I’m so glad to see Minish Cap in the top 10!!

Now, I will always consider OoT to be the best, it forever changed video games to me, so I’m definitely biased on that.

BotW however is a game that I find overrated, as a Zelda game. The series definitely needed a shakeup because it had grown stale, but not at the cost of the incredible music and more engrossing storylines. BotW is a great game, but I wouldn’t give it a 10/10, nor would I give OoT a 10/10.

BotW was utterly lacking in story, what was there had so much potential to be better, and I hope the inevitable sequel brings back the emphasis on story while retaining the go anywhere and do anything style of gameplay. The shrines were cool in theory, but they were nothing compared to the vast and numerous dungeons the series is known for. I’d like the sequel to return to the vast dungeons but also keep the shrines mechanic as a nice bonus.

My next issue is highly contentious among BotW fans and critics, but I believe the sequel can appease both. BotW had two incredibly annoying mechanics that in theory were cool, but in execution were highly annoying. Those of course being the weapon durability being far too brittle & incessant rain hampering the amazing feat of climbing anything and everything.

In the sequel, if Nintendo made the Master Sword and Hylian shield unbreakable and not reliant on a charge mechanic then I feel both fans and critics of the feature would be happy. Fans can still choose to use the myriad amount of breakable weapons while those who are annoyed by the feature can rely on the trusty Master Sword and Hylian Shield as unbreakable. It hurts no one and doesn’t break the game, it lets players choose their preferred style of play.

As for the climbing mechanic, I think it’s one of the best if not the best features of BotW. I love games like Assassin’s Creed because of the climbing feature, and BotW took it to the next level. Being able to climb practically anything while getting rid of the tired telegraphed climbable ledge trope is great. But then Nintendo just trolls you by making it rain incessantly. You can keep popping into your menu and eat stamina refilling foods/elixirs, or you can stay still for 5+ real minutes waiting for the rain to end before continuing on your climb, but it’s highly annoying. I liken it to how annoying it was to constantly needing to go into your menu to equip or un-equip the steel boots in OoT’s water temple. It’s monotonous and unnecessary.

Anyway, I’ve gone on enough. The series has so many great games that a top games in the series list is impossible to please everyone. I do think BotW is a great game, but not a great Zelda game. It’s lost so much of the charm that Zelda fans are used to while also reinvigorating the series that was growing stale.

In the end, I think BotW is just leading the way for a sequel that, if it marries the best of the past games and the best of BotW, will end up truly being the best Zelda game ever.

P.S.

Keep the atmospheric music, but BotW 2 desperately needs a return to form of the classic Zelda tunes included.