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What am I missing on how to enjoy BOTW?

ViolentP

Member
I bought BOTW day 1 when the Switch came out 6 years ago. I've never been able to get far in the game since it just feels like you're aimlessly wandering to nowhere in the game. I've started it from the beginning at least 10 times and give up in a few hours. Only Zelda game I've had this issue with. What's the secret to enjoying this game?
The secret is stop thinking about it so much and just play.
 

kevm3

Member
If you didn't enjoy it the first 5 hours, you're not going to enjoy it. Don't waste time trying to force yourself to enjoy the game. It just isn't your flavor.
 

TheShocker

Member
I’m in the same boat. I have 35 hours in BoTW and I just can’t dig it. ToTL though, my god do I love that game.
 

Zannegan

Member
Start the game follow the main quest until you know what the overall premise of the storyline is and you have the basic utilities to achieve your goal. Then tackle it in sections of the map. Visit an area, unlock the map, find shrines, and keep an eye out for memories. Rinse and repeat, along the way you'll encounter plenty of characters that offer side quests, do them as you please. Take it slow, but don't aimlessly travel, you will bore yourself without a purpose. You will find stables in most areas, find them, grab your horse, and discover.
To each his own. For me, the aimless wandering was both the challenge and the reward. My favorite thing was noticing some random detail in the distance and trying to figure out what it was and how to get there.

For a not too spoilery example, there's one area where there's a ring of seven colossal statues with a clear space for an eighth. Stumbling across that eighth statue later on in the game was awesome when I made the connection.
 

near

Gold Member
To each his own. For me, the aimless wandering was both the challenge and the reward. My favorite thing was noticing some random detail in the distance and trying to figure out what it was and how to get there.

For a not too spoilery example, there's one area where there's a ring of seven colossal statues with a clear space for an eighth. Stumbling across that eighth statue later on in the game was awesome when I made the connection.

What I mean by aimlessly wander is to travel through areas of the map that you've covered/unlocked just simply hoping to find something else or something new, without necessarily having a reason for going there. The map is huge and can be a burden for most people, OP specifically complains about wandering, so I think it's best that they keep that to a minimum. Perhaps organically finding something when they've figured out a gameplay loop will facilitate a desire for them to actually explore every nook and cranny.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
I couldn't get into it either. Got it at launch and put about a week in before I put it away. Not every game clicks with everyone.
 

nush

Member
I couldn't get into it either, restarted a few times and my last play was the longest until I hit a point where it seemed I could not progress. I'd rather have dungeons than those puzzle temples.

So not long after I played Horizon Zero Dawn, and could not put that down until I'd completed it. Pretty much the same game but good.
 

Lasha

Member
A soul? Just don't play it. There's plenty of popular things I dislike. I don't waste my limited free time trying to force myself to enjoy them.
 

_Ex_

Member
dive into totk on PC

this-is-the-police-cover-cover-large.jpg
 
Skip all the text base story and find the caves/towers ? That what I did and what I’m doing now with the new one . No idea about Zelda, those character and names are so boring… I miss climbing the towers… now is too easy .
After I put all in stamina. Kinda relaxing (like spider man web )
 
My initial goal was to mark and climb all the towers i could see from the first tower to open up the map. Then main quest crap just happened along the way.

Its an ok game

Avoided any non mandatory combat because fighting was so irritating

I would say stop forcing it and move on… its more of the same from what you experienced
 
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tkscz

Member
I bought BOTW day 1 when the Switch came out 6 years ago. I've never been able to get far in the game since it just feels like you're aimlessly wandering to nowhere in the game. I've started it from the beginning at least 10 times and give up in a few hours. Only Zelda game I've had this issue with. What's the secret to enjoying this game?
It gives you a main quest the moment you get off the plateau, how did it become aimless for you? While doing the main quest, you just talk to people to get some really fun side quest. Or just exploring a random nook gives you a side quest. At what point did it feel pointless?
 

brian0057

Banned
If you don't like exploration for exploration's sake while expecting nothing reward in the traditional sense? Play another game.
 

Kataploom

Gold Member
it doesnt play like any other zelda game has

its as much of a spinoff as hyrule warriors
Never got this feeling... It's as much Zelda as any other Zelda to me, it feels like Zelda in every way... It just has way more new things that are the focus but all the other things are there and this may read controversial but I like it's main dungeons puzzle design way more than other Zelda's, they're definitely more creative by a wide margin, even though they're visually too similar
 

Metalman96

Member
I don't like the game either, man. I've tried so many times to get into it, I've just come to the conclusion I don't like sandboxy adventure games like it.
 
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