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.
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.