9/10
✓ Recommended
Jul 30, 2025
Beat·Switch
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (SW)
There are games that entertain you, and then there are games like Breath of the Wild; the kind you just can’t stop playing. I didn’t expect to get this hooked, but hours slipped by as I found myself completely absorbed in a world that constantly pushes you to be creative and curious.
What truly sets BOTW apart is how it transforms the entire map into your personal playground. Exploration doesn’t feel like a chore, it feels like discovery! It’s rare for a game to make me pull out a notepad and write down places to return to or things I need to do later. There’s a refreshing old school energy to that, almost like playing a classic game. That’s why I avoided all tutorials and guides on the internet, especially when it came to solving shrine puzzles or hunting down memory moments. Solving things on my own made every achievement feel earned and personal.
One of the coolest moments? I even managed to buy a house in a side mission. It’s a small detail in the grand scope of the game, but it made the world feel even more alive.
That being said, it’s not without flaws. Horse controls, for example, were frustrating enough that I started avoiding riding altogether. It’s a shame, because the idea of riding across Hyrule sounds amazing in theory; but in practice, it felt clunky and hard to manage. I also did begin to feel the limitations of the Nintendo Switch’s hardware. From time to time, the vast open world felt visually dull or empty; almost lifeless in certain areas. While the art direction is beautiful, the technical constraints sometimes took away from the immersion, reminding me that the console was doing all it could just to keep the experience running smoothly.
I played the game for roughly 60 hours, collected 14 heart containers, and still had so much left to do; shrines to discover and side quests to complete.. Despite that, I felt satisfied with time i had in the game. I’ve heard some say that Breath of the Wild might not be the most “ideal” Zelda game, but I can say it’s one of the best open world games I’ve ever played. It feels like a fresh breath of air while carrying the spirit of classic adventure. It gives you space to think, to try, to fail, and to keep going and all at your own pace. And that’s exactly what makes it so hard to put down.
"9.5/10"