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Where do you want to see Zelda go after Breath of the Wild?

Alienous

Member
-A Smaller world.
The giant world in Breath of the Wild worked for what the game is, but I don't think every Zelda game needs to be this big, future games should have worlds about 3/4 to 1/2 of the size.

-Proper dungeons

The dungeons in BoTW are cool, but they are just so short and they all share the same visual language. I think 8 proper dungeons all with their own unique look would be perfect. I also don't want to them to throw away the ability to move parts of the dungeon like in BoTW, so that could be implemented into one or two of the dungeons or maybe just specific rooms in a bunch of them.

-Fewer shrines, and more visual styles
Shrines are awesome, but I think 120 is a bit much, with a smaller world and more dungeons I think 60-80 would be a better number. The fact that all of the shrines use the same visual style is kinda boring, so I'd hope for that they'd have a small pool of visuals styles that they could be, like cave or ruins and they could even steal some styles from the dungeons as well. I'd also like more of the "shrines" to be integrated into the world, or instance as an actual building or cave that you find. It'd also be nice to have more quests associated with certain "shrines" beyond just finding them, so stuff like save a kidnapped villager from some Bokoblins in a cave.

-More interactive bosses
While the dungeon bosses do still have a bit of a puzzle element to them, for the most part the bosses are just combat challenges now, and that's fine! But the bosses just don't have enough behaviors to be interesting. I think they should look a how Dark Souls does its bosses, and no I'm not saying make them that hard, but just look at how they have lots of moves and behaviors.

-Larger enemy variety
BoTW has a pretty small selection of enemies and that's kind of a bummer. There should be a mix of new and returning enemies (like Deku Babas, Skulltulas and Darknuts) in the next game.

-More overworld bosses
Having bosses in the overworld is pretty cool, but there is only a small few bosses and they just get variations. It'd be much more interesting if there was a wider selection of bosses, some could even be based on dungeon bosses from past games.

-A bigger focus on story
Zelda almost always has charming writing, but because Nintendo treats the story as less important than the gameplay and design very rarely does a Zelda game feel like it has an actual good story and I feel like that's one of the franchise's biggest weaknesses. More time needs to be spent on the story and with the characters, why should I care about someone like Teba that the game tells me is important but leaves the story as fast as they enter it?

-Larger towns
The small towns worked for BoTW, but for future games I would like to have larger towns with more people, more sights to see, games to play and more quests. Not all towns need to be large mind you, but at least some. It'd also be nice to have a city or two.

-More involved quests
A lot of BoTW's quests are busy work and there isn't much in the way of actual quest lines. The next game should have more quests were you have a real goal and quest lines, for instance you could join a guild or something like in Elder Scrolls, or you could do interconnected quests for a group of people that builds an enjoyable, self contained story.

-A villain
Again, BoTW not really having a villain worked for the game, but it's not something they should make a habit of. I want a new and interesting villain with goals beyond just becoming the supreme evil overlord of the world.

-Weapon repairing
I enjoy the durability in BoTW, but it would be nice if you could take a weapon to a blacksmith to repair it before it breaks, maybe you could even have weapons reinforced to improve their durability.

-Permanent mounts other than horses
BoTW allows you to mount a small selection of creatures, but none of them are able to become a permanent mount other than horses, not even stalhorses. If you can mount it you should be able to keep it. The number of mountable animals should also increase, for instance Ostriches and Moose.

-Underwater exploration
Bringing the underwater in would add a whole new level of exploration and discovery.

-Weirdness
BoTW is fairly normal, there's some weirdness here and there, but nothing on the level of the toilet hand in Majora's Mask and Skyward Sword. Nintendo shouldn't be afraid to get weird with Zelda.

This is just what comes to mind right now. I love BoTW and feel like it sets Zelda on the right path, but a lot of work needs to be done.

You've nailed it.

As far as dungeons go I'd like them to be A Link Between Worlds style. Take ~8 dungeons and split them into two groups of ~4. Complete the first ~4 in any order, then the next ~4. I feel like the progression of dungeon difficulty can't be there if they're all available from the go.
 

VDenter

Banned
The only right answer to this question is. Make another game like this. Just add more stuff to it and keep the story at a minimum to keep it from getting in the way of Gameplay. Like it tends to do in some other 3D Zelda games. The things they have done was the right way to go when it comes to making a Zelda game.
 

xandaca

Member
Similar sized world and open exploration and progression, but with a stronger theme (e.g. Wind Waker revolving around the bravery of leaving home comforts to find your own horizons), a more unusual and personal world and narrative ('conquer Ganon/save Zelda' should be put to bed for a while), refinements to weapon durability (I like the system a lot, but certain weapons shouldn't break as easily as they do), a wider range of items (hookshot could definitely work), streamlined management system and rebalanced game economy to not be so dominated by a small number of high cost investments.

In other words, more of the same but more distinctive on a visual, thematic and narrative level. Shrines were a good reward for exploration, but I think having to look for and complete another 120 would get tiresome. Similarly, the Korok 'seeds' were fine, but felt a bit lazy as a small reward. All easy to complain about and not so easy to suggest alternatives, of course, especially as they worked perfectly well for BoTW, but a greater variety of rewards and challenges would not go amiss.
 

balgajo

Member
Add more traditional themed dungeons. Nothing needs to be said about this. Everyone begs for it. You can put these in the storyline and in the overworld to explore. For example, how could would it be if the event at the
Lanayru
Mountain opened up to a full fledged ice dungeon inside the mountain?

I couldn't come back to real world if that really happened.
 

Aldric

Member
l want to get out of Hyrule. BotW did a great job distancing itself from the structure and gameplay conventions of OoT but it certainly didn't do the same when it comes to the mythos. l think it was necessary so that the game still feels very familiar for Zelda fans but now it's time to visit new places and interact with unfamiliar races. Some of the most memorable entries in the franchise take place outside of Hyrule and l hope BotW's sequel follows suit.
 

lt519

Member
I love the bite sized shrines as a means to power up, I wouldn't remove those. But they need more varied dungeons that are in the vein of Hyrule Castle. Same map system as the Divine Beasts but a much larger optional exploratory area with hidden secrets and a lot more personality. It was so much fun exploring Hyrule Castle and finding all the neat locales within it. But leave the option to head to the front door if you want to.

A new map, maybe not even Hyrule, have Link go on an adventure post Breath of the Wild. Break the "Cold, Hot, Dry, Wet" environment mold and go with something different. Seasons would be interesting instead of having the set different environments. Let the Zora area freeze over for a few hours, providing new gameplay opportunities etc. Maybe as you progress through the game the seasons change instead of having it on a timer like the day/night cycle. Or have the ability to control the weather as a game mechanic. Want to attack an enemy base and have a good supply of shock arrows, bring on the rain. Enemies using fire arrows and you want to put them out, bring on the rain. Lizalfo's swimming in the river, freeze it. etc. Enemies using bomb arrows, crank up the heat.
 

sanstesy

Member
l want to get out of Hyrule. BotW did a great job distancing itself from the structure and gameplay conventions of OoT but it certainly didn't do the same when it comes to the mythos. l think it was necessary so that the game still feels very familiar for Zelda fans but now it's time to visit new places and interact with unfamiliar races. Some of the most memorable entries in the franchise take place outside of Hyrule and l hope BotW's sequel follows suit.

That is my biggest wish since forever but I doubt we will get that because a lot of casual appeal will be lost as a result.

A Zelda game in a Xenoblade Chronicles/Xenoblade Chronicles X absurd alien fantasy world setting would be my absolute personal dream game.
 

Madness

Member
I don't think Nintendo ever wanted to "stick" with one art style.

The only reason why BOTW looks like this is because their consoles probably can't handle that realistic style with open world.

This. They just would not be able to achieve Witcher 3 graphics with the Switch and still maintain a lot of what they want. Nintendo just uses art style as a smoke screen to do away with any issues over lowered visual fidelity. But it works. I cannot envision some of the enemies realistically.

I think one day we might see a Zelda HD Wii U tech demo style game again, more akin to Twilight Princess, but doubtful.

As for OP, I don't know. Nintendo tends to usually have a hook for their games. You could see the bones of BotW in every preceding game. I don't think towers and shrines will necessarily make a comeback, but they have had fast travel for decades, overworld exploration. Have to see what they do with the DLC, but I think they've realized how fun physics based overworld is etc. Have you see the new Shadow of War LotR game? Breath of Wild seems like a mix of Assassins Creed 2, meets Red Dead Redemption etc. I can see them keeping things like the combat mechanics, traversal meaning Link can parkour and climb, they will probably expand on the food system, the Sheikah slate in essence gives you free bombs, gotta see what they will do going forward. They build their game around the hook of the story. Wind Waker was about manipulating wind to sail in a water based world, flying with the leaf etc.
 
This. They just would not be able to achieve Witcher 3 graphics with the Switch and still maintain a lot of what they want. Nintendo just uses art style as a smoke screen to do away with any issues over lowered visual fidelity. But it works. I cannot envision some of the enemies realistically.

It was also chosen because it was realistic enough to be enthralling but cartoonish enough to get through some of the ideas they had (enemies exploding into smoke, food hopping up and down in cook pots, etc).

Personally I'd love them take the NPCs and use their maleability as people like they used physics in BOTW. Make it similar to Majora but have unique and reactional interactions between all the NPCs based on both how you interact with them and how that causes them to interact with one another. If I spend a lot of money at someone's shop they become rich and react as such. If I do something that harms someone's livlihood they'll move or have to pay higher prices for things. Basically combine Majora's Mask, a Telltale game, good Bioware, and BOTW.
 

Majukun

Member
use the now already built physics engine and built on it...and try to fuse the old zelda with this new one..this means:

- make the world a little smaller, not by much but just try to cut the negative space a much as possible while keeping the scope.

- the shrines are a disappointment..too many tests of strenght and too many shrines that are just one simple puzzle and an extra chest...the plateau shrines were perfect as a start...3 rapid fire puzzles based around a concept..enough to be bite-size but also sizable enough to be a thing..after that they have been hit and miss...reduce their numbers,keep the special ones and expand on them (eventide island,dark forest) and add to them a reduced number of shrines that are less in number but bigger in size..and put at the end of them some kind of item..it doesn't need to be a crucial item,just something that can make your life easier on the travel and that makes the shrines more worthwhile. Also if possible give us at least 3 decent size classic dungeons,the beasts are too short.

- increase the variety of enemies and minibosses in the game...the zelda lore is choke full of enemies and too many of them are not utilized in this game..where are the like-like?the tektites?the darknuts? for a world so vast there's very little variety...even though the different weapons and types of the enemies help a little
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
I want a Link to the Past style game, and then another BOTW-style game. Then something new.

But man, they nailed BOTW so damn well.
 

TI82

Banned
Personally I want another very dark and "gothic" inspired game ala the Adult Link timeline in Hyrule or a lot of Majoras Mask. Basically to go further down the Soulsborne style gameplay and graphics that BOTW introduced but didn't quite commit to. I think Nintendo could really bring a lot to that style of gameplay.
 

LordKasual

Banned
Everything that this one was, except expanded upon.

I feel like JP developers have so much to offer when they expand the tech used in their game engines like this. FF and Zelda are probably both headed to really awesome places.


I really want to see Zelda's combat expanded upon mostly.
 

Sterok

Member
More setpieces. One of Skyward Sword's biggest strengths was that each area had something unique going on, even on revisits. Stealth mission, cart riding, and much more that kept the player on their toes. Basically more stuff like the battles to get into the Divine Beasts and
freeing the dragon on Mt. Lanayru
. Makes each area feel more unique and cuts down on the repetition. Might hurt the freedom a bit, but it should be workable.
 
I actually wouldnt mind a smaller Hyrule. I liked exploring and climbing, but sometimes I just wanted to get to where I was trying to go quicker. Esp if it started to rain and I was climbing something.
 

Vidiot

Member
Seems pretty unanimous that people want classic dungeons and better boss fights. I really hope Nintendo listen to those two criticisms. Those two things were easily my favorite part of Zelda and are the reason BotW falls pretty short of best Zelda in my eyes.
 

BizzyBum

Member
I posted this in the timeline thread but was wondering if others would want this scenario:
After watching Logan I think it would be cool to have an Old Man Link game. Darkest timeline.

BotW already has that post apocalyptic look and feel in certain areas.

Not sure it would work considering it doesn't fit the light-hearted mold of Zelda games but would be an interesting take on it.
 
Seems pretty unanimous that people want classic dungeons and better boss fights.

It's unanimous from a subset of the hardcore Zelda community, yes.

I'd take traditional dungeons in the next game, but I certainly don't need them. I'd actually be much more interested in seeing "dungeons" that are similar to
Hyrule Caslte.
Throw in some unique enemies to these areas and we're good to go.
 

norm9

Member
I'd like to see Link wake up in a big dungeon that's solved by further solving four or five dungeons within the main dungeon. So, a smaller affair but tighter.
 

Neoweee

Member
Seems pretty unanimous that people want classic dungeons and better boss fights. I really hope Nintendo listen to those two criticisms. Those two things were easily my favorite part of Zelda and are the reason BotW falls pretty short of best Zelda in my eyes.

Not really unanimous. People wan't more substantial dungeons, or more dungeons of this length, but I don't think there's really a consensus on the Map->Miniboss->Item->Boss Key-> Boss structure.

There can be more of a focus on dungeons, but there's countless ways to actually balance pulling that off.
 
I'd like to see them try basically the opposite structure of BotW meaning you're almost constantly in a dungeon and only occasionally see the surface.

Or something.

This may or may not get old fast.
 

martino

Member
they have the engine they now have time to focus on adding more inventive items and trhow traditionnal dungeon to the new formula.
This with refinement on menu / quick menu please (an easy up down action added to quick menu would be appreciated for example)
 
OoT-------> Majora's Mask
BotW-----> ????

I want that.

Me too, but OoT to MM is the only time Nintendo has reused a Zelda engine and I don't expect them to do it with BotW.

Nintendo gonna Nintendo, unfortunately. We'll get a new Zelda in 2022 or something.
 

MoonFrog

Member
I'd absolutely be out screaming to the heavens at the injustice of it all, in a thunderstorm, perhaps dancing mad too, if the shrines hadn't been in this game.

Whatever they do definitely needs to focus on puzzles and folding those back in more organically, in my book.
 

atr0cious

Member
I'd like to see them try basically the opposite structure of BotW meaning you're almost constantly in a dungeon and only occasionally see the surface.

Or something.

This may or may not get old fast.
Kind of hoping this is the dlc, some massive fuckoff dungeon(ufo please) that you must approach and get through. Imagine launching yourself with a rock to reach it.
 
Keep:

- Large overworld with vast, diverse environments
- Climbing and the paraglider
- Towns, stables, and traveling NPCs
- Shrines that give you items to swap for stat upgrades (hearts + stamina)
- Enemy camps + multiple tiers for major enemy classes
- Wildlife including wild horses and hunting
- Tons of equip options (swords, greatswords, spears, clubs, axes, boomerangs, bows, shields, armor), and the existing durability system
- Food and elixirs
- Runes, including some existing ones as well as new ones
- Blood Moon
-
Lynels
-
Legendary weapons that don't break forever but have a cooldown once their power is spent

Add:
- A new land to explore that isn't Hyrule
- Diving and underwater exploration
- More dungeons (at least 6 full dungeons + final dungeon)
- More enemy and boss variety, including more returning enemies from NES Zeldas as well as types that haven't existed in Zelda games before
- More rune types and/or traditional dungeon items available to player, including actually optional ones (not required to advance through main quest) that aid traversal and/or combat (e.g. Hookshot)
- Some new story explanation for Shrines
- More weapon/armor types
- Totally new wildlife, food, etc.

Fix:
- Dungeons should be large maze-like environments where it's difficult to find the "end," with dangerous enemies and traps that aren't seen in the overworld...not a giant puzzle with almost no enemies and a bunch of checkpoints to hit
- Get rid of the minigame-like buildup for the dungeons and just have people stumble on the entrances organically, like they do for most of the shrines. Mt Lanayru, the Lost Woods, and a few other places make better buildup events for dungeons than the ones we actually got
- Don't put the highest level gear literally everywhere - ramp up the enemies/gear you find in various areas so there's a natural difficulty curve if you tackle areas in the order "suggested" by the story. Feel free to keep feeding in tougher enemies as players progress like the game already does, though
 
How about going back to having music like all past zelda games, yes i want that and not just music in towns.

There's music all over this game. It's the lengthiest soundtrack in the entire series.

I'm so glad Nintendo opted against a bombastic overworld theme this time around. If Nintendo actually listens to certain Zelda fans regarding this soundtrack and applies those criticisms to the next game, it's going to be extremely disappointing.

You spend much MUCH more time in the overworld in BotW. It would be absolutely maddening to hear a 2 minute loop for 25 mintues at a time or whatever.

Plus, again, the selective use of music makes perfect aesthetic sense.

Yup.
 
There's music all over this game. It's the lengthiest soundtrack in the entire series.

I'm so glad Nintendo opted against a bombastic overworld theme this time around. If Nintendo actually listens to certain Zelda fans regarding this soundtrack and applies those criticisms to the next game, it's going to be extremely disappointing.

You spend much MUCH more time in the overworld in BotW. It would be absolutely maddening to hear a 2 minute loop for 25 mintues at a time or whatever.

Plus, again, the selective use of music makes perfect aesthetic sense.
 

JaseMath

Member
  • Smaller world
  • Larger dungeons that follow the "anything goes" approach of the overworld at large
  • New items
  • Puzzles that take a Metroidvania approach—multiple iterations that utilize new items and take the full duration of the game to solve
  • Better physics
  • Much more varied enemy types
 

Maiar_m

Member
I want another game with the same engine and the same formula. After that, do shake it up if need be but the direction is perfect for me right now.
 

Peltz

Member
Topdown 2D massive overworld (similar in size to BotW) with physics based puzzles and very difficult combat-orientation. I want it to be a tough 2D action game that borrows heavily from BotW but obviously without all the climbing sections (because it's 2d).

They already have a 2D prototype, so I'd love to see them go this route. Imagine a huge modern day nonlinear Zelda 1 or LttP.
 
a link between worlds is still my favorite zelda of all time so i would love a game in that vein with great updated visuals for the switch. however i think that's a pipe dream.
 

R0ckman

Member
Enough with this "less than 6 basic types of enemies" nonsense with different variations. Lets get some variety back in the series.
 
a link between worlds is still my favorite zelda of all time so i would love a game in that vein with great updated visuals for the switch. however i think that's a pipe dream.

It's really not a pipe dream at all. Aonuma has two Zelda teams and he's already stated a new 2D Zelda is very much a possibility on Switch. After ALBW, Nintendo is more aware than ever that fans have an appetite for more 2D entries.
 

Blueblur1

Member
I want real boss fights and dungeons back. Other than that I am content.

That along with additional items and/or abilities granted in the dungeons that can be used in the open world
like the waterfall climbing ability
would be phenomenal. Oh and more enemy variety too (even though I didn't think of that complaint until I saw it in this thread).

Note: I've only completed one Divine Beast and explored its surrounding area which is why I only gave 1 ability as an example.
 
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