Listen to the Rain

People keep complaining that Nintendo has nothing this year, but Nintendo's determined to prove them wrong

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I thought that Hyrule Warriors was fun enough, but I wasn't interested in playing it for the hundreds of hours that I'd need to fill out all the unlockables. But a game that's much more closely based on Breath of the Wild, where Koei reportedly worked directly with Nintendo on the story and lore, with BotW's physics engine? That sounds far more interesting. There's bits of it in that trailer, with Link hurling a bomb at a bunch of bokoblins and sending them flying, or playable Zelda (!!) using the Sheikah Stone's Vitalock function to freeze a charging Lynel. And I'm really into playing the Champions fighting against Ganon's armies!

I am a bit curious about the story, though. Obviously if this is a real Breath of the Wild prequel, then it's a tragedy where Ganon wins in the end. The article I linked said:

In addition to all the action, the game is loaded with a robust story that depicts the events, relationships and dramatic moments of the Great Calamity in captivating detail.

...so the Calamity is still happening. I can see a compelling narrative around the rising tide of darkness as Ganon gets closer and closer to awakening--Memory 8: A Premonition shows that monsters were getting more and more common in the time leading up to Ganon's return, so the Champions will still have plenty to do even though they're destined to enter their Divine Beasts and die at Ganon's hands. And a final mission, with Link fighting off like a hundred Guardians leading up to Memory 17: Awakening, would be a fantastic conclusion.

Video games generally don't end tragically and more of them should.

aaron.hosek suggested that we get this and play together, and even if I weren't going to get it because it's another canon (ish?) Zelda game, I'd be in favor of that. I would have had more fun with Hyrule Warriors if I had played it with a group, and multiplayer with a real physics engine sounds amazing.

I'd better beat Chrono Trigger and Deus Ex so I'm ready.