{"id":1836,"date":"2018-04-18T15:00:31","date_gmt":"2018-04-18T19:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wyomingjarbo.com\/blog\/?p=1836"},"modified":"2018-04-18T22:10:43","modified_gmt":"2018-04-19T02:10:43","slug":"what-i-played-2017-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wyomingjarbo.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/18\/what-i-played-2017-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"What I Played: 2017 Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

2017 was a bountiful year for all gamers. There was no shortage of games new or old to play. This year I\u2019ve decided rather than creating a top five, or a top ten list, to compile a list of the games I played this year<\/del>\u00a0in 2017 and what I have to say about each.<\/p>\n

When compiling this list, I realized how much I really did play this year compared to past year. In a way my love of gaming found a resurgence, not that it ever went away.<\/p>\n

A few of these games I finished, most I have not1<\/a><\/sup>. Most of these games came out in 2017 however there are few that have been out for a year or two.<\/p>\n

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild<\/h2>\n

I can\u2019t remember the last time a game like this launched with any console. Twilight Princess launched with the Wii2<\/a><\/sup> but it wasn\u2019t nearly this vast in scope, hype, or critical reception. I wrote about how excited I was for Breath of the Wild<\/em>:<\/a><\/p>\n

\n now on the eve of\u00a0The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0I see the Zelda game I\u2019ve been wanting since I played A Link to the Past: a vast world by today\u2019s gaming standards and a return to exploration and finding out things on your own\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Breath of the Wild<\/em> fulfilled this hype. It surpasses every 3D Zelda game I\u2019ve ever played by leaps and bounds. I played this game for nearly 120 hours straight. I haven\u2019t finished everything yet, because I don\u2019t want to wear it out. I want to return to it like a pair of beloved comfortable jeans. If I had to pick a game of the year3<\/a><\/sup>, it would be this game.<\/p>\n

NPCs4<\/a><\/sup> in Zelda games are usually pretty boring. But in Breath of the Wild<\/em> I wanted to talk to every villager and passerby. They all had an interesting thing to say. If it wasn\u2019t something funny, they would tell you an interesting piece of what to find in this version of Hyrule. This is easily one of the most humorous Zelda games outside of Wind Waker.<\/p>\n

\"Prince
Prince Sidon is the coolest guy ever. His theme music is also so good.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even though I love this game, there are some things I wish they could have incorporated into the game. I miss the unique items that had multiple uses. The runes in the game (magnesis, stasis, & cryonis specifically) are great, but they weren\u2019t nearly as functional as the hookshot or other relics from past games. But they did make the bow indispensable comparatively, so this is obviously a nitpick.<\/p>\n

I was hoping that some of shrines would be more labyrinthian and the Devine Beasts puzzles differed in quality by a good margin5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

However, the story in the game really resonated with me. In this world, Link failed 100 years ago. Ganon won. It reminded me of A Link to the Past. In that game, once Link gained the Master Sword he ventured to Hyrule Castle, broke down the barrier of evil, defeated a gauntlet of soldiers, and faced the wizard Agahnim to rescue Zelda. After he defeated Agahnim, the wizard scoffed at Link and banished him to the Dark World only to find a land in despair where evil was about to win. The journey, so to speak, had only just begun. Link\u2019s failure in Breath of the Wild<\/em> makes the progress in the game that much more meaningful. It\u2019s basically a Rocky<\/em> montage of building Link’s resolve to face Ganon for the final countdown. This is even more powerful since the player can go fight Ganon at any point in the game. Everyone can appreciate the electric charge of a good montage.<\/p>\n

The gameplay of Breath of the Wild<\/strong> is so much more fun than any 3D Zelda before it. Exploration is the foundation of which this game is built and nearly always rewards the player. Combat has strategy and consequences. Hyrule, as expansive as it is, feels hand-crafted and lived in. It feels like a world in ruin.<\/p>\n

There is so much more to speak about on this game that has already been said6<\/a><\/sup>7<\/a><\/sup>8<\/a><\/sup>. It is a modern day masterpiece and one of the reasons I am a diehard Nintendo fan. Breath of the Wild<\/em> enters into my coveted Top Three Zelda Games of All Time<\/strong>.9<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

One last note: Breath of the Wild<\/em> has one of the best trailers for a game ever. It even has its own soaring orchestrated arrangement that\u2019s not found in the game10<\/a><\/sup>. Whether you\u2019ve played the game or not, the trailer is always worth a watch.<\/p>\n