Breath of the Wild is still worth replaying for those who want to refresh themselves on the game’s scale and story before the sequel is released. Not only does BOTW offer continuously varying gameplay that keeps its open world fresh through each playthrough, but its story may have contained more hints about Hyrule’s future than players were able to see when the game was released in 2017. There’s no better time to replay BOTW than in the months leading up to its sequel’s release as players eagerly await the continuation of its tragic tale.
Breath of the Wild received well-earned praise for its expansive environment and open world gameplay. Returning to Hyrule has always pulled players in with plenty of nostalgia, but this iteration of the kingdom in particular is a cut above the rest as it sets players free to roam at will. BOTW's combat and exploration mechanics are just as fun to rediscover as they were to learn during a first playthrough, which makes Link’s quest to finally face Calamity Ganon truly feel like a breath of fresh air.
BOTW’s phenomenal environment coupled with minimalist game and sound design leave players to explore its vast open world however they see fit. While this gives players the freedom to interact with the world and its mechanics in new, creative ways, it doesn’t offer much guidance by way of leading players through its somewhat confusing narrative. There’s a lot to miss, and there’s even more to revisit now that Tears of the Kingdom’s trailers have revealed relevant details about the world that previously went overlooked.
Breath Of The WIld’s Story Is Worth Revisiting Before TOTK
While Breath of the Wild’s story may have been confusing to piece together through Link’s recovered memories, it’s likely that Tears of the Kingdom will answer many of its predecessor’s unresolved plot points. The TOTK trailers have revealed plenty of hints regarding aspects of BOTW that will be relevant again in the game. While much of this information is presented through cryptic imagery and hieroglyphic hints, replaying BOTW with these images in mind will draw players’ attention to details they most likely missed during their first adventure.
The three trailers released for TOTK thus far seem to heavily imply a reappearance of the ancient Zonai tribe, raising several potential plot points from previous games in the timeline as well. The Zonai mysteriously vanished from Hyrule long before the events of BOTW, leaving behind nothing but ruins to indicate their presence in the kingdom’s history. However, while these ruins seemed somewhat unrelated to BOTW’s plot, it’s clear that these areas held quite a bit more significance than players previously thought.
BOTW tells most of its tale through its environment, leaving players to piece together much of its ancient puzzle on their own. The disappearance of the Zonai isn’t the only unsolved mystery left after BOTW’s ending, either, and several in-game references to Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Ocarina of Time may indicate that more clues about the story’s future are hidden throughout this post-apocalyptic iteration of Hyrule. Replaying Breath of the WIld is perhaps the best way to rediscover the potential plot points hidden across Hyrule’s landscape before Tears of the Kingdom is released in May.
