In this game the simple act of being around the map is something I already enjoyed so much.

At first I was a little overwhelmed by all the paths I could take and all the things to do, but I decided to turn the shrine detector off, and just pick the path that felt more interesting at any given time. That made it for me, I ended up manually checking every corner, talking to every character and doing every shrine and side quest. The only thing I didn't complete was the koroks.

It's such an incredible game, all the music is art, the colors and textures and animations simply make me happy to witness. The world is full and the things to do fun, entertaining and varied.

I ended up knowing the map completely, I could orient myself in seconds, and I happily journeyed through the same place time after time because I was doing the things as my interest peaked, instead of doing the things that were closer by.

This is one of the few games I have played with my partner backseating me, and it is a fond memory for both of us.

Third playthrough, this time with DLCs and with that on Master Mode. I will not be going into the additions here and instead focus on the main game.

I was interested in how going back after Tears Of The Kingdom would feel, luckily this game is not really worsened. After all, this was a finished game, and not an incomplete version of what came out last year. The Plateau remains and absolute highlight in tutorial design and design as a whole, and is probably the stronger beginner area of the two games.
Otherwise, the game was as usual. A really fun time that maybe overstayed its welcome. If you have done all main quests and shrines, been to all major locations, it feels pointless to remain in this world despite multiple incomplete side quests. And obviously, there are so many small details that could be improved leading to an overall smoother and nicer game.
But the journey is so good. So fun. So impressive. Exploration is done masterfully and while there are no more discoveries, I still appreciate what is there and can fondly remember my first time.
One of the best open-world games of all time, at least of this size. It is impressive they managed to recapture this magic again.

Абсолютно посредственный во всех планах Опен-ворлд, эта игра была бы хороша для года ну 2010 если при этом все эти огромные пустые пространства вырезать нахер. Абсолютно пустой мир, в котором сама игра по себе нарушает свои же правила, не давая тебе в этом "типо иммерсивном" геймплее на деле делать чё ты хочешь. Она почти всегда плюёт на свои же механики, и если ты ну внезапно решишь попробовать в Святилище дойти до сундука/пройти данж не стандартным способом(но, который сама игра до этого показывала в другом Святилище, например), то прости брат, ты не в той игре для этого. Очень весело воспринимать после этого хейт в сторону элден ринга, типо там мир пустой и ничего нет, ребят гляньте вот на эту игру и просто ловите ржач с того что одна из самых продаваемых игр на платформе свитч и систем селлер на релизе это посредственный кал, который маркетологи успешно умудрились продать

46 hours. The game got me hooked badly, but honestly, I got bored halfway through. The long travel time from point A to B, the shrines requiring puzzles beforehand (which can take 5 - 15 minutes if your brain isn't sharp), and the repetitive nature of the shrines themselves, not quite like dungeons or anything. The lack of enemy variation is also a major downside for me, and I think the biggest minus is giving legendary weapons or shields that can break (imagine the Hyrule shield breaking!). Also, I hate that buffs don't stack (there should be a separation between which buffs can and cannot stack). Imagine I'm using a buff to stay warm, then I eat something that gives me another buff (like attack++), and the warm buff disappears.

But it's the golden standard for exploration games. For instance, when you're traveling from point A to B, you check the map, and there's a location that looks interesting. You decide to visit that spot, and there's always something happening, a chest, etc., that truly rewards your exploration in this game. It makes the open-world feel rich with content.

In terms of difficulty, the game felt challenging at the beginning, but there are many exploits as you progress. Fairies can be stacked for multiple revives (even without Mipha), and I like crafting food because it's easy to make and the buffs are quite broken (perhaps that's why they can't be stacked). During boss fights, with full stamina, just two laps, slow motion, and spamming elemental arrows can kill the boss in minutes, even the final boss feels underwhelming. As a casual player, I don't have a problem with these exploits.

As for the story... I actually like the concept. It starts off bleakly. Zelda, desperate to activate her powers and resenting her destiny, Link as a failed savior, and the backstory of the champions who lost their lives. A hundred years later, it feels like saving the world for whom, when the kingdom and loved ones are already gone? The start is just so tragic. Unfortunately, I didn't feel very connected or moved by it because it's told in random flashbacks, making the chronology messy (unless you use a walkthrough).

There's still plenty of content like the DLC story Champion's Song (which I found ridiculously difficult, to be honest, it's where I truly felt the challenge), dozens of unexplored shrines, and more that could take hundreds of hours to complete all the content. But I'm not really interested in 100% completion; maybe if I'm bored and there's no other game, I'll try out some of the side content.

My Score: 8/10.