yeah I gotta agree with your point that the items you get in dungeons are eventually mostly useless but the stuff you get from camps even more so. There's literally no reason to do an enemy camp later in the game because most of them just give a lower level equip. If they made it so you only got crafting materials the camps would be worth doing through the entire game. I personally think the weapons and armour should've been in shrines and the camps should've given crafting materials. That way you would feel rewarded when doing a shrine because you hadn't gotten a good weapon or piece of armour from a camp yet and you would feel rewarded for doing camps repeatedly because they always gave what everyone grinds for in the end game. Game would've been much better.

[@felipetartas5434]

Actually late game you pick better equipment. For example, you pick A High Durability or Attack+ weapon instead of standard weapons.

[@frogglen6350]

There is a reason. People like raiding camps for *fun* That is the reason

[@AarowSwift]

I'm glad you called out how limiting freedom of movement somewhat would improve the game. As convenient as climbing and gliding were, my most enjoyable play through was an all horseback run. I really came to appreciate just how good landscapes were when I actually had to engage with them. It also brought a different flavor to the combat I enjoyed a lot more.

[@bloocheez3]

I forget horses are even an option most of the time. I'd argue that the few times movement is restricted plays into a novelty that is only made more fun by the fact that movement is normally so free in the first place. A lot of times the same people who talk about things like climbing being too emphasized are the same ones who complain about it raining too much in the game...

[@AarowSwift]

@@bloocheez3 I liked the rain. Lightning was my nemesis since it would still hit my horse even if Link was protected. Akala saw me running for cover or unequipping everything a lot.

[@hubblebublumbubwub5215]

@bloocheez3 The thing is, the map wasn’t really made with rain in mind. The other thing is, rain occurs randomly as a sudden inconvenience. The rain on the way to zora’s domain worked well because it didn’t have those problems.

[@bloocheez3]

@@hubblebublumbubwub5215 you can usually see when it's about to rain and there are very few locations the require prolonged climbing. And that plays into the point. He talks like climbing and gliding are too convenient when they really arent and the times when you cant use them are indeed novel but it would hurt the game if that amount of restriction was the norm.

[@hubblebublumbubwub5215]

Restrictions would hurt THIS game in its current state. More restrictions naturally lead to different level design. For example: cutting down a tree to cross a gap only works when you don’t have the paraglider.

[@Kurasai56]

I'm going to be real with you, Twilight Princess has the best spread of actions to be used in combat. And like you pointed out in your video, it really is a shame that the enemies don't take more advantage of those moves.

[@dashman8499]

to this day, the combat in TP is the best in the series. TOTK adds alot of stuff but TP's focused combat is honestly very impressive

[@kaif-tube1692]

It's an interesting point to say that players really don't want maximum freedom. Though, I think it's more of an argument for game balance. Basically, if a game has several different solutions for a given problem (not just in combat either) and one of them solves it in the easiest and fastest way most of the time, the majority of players are going to pick that one consistently unless they're purposely restricting themselves or don't know about it. When that happens, the meaningful choices they make actually goes down. It's a shame, since balance seems to only be a priority in multiplayer games, and is usually just for combat. When it seems BotW could have used a lot for traversal. Gliding and climbing are too broken, there is never a practical reason to shield surf when you can just glide down the mountain, and all physical obstacles can usually be cheesed through by climbing up a few walls. Ganon's castle is a prime example of being able to ruin the fun of a place for yourself by doing the fastest and easiest solution. You touched on all of this, but didn't harp on these as much as they deserved, in my opinion.

[@woah5333]

I agree with everything you said here and it seems like this game is more appealing to players who create "intrinsic" goals themselves than those who find the "extrinsic" ones more rewarding. I'm not a big fan of sandbox games per se so I can't say much.

[@jonathanwilliams1271]

Totally agree. I made a post a while back on a Zelda forum about this, funnily enough. "BotW made me realize, more than any other game, that I don't *want* to feel absolutely free"

[@TheSoulHarvester]

This also has implications for IRL politics if you th- *is buried in an avalanche of Pepes, killing me instantly*

[@josiahferrell5022]

I'm sorry, but no. That is yet another aspect of the freedom. If you WANT to shield surf, then do it. The climbing and gliding are essential to the feeling of the game, and it would, yes, feel too restricted. Of course, we would never know what we had missed out on, but it would have been an incredibly lesser experience. Maybe some of you didn't walk around the world just in awe of what was over the next mountain or across the big valley (and want to see it from above) but many of us DID do those things purely for their own sake, and removing the ability to do what was done in BotW would have been far less immersive.

[@Pan_Z]

@@josiahferrell5022 First Order Priority. I can't remember where I heard that term, but think of it like option strength. The stronger you make a single solution, the more inclined people are to use it. Sure you could shield slide down a mountain, but it's less maneuverable than paragliding, and damages a resource. When an option is all encompassing, it negates the other potential options. Reducing or restricting the power of paragliding would put more emphasis on other traversal options, increasing playthrough variety. Tangential statement: this is why you see fighting games nerf and buff moves from characters that may already be balanced. A move might be too strong that it renders other moves pointless, or too weak to the point where it servers no purpose.

[@wwasdwtfcantmove]

Can't wait to hear your opinion on Tears of the Kingdom, assuming you ever make that video. I think it went the exact opposite direction that it seemed you wanted them to go in your BotW critique, in the sense that they doubled down even harder on the absolute commitment to freedom and imposed little to no limitations. To me, it ended up with the same strengths and weaknesses as BotW but even more extreme on both ends. It's both incredibly awesome but also incredibly game breaking, depending on your choices.

[@HonsHon]

I could not play TotK. Bored me to tears lol My girlfriend loved it and I helped her solve some stuff

[@Xbob42]

I dunno how I feel about the idea that "being on the treadmill" is the same as having meaningful rewards. Collectibles don't do anything for me, but rewards that alter or enhance my gameplay can be supremely powerful motivators and also broaden and expand what is possible. It's not just a "material" reward, it's a reward that changes my experience. And this can be amazing no matter what kind of rewards you tend to prefer, because it gives you both a satisfying and tactile change, but can also change how you view the world itself and what you've done, and now what you can continue to do. Having every single reward front-loaded (or not existing at all and just having the whole thing be an "experience" because I guess fun rewards mean you aren't making a passion project?) means that while you always have your full arsenal available, your ability to interact with the world doesn't grow or change much. Sure, you can figure out neat physics things and make some wacky flying machine -- which is awesome! But you don't get any baseline enhancements that make, say, how you look at something as basic as a wall different than when you started. You know, like Link Between Worlds.

[@zNapella]

You find these rewards organically from just playing the game though. Things like shield surfing and using metal weapons to get the enemy struck by lightning and using the ice ability to cross rivers, and using stasis to freeze a boulder, hitting it, and getting on the side to fly across the map and a million other little gameplay nuances exist in the game and allow your to alter your experience once you discover them, but they aren't arbitrarily locked behind points in the game, you just have to figure them out for yourself and be motivated to actually use them. You have to be intrinsically motivated which is at the heart of his being on a treadmill idea. Also, this is one of the reasons why he thinks the climbing / sailing hurt the game, because they allow you to skip over all these gameplay opportunities.

[@Xbob42]

@@zNapella Those aren't rewards, and even if you consider them such, they aren't a game changing prize for accomplishing something important. Not everything needs to be organic and intrinsic, damn. It's okay to have a cool reward that makes a great game even better.

[@angrymoths]

After watching, I had this weird feeling and I didn't really know exactly what to attribute it too... It comes down to the idea of the intrinsic value and extrinsic value of game different game elements. Botw is a game I know I enjoyed, but can't see my self playing again or enjoying much longer. I think a lot of my fun was a had in the intrinsic value of finding new things, interactions or locating a cool new place, but after finding and doing it all it absolutely hits a steep drop-off. having most of the game's reward be intrinsic feels good, but I think it certainly hurt replay-ability afterward and also hurt some moments in the game that would have been even MORE meaningful had they had a reward that wasn't another same-y looking shrine. The whale skeletons and Naydra comes to mind for this: I was enthralled when I found them, but seeing a shrine kinda ruined it for me (some Lore, or even nothing would have been better. Just the joy of seeing them in their mysterious locales). Naydra was such a fantastic thing to experience from a gameplay spectacle pov, but for it to be a unique gameplay moment that isn't expanded upon in the same context/to also have nothing unique other then the event was disheartening. Thinking over this, I think I understand what I like from games and specifically this game. I enjoy the intrinsic elements of a well thought out boss encounter simply for it's mechanics and learning to overcome a challenge, but dislike the lack of something meaningful other then the value in a more exploration focused game like BotW (at least some time afterward). Once you've seen something for it's experiential value, that value doesn't come back due to it's intrinsic nature being shown to you once already (or it fades more over-time). This direction for BotW may be why, from my sister's experience as well, she no longer cherishes the game as much as she once did, the statement being that games/things that lean heavily on experiential value lose that value over too many repeat visits (for clarity's sake, the experience a player has - the experiential - is equated to the intrinsic value, as something experienced has intrinsic value). Perhaps this is obvious, I do have a lot of time spent on the game, but other games I've played have gotten even more time out of me then BotW such as Dark Souls, Monster Hunter and Castlevania SotN. I definitely believe I enjoy the intrinsic value of design and the extrinsic value of what might come simultaneously, and for different examples (gameplay) with similar circumstances in different games to be more engaging for reasons beyond intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Of course, I'm only talking about all of this from this specific angle of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, putting aside other things such as visual and mechanical variety etc. etc. but thinking about gameplay from the player motivation angle has been interesting. That all being said, I don't think BotW is the kind of game to be enjoyed again after time away, but that could be just me (perhaps it's too soon). It's interesting to take a peek at how a player's motivation and personal intrigue plays into a game's replay-ability long-term.

[@MattMikulich]

Something this review is leading to but never outright states is that the criticisms of Breath of the Wild can be summarized as one oversight trivializing many things: climbing trivializes route-finding, paragliding trivializes traversing hazards, unlimited inventory trivializes planning, warp points trivialize the horse, stun-locking trivializes combat, hearty foods trivialize cooking, etc.

[@RAWchaosify]

"Since Nintendo is knows for their unique hardware, maybe one day they will release a controller with a touch screen that can be used to quickly manage resources. Link even has a tablet of his own so it would be a perfect fit thematically. One can only wonder how the lack of such a controller affected this games design." I'm sensing moderate levels of salt when it comes to how this game's controls were possibly intentionally worsened so that the Wii U version wouldn't be better than the Switch version.

[@wariolandgoldpiramid]

Pretty much intentionally making the versions identical.

[@RAWchaosify]

@@wariolandgoldpiramid To the detriment of the Wii U version.

[@Scroteydada]

Then again if it had come out earlier it would be empty as hell. If only there were a few more hit Wii U titles this wouldn't be an issue.

[@AgeuMr]

Very curious about your opinion on TOTK.

[@Cravior]

17:44 lmfao is this dude from the future?