Hunting & Gathering is Key For Survival
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has gone full-Far Cry in several ways, just one of which is its hunting and gathering mechanics. Gone are the days of slicing up grass and replenishing Link’s health with easy hearts. Now, survival is the name of the game. Link must hunt down his own food with patience and utilization of stealth. You can set traps for animals (ranging from boar, birds, fish, ferrets, and insects), use tall grass to hide yourself, and even crouch walk around to minimize Link’s sound output (characterized by a meter in the lower right of the screen). Meats, fruits, and vegetables found in the world will all replenish Link’s hearts. This basic change fundamentally shifts the gameplay loop of Zelda from a linear experience to one of emergent action.
