It's been a long wait for Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. After premiering as tech demo back during the Wii U's perplexing unveiling, it's suffered numerous delays down the road before ending up as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch and a "farewell" first-party title for the ill-fated Wii U.
Before it officially lands on shelves, there's quite a number of things to know about Nintendo's first open world Zelda game, such as the fact that it'll offer paid DLC down the road, an alternate ending, and minor but important aberrations from hardwired Zelda traditions of the past. So here are brief and succinct explanations of each.
There'll Be 'Breath Of The Wild' Paid DLC
Yes, you read that right. Breath of the Wild is expected to receive paid DLC, the first for any Zelda title is history. It'll cost $20, and it'll essentially be called an Expansion Pass. The first release hits this summer, bringing along "Cave of Trials," a brand-new challenge, alongside a new mode with increased difficulty.
Following that is a second DLC to arrive during the holidays, bringing a new dungeon into the game, along with additional story content. Both DLCs will be available on the Switch and the Wii U, but they can only be purchased as a pair.
Players can pick up the expansion pass on launch day, but that will only net them minor bonuses and extras, such as in-game chests replete with goodies. The DLC content will follow its schedule as mentioned above.
There Will Be An Alternate Ending
Breath of the Wild will feature a different ending than the one players can get by beating the main campaign, but they have to unlock it first, after meeting "certain criteria." Of course, the said criteria is still up for ample speculation, but this is Zelda, and it's a sure thing that getting to that alternate version will be labyrinthine. But no matter, Zelda hardcores will probably find out about it sooner than later.
'Breath Of The Wild' Changes Some 'Zelda' Traditions
Apart from being an open world title, Zelda is vastly different from its predecessors, but still fairly familiar. For one, there are no more heart pieces to collect, eschewing those away for a more complex and streamline method of upgrading.
The collection of rupees, while still significant, is now also treated as a lesser priority, possibly because Nintendo wants Breath of the Wild to bank on players' sense of discovery, instead of forcing them into mindlessly collect items. There are also no more custom names, and the music, while excellent and deserving of its own accolade, has now been toned down to a more environmentally appropriate score.
But worry not, Zelda loyalists; It's still Zelda through and through. It's beautiful, complex, and as early reviews say, relentlessly hard.
'Breath Of The Wild' Scores Are Looking Good
Despite the changes mentioned above, Breath of the Wild is looking good in terms of critical reviews. Edge magazine, one of the most conservative gaming publications of all time, has granted it a perfect score, adding Breath of the Wild to its scant list of perfect scorers. Most recently, Famitsu also gave Breath of the Wild a perfect score, and gamers know how big a deal Famitsu's scores are.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild launches March 3 on the Nintendo Switch and the Wii U.
