Breath Of The Wild 2 Should Do Away With Flashback Storytelling

Princess Zelda’s new look could be little more than an aesthetic makeover, but that would cheapen what her character is capable of, especially given how much room she’s given to shine in Breath of the Wild. While she’s seldom seen outside of flashbacks and cutscenes, watching her initial reticence to Link ’s presence and how it evolves into a willingness to confide in the Hero of Time as a lasting companion is emotional to watch, especially once we become aware of everything Zelda has lost and seeks to regain while keeping Calamity Ganon at bay. She’s the integral fabric of this narrative, while Link is the weaver who joins all of these incoherent threads together.

Princess Zelda is busy holding back Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle, locked in a state of immortality as she tries her best to save the land from ruin. You can either embark on a journey to recruit allies and reclaim the Divine Beasts or simply dick around for hundreds of hours. Ultimately, it’s up to you, and thus any sense of urgency tied to the plot is lost. Player agency is the most important thing here, so for better or worse, the story takes a backseat until you’re ready to tackle it. A number of main characters like Sidon, Riju, Elden Ring expansion and Purah can be found across the game’s major cities, but they’re mostly passive. They’ll initiate cutscenes and dialogue to push the plot forward once you engage with them, but up to that point, they just sort of exist, rarely influencing the world until you decide to acknowledge they even exist.

Final Fantasy 9 ’s Princess Garnet is the closest comparison to Zelda in the gaming world, largely because their circumstances, personality, and overall drive are so similar. Garnet takes a dagger to her hair at a pivotal point in her character arc. Her kingdom is approaching ruin and her mother is gone, so this moment is a reclamation of agency that has long been kept away from her. Gone is the received pronunciation and royal procedures that have long held her back from living a normal, fulfilling life. Travelling with Zidane and company has taught her the importance of this heritage while simultaneously inspiring her to walk away from it. However, blood remains thicker than water, so returning to the city that helped shape her only to solemnly leave it behind is poetic.

The Nintendo company is continually pushing innovation. The graphics aren't as good on paper as gaming juggernauts like Xbox and PlayStation, yet polished art design makes these games relevant. The Nintendo Switch has accumulated numerous first-party games since its 2017 launch, some of which rank among the publisher's greatest-ever releases. What are the best first-party Switch gam

As Nintendo stuck very close to the original game's blueprint, this is, ultimately, still the same Super Mario RPG that has been around for decades. It looks better and comes with a few quality-of-life adjustments, but the campaign does not have much in the way of new content. Consequently, players who have completed the original version and do not feel like revisiting it might want to hold off on picking up the remake. However, this also means that Super Mario RPG has all the same positives as its ancestor, including frequently hilarious dialogue and a world that is fun to explore. While generally the same, the combat is also improved thanks to the addition of a new special combo me

No matter what happens, it remains important to consider the symbolism behind Zelda’s appearance, and how her luscious new hairstyle could be a sign of change for her character that allows her to abandon the shackles of royalty and strive for independence beyond grief and trauma. It’s a powerful message of perseverance for a woman who deserves agency, even more so when you consider the classics that inspired her and how female characters in the world of gaming are finally earning a similar level of respect to their male counterparts.

Square's Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars introduced Nintendo's icon to the world of role-playing games, a decision that resulted in several great spiritual successors. Despite coming out in 1996, the SNES classic holds up pretty well thanks to its clever writing and simple but enjoyable combat; however, anyone craving a modern iteration that offers (slightly) more than just a fresh coat of paint should check out the Switch rem

_ Resident Evil 3 _ ’s direct sequel is not _ Resident Evil 4 _ , but _ Code Veronica . CV _ is arguably even the real third entry in the franchise’s overarching narrative, a crucial turning point for the original _ Resident Evil _ games. Capcom skipping _ Code Veronica _ to remake _ Resident Evil 4 _ is a conscious decision, but it’s bound to have consequences on the survival horror ser

Updated February 18, 2024 by Mark Sammut: 2024 is underway, and Nintendo has just released its first major exclusive of the year. While Mario vs. Donkey Kong will probably not go down as one of the biggest games of 2024, it is still a solid first-party release that can keep someone engaged until the arrival of Princess Peach: Showti