During the 2017 release, players can engage with the minimalist story as much or as little as they like, as Breath of the Wild’s charm lies in its survivalist gameplay and endless potential for physics-based problem-solving. Link awakens from the cave in which he has slept for the past 100 years with nothing, and slowly starts to rebuild his strength to take on the menacing Calamity Ganon. Perhaps the biggest blemish on the game’s resume is the design and execution of the Divine Beasts. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will need to spice up the Beasts of Breath of the Wild if they’re going to play a part as dungeons a second time.
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Divine Beasts Felt Far From Divine
Fully committed to an open-world design, Breath of the Wild needed a way to provide challenging obstacles to overcome that aid progression. The 120 shrines dotted all around are innovative and interesting, feeling like puzzles that would otherwise be in a traditional dungeon but delivered in a bite size way that facilitates exploration. There are, however, a handful of larger areas that warrant more time. The Divine Beasts in each of the four settlements feel like a half-step, taking more time than a shrine but less time than an expected Zelda dungeon to overcome. They do well to bring a unique flavor to the Rito, Goron, Zora, and Gerudo areas, but undoubtedly leave players wanting more.
The bosses that come at the conclusion of the Beasts feel like copies of each other, and all four places have a similar aesthetic on the inside that makes them repetitive if done in quick succession. In comparison to other Zelda dungeons, they were sorely lacking, and something as simple as a color change could have worked wonders to add a different tone to each, like a tranquil blue for Vah Ruta of the Zora, or a burning red interior for Vah Rudania that stalks Death Mountain. Comparing these to the likes of Ocarina of Time’s Shadow Temple or Skyward Sword’s Sandship, there’s no contest as to which are more memorable to fans.
The Divine Beasts Need a New Atmospheric Approach
Breath of the Wild’s Divine Beasts were a fraction of the size and scope of a typical Zelda dungeon, but the biggest issue isn’t necessarily their size. The drab, murky walls aren’t inspiring and each beast, regardless of its species or dwelling looks exactly the same. Without the tone, aesthetic, and music that it has, the Stone Tower Temple in 2000’s Majora’s Mask would just be a string of puzzles to solve. Great visuals and music can go a long way, and while Breath of the Wild’s subdued soundtrack is perfect for the game’s atmosphere, dungeons need music that is more indicative of the room on display.
A different color palette, more iconic soundtrack, and presentational flourishes are all it would take to drastically improve the Divine Beasts, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is in the perfect position to improve upon one of the few things that Breath of the Wild didn’t get right. The game is still a largely unknown entity as its release date gets closer, but the Divine Beasts are essential to this new take on Hyrule, and they are in dire need of a makeover, should they act as dungeons a second time.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases May 12, 2023 for Nintendo Switch.
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