Despite being set in a classic fantasy world, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is also undoubtedly a post-apocalyptic game. BOTW shares many design elements with other post-apocalyptic titles, which combine to make it a perfect example of how the genre in action. These details include various different aspects of worldbuilding, from the people who populate Hyrule to the environment itself, and together they paint an undeniable picture of the iconic fictional kingdom existing in the wake of utter disaster.

Given that the settings of most effective versions of Ganon, this understated shift in genre suits the incredible scope of the game. Although BOTW does not itself as a post-apocalyptic story directly, the events of the Calamity undeniably constitute one, and these are the most prominent details that prove it.

10 Survivors Are Scattered Across The Land

The People Of Hyrule Are Few And Far Between

It is no secret that BOTW’s version of Hyrule is a shadow of its former self. After being attacked by Calamity Ganon a century prior, the kingdom’s people now cling to survival in small settlements. Although everyday life often seems quiet in the remaining towns and villages, there is no denying that danger constantly lurks on the horizon with the monsters that roam the land.

Just like what would be expected of a post-apocalyptic landscape, the various small communities that can be found in Hyrule are nearly entirely isolated from each other. While some NPCs do brave the roads, mostly treasure hunters and traders, it is a common sight to see them being attacked by monsters. It is entirely possible to see these NPCs being knocked unconscious, showing just how easily they could be killed without Link’s intervention. As a result, the land is subtly demonstrated to simply be too dangerous for many people to explore.

9 Most Of Hyrule Is A Vast Wilderness

Nature Has Reclaimed Much Of the Fallen Civilization

Of course, Hyrule itself is mostly made up of wilderness. The sheer size of BOTW’s map emphasizes this, with the inhabited portions of Hyrule being dwarfed by the untamed wild around them. However, it is equally made clear that this was not always the case; the story of the Calamity makes it clear that countless people died during the onslaught and their homes were destroyed. With nobody left to rebuild the country, much of it has subsequently reverted to nature.

The effects of the Calamity in this sense are quite typical of any apocalyptic scenario. With the inhabitants of a setting devastated beyond their ability to easily recover, nature has reclaimed much of what was once civilized land. Of course, other post-apocalyptic narratives may just as easily see the world rendered near-incapable of ing any life at all, but this is not a necessity for the genre.

8 A Once-Thriving Civilization Lies In Ruins

The Remains Of Buildings Are Common Sights

As much as Hyrule is mostly overgrown outside of its last towns and villages, it is easy to see the ruined remnants of the locations that Calamity Ganon destroyed. This includes iconic settings from the franchise, like Lon Lon Ranch and Castle Town, but many more villages and structures unique to BOTW are introduced as shattered ruins. As a result, the more that a person explores Hyrule, the more signs of destruction they inevitably discover.

The fact that Link can find so many ruins throughout his journey demonstrates perfectly just how much bigger Hyrule once was. Many villages, outposts, and the like are all now simply piles of rubble, which Link can scavenge for a few remaining resources hidden in treasure chests. BOTW’s Hyrule may be beautiful on the surface, but a closer examination shows that it is full of the remnants of death and destruction.

7 Environmental Storytelling Explains Hyrule’s Downfall

It Is Easy to See How The Guardians Tore It Apart

The ruins that are found across Hyrule are far from random, and tell much of the story of the Calamity with no need for NPCs to provide exposition. For example, the wrecks of dead Guardians are almost as common as the ruins of buildings, and it is not uncommon to see one still amongst the remains of a building it clearly destroyed. It is made abundantly clear that after Calamity Ganon corrupted the Guardians, they swarmed the Kingdom indiscriminately, although many were ultimately destroyed in turn.

Of course, there are other objects of interest that also quietly reveal the state of Hyrule and how the Calamity affected it. For example, the rotting, ruined coaches found by the roadsides show that travelers were frequently overwhelmed by the forces of darkness. Notably, the merchants who are met in-game travel with much lighter burdens on their mounts, suggesting that speed was and is a necessary element of surviving any journey.

6 Hyrule’s Past Glory Is All But A Legend

Very Few People The Kingdom As It Used To Be

The weight of time itself is also plain in BOTW, with most of the kingdom’s current inhabitants not knowing any other way of life. Few characters in BOTW were alive before the Calamity, and with the destruction of Hyrule at large it is easy to see how much of what culture once existed has been wiped away. Rumors and stories relating to the kingdom’s past are rife in BOTW, but this only places a degree of separation between the past and present.

Although a century may not be that long historically speaking, especially given that several of Hyrule’s races have longer lifespans compared to humans, so much of what was once Hyrule has already been lost. Generations have come and gone, and most of the survivors have no experience of the better world that once existed. This itself is a common theme in many strong post-apocalyptic game narratives; the world has been changed, perhaps irrevocably by a devastating event, and only ruins and stories remain of what once was.

5 The Infected Guardians Invoke a Robot Apocalypse

Their Corruption Into An Evil Army Is A Typical Plotline

There are many different types of apocalypse that have been explored in fiction, but the Guardians’ assault is extremely reminiscent of a typical robot apocalypse. Calamity Ganon’s power over the Guardians can be seen as a kind of virus, one which caused the impressive machines to turn against their creators and operators to devastating effect. Given that the Guardians’ attack is one of the significant parts of the Calamity, this leads to the game’s backstory being as much science fiction as it is fantasy.

In other games concerned with a world that has experienced a robot apocalypse, it is not uncommon to see the machines responsible still posing a threat to the world. Again, the way that BOTW uses the Guardians in the same manner matches the conventions of the post-apocalypse genre perfectly. They are some of the most potent threats that Link can face while exploring Hyrule, the remains of a corrupted mechanical army that played a key role in destroying the kingdom.

4 The Divine Beasts Are Ancient Superweapons

They Are Technological Masterpieces Capable Of Mass Destruction

Similar to the Guardians, BOTW’s four Divine Beasts invoke a more technological aspect to Hyrule than what is commonly associated with The Legend of Zelda. As what are arguably the greatest creations of the ancient Sheikah, the mechanical animals are incredibly powerful war machines capable of turning the tide against Calamity Ganon. Although the Blights which assaulted them were unable to pilot them against Hyrule during the Calamity, their inaction alone was a terrible blow to the kingdom.

In keeping with their truly ancient origins, the Divine Beasts are all named after sages in Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker, the events of which presumably take place thousands of years before Breath of the Wild

In more general , however, the Divine Beasts can also be described as ancient superweapons, built with technology that most people in modern Hyrule do not understand. These superweapons can be the key to putting an end to the apocalyptic threat that Hyrule faces once more, but at the start of the game they are also in a position to further its effects. When Link awakens from his slumber, each Divine Beast also activates, threatening to further destroy Hyrule unless they are stopped.

3 The Yiga Are A Doomsday Cult

Their Aim Of Killing Link Would Doom Hyrule

The Yiga Clan are extremely loyal to Calamity Ganon and devote themselves to serving him, thereby contributing to his attempt to destroy the Kingdom of Hyrule. As such, they are effectively a doomsday cult, with Ganon playing the role of their destructive god. This is what leads them to becoming a constant thorn in Link’s side throughout his quest; they aim to kill him so that Calamity Ganon can emerge unopposed after Zelda’s strength finally fails her.

Of course, as Age of Calamity demonstrates, the Yiga are ultimately as endangered by Ganon as any other group in Hyrule, although their hatred of the kingdom usually blinds them to this. The potential apocalypse is something that they genuinely wish to achieve, after all. Regardless, in BOTW, they show that not everybody in Hyrule is opposed to its end, and act accordingly.

2 Technology Is Rare But Pivotal

Sheikah Tech Is What Allows Link To Overcome Countless Obstacles

Ancient Sheikah Technology is as rare as it is crucial to the survival of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild. The utility of the Sheikah Slate is the foremost example of this, but Shrines and Towers are similarly important. This mirrors many other post-apocalypse settings, in which any form of advanced technology typically represents a powerful advantage over others. Of course, Sheikah Tech is slightly unusual in that it also predates BOTW’s Calamity by a significant margin rather than being entirely contemporary, but the end result is effectively the same.

The work of Purah and Robbie does prove that advanced technology is not entirely a thing of the past, as they can upgrade the Sheikah Slate and provide Link with weapons and armor respectively. However, it is notable that they need materials in order to accomplish this, parts that have been harvested from Guardians. Scavenging technology like this is one way in which it is often justified in post-apocalypse settings, allowing it to be used while also establishing that the ability to manufacture these parts is still lost to time.

1 Link Gives Hyrule The Hope To Rebuild

The Hero Of Hyrule Helps It To Move On From Its Destructive Past

Post-apocalypses can be grim settings, but the ending of many games still offers a glimmer of hope to the inhabitants. The ending of Breath of the Wild does just this, setting Hyrule up to work towards finally recovering from the impact of Calamity Ganon and his monsters. This is perhaps best exemplified by Link’s role in the founding of Tarrey Town; without him, it is doubtful if Hudson would ever have succeeded in creating the new settlement.

Throughout The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Link plays the role of a post-apocalyptic protagonist well; he explores the destroyed kingdom and assists its inhabitants, fights malevolent machines and evil cultists, and builds towards facing Calamity Ganon with the help of ancient technology. By the end of the game, assuming that people direct him towards completing side quests as well, he also undoubtedly assists the people of Hyrule in many ways that offer them a brighter future.