A less capable Link is precisely whatThe Legend of Zeldaneeds in its next title, despite what the knock-on effects of this change may be. It is far from uncommon to see Link undertaking incredible tasks in the course of his various quests, especially given the powerful bosses he must defeat. However, a game that makes the hero struggle more than usual for victory would undoubtedly have a strong appeal.
RecentZeldagames on the Nintendo Switchhave placed a lot of emphasis on individual choice, allowing people to explore Hyrule in whatever way they see fit. To facilitate this, these games have made both Link and Zelda particularly powerful protagonists in their respective titles. The trend undoubtedly started withBreath of the Wild, which in many ways set the standard for newZeldagames going forward. However, as much asBOTWclearly influencesThe Legend of Zelda’s future, it is arguably also time to break from some of the game’s core philosophies.
BOTW & TOTK Make Link Incredibly Strong
His Flexible Abilities Allow Him To Overcome Most Challenges With Ease
Link has a wide range of potent abilities in bothBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, which when combined provide an incredible amount of freedom in how one explores Hyrule and moves through its challenges. Between the Sheikah Slate and Rauru’s Arm, a small amount of creativity is all that is needed to overcome nearly anything that stands in Link’s way, with all the freedom that that implies. As a result, the hero in these games is clearly one ofthe most powerful versions of Linkin the entire franchise.
Note: Link’s combat prowess is also of note in these games, particularly the Flurry Rush technique, which allows him to unleash a powerful barrage of blows in bullet time, whether with a melee weapon or a bow.
InBOTW, the runes of the Sheikah Slate can be used for multiple purposes. For example, Magnesis allows Link to manipulate metallic objects, which can be a key component of solving puzzles, but he can also these same objects on enemies and even catch thrown weapons and turn them back on their owners. Furthermore, thanks toBOTW’s physics engine, Magnesis can also turn a minecart into a flying machine; this is one of themost fun exploits inBOTW, many of which take advantage of the Slate’s runes.
Meanwhile,TOTK’s Ultrahand gives Link more mobility than ever before, enabling him to not only manipulate nearly anything in the environment but also build contraptions to explore Hyrule with. As a result, Link enjoys even more freedom inTOTKthan he does inBOTW. Notably, Zonai Devices allow him to easily weaponize his creations, so that they can distract, engage, and even defeat enemies while he maintains a safe distance. Because of this, there are countless ways that Link can progress throughTOTKwith Ultrahand alone, and the similar utility of other abilities like Recall only enhances his power further.
Powerful Abilities Trivialize Zelda Puzzles
Recent Puzzles Haven’t Been As Challenging As They Could Be
Link’s powerful abilities are a core part ofBOTWandTOTK, but the level of freedom they offer does come with a downside. With so many options and ways to proceed through these games,it is very easy to break puzzles, finding alternative ways to make it through a Shrinerather than the obvious solution. For example, the Myahm Agana Shrine inBOTWfocuses on moving an orb through a frustrating maze, but this same maze can be flipped over to reveal a perfectly smooth underside; this, naturally, makes it far easier to guide the orb to the goal.
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Although it can be fun to break sequence like this, the novelty can also wear off over time the more the same tricks are employed by a person to move through Shrines or other areas. After a certain point, it can begin to feel like the player is simply skipping portions of the game and the challenges they pose. As a result, the now-trivial puzzles can lose much of the potential enjoyment and sense of accomplishment that would normally arise from solving them.
Thisnew trend inZelda’s gameplayhas since continued inEchoes of Wisdom, which similarly gives Zelda plenty of ways to complete her own quest with the titular Echoes. Naturally, this could pose a significant problem for the future of the franchise. IfZeldagames continue to give Link (or any other protagonist) such potent abilities, future puzzles and other in-game challenges will likewise continue to be trivialized. As such, it is clear the franchise will need to take a different approach to combat this.
Zelda Could Use Another Change Of Pace
The Next Game Should Give Link Weaker Abilities
Just as recentZeldatitles have shaken up the franchise in various ways,the next game should also make a break from recent trends by introducing a less powerful Link. By giving the next incarnation of the hero less powerful abilities, and thereby limiting his options, developers will be able to create a game that presents more of a challenge to the player in all aspects. As fun as the endless experimentation of games likeBOTWcan be, stricter limits can nevertheless introduce their own fun to the series.
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There have been someincredibly hardZeldapuzzlesover the years, andthe franchise should aim to create more of thesein the future. The additional difficulty would challenge people in different ways toBOTWandTOTK, which would be a refreshing change of pace. Much the same can be said of exploration, with Link being more restricted in his movements. Of course, the franchise can explore freer gameplay styles in future titles as well, but even one game where Link must put more effort into progressing would provide a welcome contrast to this.
Making Link less powerful in the nextZeldagame would certainly make the game more difficult, and give puzzles and exploration a higher chance of being frustrating as well. On the other hand, this same frustration would also make success in such a game feel much more rewarding. As successful as recent titles have been,The Legend of Zeldawould still undoubtedly benefit from making this change; the challenges that can be set through this would ultimately only improve the gameplay experience, offering people a strong sense of accomplishment for their perseverance.
