i cannot remember a first playthrough of any game i’ve ever played that was as enchanting as this. it was the wondrous adventure that the original zelda from 1986 was gesturing at but finally fully realized with the aid of modern technology and design. especially in the era it came out, when open-world games were at the absolute peak of bloodless checklists and cocomelon design, a game that was this single-mindedly committed to atmosphere, exploration, and wonder was such an unbelievable breath of fresh air (pardon the pun).
at the time it came out, i was falling out of love with gaming broadly, and botw is probably singlehandedly responsible for reigniting my love for videogames. it made me feel a kind of wonder that i genuinely did not think i was capable of feeling anymore, and it reminded me of the wholly unique kind of engagement that interactive art can provide that nothing else can. if you somehow haven‘t played it yet, i would literally recommend it to everyone. absolute fucking masterpiece.
(honorable mentions: super metroid, undertale, metal gear solid 2)
