Wow, this has been massive, and even hours of gameplay hardly scratch the surface of what you are trying to accomplish. And it’s all gameplay. No story spoilers, at least anything that gives background to things. Reggie Fils-Aimé kicks things off and extends Nintendo’s condolences over what happened in Orlando. He moves us to a quick trailer full of various locations and their visuals. This tour of the scenic vistas and all we see are ruins that have been left derelict. We see climbing as a major gameplay element, cooking of food being done, and some robotic enemies. It ends with a seriously worn and weathered Master Sword as a quick peek and part of the logo. This seems quick to distance itself from what we have traditionally seen in previous entries to the franchise.
The title for the game is Breath of the Wild. Reggie tells us that the game is open world and seamless. As vast as the world is, all of it is full of adventure as well. All we are going to see today we are informed will take place on a plateau which the map shows is a small portion of the world at the heart of Hyrule. The game is meant to break any of the boundaries set in previous Zelda games. Of course, we hear the phrase “Wake up Link” as part of the trailer, so as a series mainstay we start out by waking up. The game will be available for both the Wii U and the future NX system.
Now we are treated to a brief respite from Zelda with the two new Pokemon titles, Sun and Moon, set to release November 18th this year. We are given a better look of the new Alola Region here, Game Freak veterans of course tell us how it’s Pokemon’s 20th anniversary this year. We see the three starters Rowlet, Litten and Popplio again since they have already been given their official debut. Sun and Moon are made specifically to showcase an island teeming with bountiful life. The legendaries we are shown are specifically mentioned to be emissaries of the Sun and Moon themselves. The starters are stated to be designed as cute as possible, and so that they are universally relatable with people around the world. The climate of the region is tropical so the characters are dressed lightly compared to the protagonists of prior regions. The actual in game character designs are made to be more proportionally realistic. We are quickly shown some actual gameplay. It is set after the starter Pokemon is chosen and we are to set out to a neighboring village to partake in a festival. The character had only just moved to this region themselves. We see several Pokemon through a series of battle, two of the new ones showcased are Yungoos and Pikipek. Something that looks like a cross between a mongoose and a ferret for the first and the second is even called the Wood Pecker Pokemon. We are also briefly told about how in some way Zygarde shall appear as well.
Attention is called to the fact the lighting in the battles is based on what time of day it is in the game and also casts differing lengths of shadows. We see the menus can give information on the enemy Pokemon, stats we have encountered before, and details for abilities themselves. Its even said when certain moves are used against certain Pokemon the attacks actually have notes about their effectiveness against that type again in the future. The team is proud that there is so much optional information at your fingertips. It is also shown when capturing Pokemon that white Pokeball symbols are next to their image denoting alternate forms or evolutions they have to remind you to raise them to find everything in the game. as we move on through the route we are on there are several battles and the Festival is reached. We see the new professor Kukui and his assistant Lillie who may actually travel with us at some point we are told and that little other information is given. Some information is given that the development team took a trip to Hawaii to develop the setting of the game. We see Hala, who is the character that gave us our starter Pokemon and Hau, the characters friend and apparent friendly rival. He is to duel us as part of the festival. After victory against him, we finish with the gameplay and move to a video of a new mode called Battle Royal. Four players battle until one player has lost all their Pokemon. Up to three Pokemon are brought into this fight. The winner out of the three remaining is whoever has a higher score tally by the end of the fight. There is also an hour time limit and seemingly a timer on attacks to keep the game flowing as well. This wraps up Pokemon and we go back to Zelda for the rest of the day.
We are told this game exists to break the conventions of a traditional Zelda game. We open up the game in a glowing blue tub of water that is part of a larger apparatus is a technological room. Several chests contain clothes, and a device in the room is aquired. It’s called a Sheikah Slate. So this is a technological tablet, and the game seems more advanced then many of the others strangely. The slate is used on a dais which opens a path out of the area. We are shown jumping and climbing, which jumping on command is still a series first. No more situational commands. We leave this chamber and enter the world, as part of the Great Plateau. As we move slowly down a hill, just about anything is a collectible. Mushrooms, Apples, Branches. All can be picked up and half of them are used as impromptu weapons while many of the others are consumables to recover health in place of hearts of older games. We are shown a quick climb on a cliff face to show us a round green gauge that is used to indicate Link’s stamina. So there are limits to greater exertion like running or climbing. We start with three hearts as Zelda games tend to do, and we quickly meet an old man. He isn’t the greatest font of knowledge but he does say this region was the birthplace and heart of Hyrule. A quick few steps nearby lead us to an axe in a stump, which is then equipable. We see a dive into a body of water and a Korok pops out. They are hidden around the entire land of Hyrule.
As we have been told the temple nearby and the kingdom itself is in a state of decay, so it’s time to explore. The Sheika Slate is shown to also function as a map and location way points called beacons can be placed on locations with it. It can even be used as a viewfinder and it will put the point that is viewed with it as a beacon on the map. In the same way, enemies can be scanned and their health and statistics determined. We see the axe used to chop wood, making me feel this is much closer to Minecraft than a Zelda title, and after we find a rusty sword and fight some Bokoblins and break a weapon it is an apt comparison to make. Monsters like Bokoblins often keep camps or even tree house forts together with lookouts making them more formidable then mere wandering monsters we encountered previously. We see a pot lid used as an impromptu shield which was done right in the heat of battle. So it is amazing just how flexible an inventory can be. We haven’t yet heard of inventory capacity limits but there is likely an upper limit. If like the other games it could be expandable, but even early on they allow for you to carry quite a bit. We then see bows picked up off of enemies with their defeat, and their weapons being dropped after certain attacks. We also see backflips to get out of the range of an attack and strafing employed to dodge attacks in conjunction with the games lock on ability. We proceed to the large ruins, and it is shown to be a crumbling iteration of the Temple of Time. Skyward sword starts as the earliest part of the timeline with it fresh and new, and this leaves it as ruins. We find a ladder and scale the building to be greeted with an amazingly vast view of the surroundings. They mention in many ways this game closely verges on being a survival game. We see several special attacks that are done in slow motion allowing for better aim and strikes. It’s impressive in motion, and we see with a sword the traditional Spin Attack as well.
We see a series of destroyed robots left overgrown or embedded into the ground and the name of them as Guardians is mentioned. It’s mentioned something greater happened long ago, but we are not privy to the knowledge of what that is and to gleam insight into these events we will find clues to what transpired. Quite mysterious. They mention the art style and the animated look of it. It’s said in many ways it is easier to pick out interactable objects with the style they have developed and everything they do is to augment the gameplay itself. They mention it is also based on an “Open Air” style of painting, following the concept of a deep immersion in the world that surround the player. It is also noted the music is not the heavy orchestral score we are used to as a more ambient soundtrack with sound and some piano keys being played fit into the games premise much better.
At this point the game cuts off with the 10 minute time limit for the demos being presented at E3, which they happened to forget to turn off. It is quickly switched back on in the correct mode and a speed run quickly takes us back to where we left off.
They want to bring to the game an openness in both the world and in playstyle. Any situation can be handled in a variety of ways with the tools on hand, and the abilities that are gained. Exploration and puzzle solving is said to be the heart of Zelda, and they go on to showcase this. They also show the variety of new things like throwing weapons at exploding barrels or enemies. They roll boulders to defeat them. They also show an ability that would normally be unlocked a little latter with the fact there are two types of bombs. Square and round. One to be placed and the other to be rolled at an opponent or to be used as a bowling ball. They are set off with a button press and several early environmental puzzles would be solvable in this way. We also see that minerals are obtainable with a note they can be sold so this likely replaces random rupees of prior games. It is mentioned some enemies are asleep at night, while in other cases the day and night cycle influences what animals and monsters are out in the world as well.
Its shown that when traveling to colder locations clothing must be appropriated for the situation or else the cold can cause damage to Link. Clothing seems to be an important part of the game this time. So dress appropriately. We see Ice Chus that can freeze on contact and Stalfos bodies chasing after their decapitated heads. They also detach their arms to attack you, though they are specifically called Bokoblin arms and are usable as a weapon for Link as well. We are also shown downhill Shield Surfing as they called it. The fact you can ride a shield and still use a bow is an interesting fact. I didn’t see a sword being used but I wouldn’t count it out. There is also the fact that shields also wear down that is important as the will break like most objects in the game.
This next segment is to introduce us to the shrines in this game. There will be over one hundred in the game, and beating the challenges inside will help to attain helpful items and other bonuses. They are said to be totally distinct from dungeons which we may not have been shown yet as it may spoil plot points for the game since certain areas we have seen already the were wary to approach for that reason. We jump to a scene at the top of the Resurrection Tower and they place beacons on two shrines. We are shown an obtainable Paraglider that allows for fast travel from higher vantage points that they mention isn’t obtainable until shortly into the game which is seemingly tied into the shrine missions that they hadn’t completed yet. So the gameplay here is a little scewed. The shrines names are apparently tied to the name of a monk enshrined within them who is tasked with giving you a test of your ability. Upon entering, you are granted a new ability that are called a Rune Abilities. The trials are meant to prove proficiency with their uses. The first shrine is for a magnet ability that allows you to manipulate metallic object in the nearby vicinity while the second is for the bombs that were shown off in an earlier segment. The puzzles here are said to be easy since they are at the start of the game, and not all shrines are simple these puzzles. We also see a functional smaller guardian within a shrine which seems to be covered in similar motifs to the architecture of these buildings. A larger guardian was stuck in place on the outside and had a very powerful laser. It is said they are tough, and after one blows out a breakable wall and sets link on fire while throwing him quite a distance, it seems difficult to challenge them at this point in the game. The larger one that was stationed on the outside was scanned and showed to have 500hp, while most of the tougher enemies elsewhere topped out at 27hp. They seem durable, and seem to match the ones around the temple of time.
It seems certain consumables can actually grant yellow temporary hearts allowing for higher health for battles then are normally possible. We jump to another area with a home, and a bed that seems to allow for sleep. If this allows for one to manipulate the day/night mechanic, it wasn’t explicitly stated. We also see bees as an enemy and and that certain creatures drop items usable in food preparation as well. We are shown that the purple gauge on the screen is a noise gauge. If moving stealthily, it will be almost unnoticeable but if high it will alert nearby enemies.
From here they begin to discus Amiibo integration with the game. We see the Wolf Link Amiibo first. Normally in the game, Link will travel alone, however with the Amiibo used we actually gain Wolf Link as a full assist character. We see Wolf Link with 3 hearts, but it isn’t said if he will gain hearts as standard Link does though it may be the case. A short demo of the gameplay shows a secondary character as a major advantage in both standard hunting and also in combat as well easily flanking the Bokoblins that are present throughout the Plateau. They show us three new Amiibo characters. Archer Link, Rider Link and one of the Guardians as well. The last will be the first possible Amiibo with flexible tendrils. After this Shigeru Miyamoto comes out to talk about the Zelda franchise. He discusses they wanted to bring back the freedom missing in the series since the very first game, and that surviving the wilderness itself will allow you to learn who you are in this game. He mentions how his own explorations early in life impacted and shaped the franchises that he has built. He also says the reason the first game you start with nothing rather then with a sword and shield is that there were complaints towards gaming about why did a character start equipped? The team decided to leave you without them, to get them to continue and it is still quite prevalent in what we see today with Link starting without even the clothes on his back. A little more gameplay shows fires being set. The first game had bushes burnable, and this game allows wind and flammable materials to be used to clear out enemies with innovative uses. They end the segment with using a Korok leaf to fan the sail of a raft to move it. They say yes, it isn’t believable, but it adds to the game so they went with it.
Here is the Pokemon Sun and Moon trailer from around a week ago.
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