Breath Of The Wild Is Great But Zelda Needs To Go Back To Its 2D Roots

There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but Zelda has always been a wonderfully diverse series. Not to the extent of Mario which has crossed all manner of genres in its years, but it is diverse all the same. It has shaped the RPG genre numerous times since the ‘80s, inspiring the likes of Dark Souls, Secret of Mana, Shadow of the Colossus, and now, the aforementioned Genshin Impact. You can see how much the RPG genre varies with Zelda’s inspirations alone and that’s telling. After Breath of the Wild 2, it needs to do something different again. Going back to the classics might not scream new. In fact, it sounds like a step back, aye? Well, that’s the thing. The triple-A space seems to be scared of its own history, desperate to move past it and become more cinematic, more graphically domineering. It’s all about tech and visual prowess. But art style is just as import

No matter what happens, it remains important to consider the symbolism behind Zelda’s appearance, and how her luscious new hairstyle could be a sign of change for her character that allows her to abandon the shackles of royalty and strive for independence beyond grief and trauma. It’s a powerful message of perseverance for a woman who deserves agency, even more so when you consider the classics that inspired her and how female characters in the world of gaming are finally earning a similar level of respect to their male counterparts.

The Nemesis creature in Resident Evil 3 could also help answer particular questions that come to fruition following Capcom's revelations. Fans will likely want to know how Umbrella knew about or discovered the existence of the Las Plagas parasites in the cave in Spain, which they used to help create the Nemesis, as it is now revealed. We may find more clues in a possible Resident Evil 4 Remake pertaining to the Nemesis project's origins and possibly draw the link between Umbrella and the Las Plagas parasi


It’s not unlike animation’s seemingly unanimous move toward CGI, leaving 2D behind as a relic of the medium. Disney likely won’t ever make something in the style of The Jungle Book or The Lion King again when Tangled, Moana, and Frozen have such a wide appeal. Anime is huge in its own right but it doesn’t have the same pull in the West as Pixar, Disney, or DreamWorks - all of which have moved toward CGI animation. Indies in gaming hanging onto the old approach is like anime retaining its 2D style. Nintendo taking Zelda back in time would be akin to Disney releasing a new animated film in 2D. It would show that the approach still has a place and it would pave the way for others to do the same in whatever shape or form that might take. I wasn’t particularly optimistic about this ever being a possibility but now, with Metroid Dread , there’s a glimmer of hope on the hori

Men are already in positions of power in these scenarios, so women are left to comprehend the opposite gender’s mistakes and find a way forward of their own accord. It’s empowering to an extent, although the fact that women are made to throw away what is seen as conventional beauty purely to grow into something one would define as independent still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. On the flipside, this rejection of traditional femininity is equally as groundbreaking, showcasing that societal norms aren’t something these heroines have to abide by. Other characters are often left shocked and outraged at these changing tides, but that’s the whole point - it’s a statement that’s supposed to inspire.


The classic approaches weren’t bad or archaic. It’s a common misconception. They often had janky controls, poor accessibility, or even overly difficult game design - but the aesthetic was never to blame. The industry has ironed out a lot of these creases over the years to create much smoother experiences, and the indie space is proof enough that 2D doesn’t mean old and obtuse. The Binding of Isaac takes the original Zelda and makes it a roguelike, even sharing its UI, dungeon format, and item pickup animation - the inspirations ooze. Undertale is a 2D RPG that has combat expressed through a small box that has you avoiding the bullet-hell barrage - it doesn’t rely on fancy graphics. Little Dew is a more comedic Zelda that feels like an HD rendition of the classics with a quaint, cartoony art style. These are all iconic titles, despite not being 3D triple-A blockbusters. Meanwhile, when Nintendo wants to revive its classic library, it does so by modifying its 2D approach, 3Dizing them instead. Look No Hit Run further than the upcoming Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Pokemon gam


Like the majority of Breath of the Wild’s design ethos, fashion is always something dictated by the player. Much like Dark Souls, I overlooked stats and buffs in favour of how fabulous something looks, preferring to look amazing as opposed to being a giant chunk of metal who walked with the pace of a snail being drenched in salt. Once I donned the Gerudo gear in the sunny desert sands, I seldom took it off, opting to take on the Divine Beasts in such an outfit because Link looked cute and wasn’t afraid to express an aesthetic that went against the generic definition of masculin