What makes Breath of the Wild so magical is that it transcends years of three-A open-world design. Instead of littering the Hyrule with symbols telling you where to go, it allows players to create their own path. It has only one mandatory mission: destroy Ganon. Since you can do it right out of the box, everything else is optional. Even the biggest games force you to follow the rut of a major linear story. In BOTW, one player’s approach to killing Ganon can be completely different from another’s approach. Did you complete the four main dungeons? Looking for Master Sword? Build your heart? The beauty of it all: there are no wrong answers.
Link can climb any surface, which means that, as long as you have the stamina, you can reach the top of any mountain and make countless paths to your destination. Hyrule also works on real physics and principles for players to experiment with (i.e. all metal objects conduct electricity). It boasts hundreds of temples with brief, entertaining puzzles and loads of mysteries, be it mighty dragons or an uncharacteristic island. The Breath of the Wild promotes improvisation and creativity more than anything. Its legacy has been bolstered by more and more titles borrowing from its playbook, such as Genshin Impact and Immortals Fenyx Rising. | Our review
