The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild incorporates 120 shrines sprinkled throughout each part of Hyrule, lots of that are out within the open, uncovered to the weather on hilltops or mendacity dormant in a peaceable valley. However some are fully hidden, ready so that you can full a quest or a puzzle earlier than they emerge from the bottom.
In 2023, Polygon is embarking on a Zeldathon. Be a part of us on our journey by means of The Legend of Zelda collection, from the unique 1986 recreation to the discharge of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and past.
Whereas replaying Breath of the Wild throughout the anticipate The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, I not too long ago took one other run on the Korgu Chideh shrine. So as to entry it, I needed to journey to Eventide Island and endure one of many open-world recreation’s most grueling quest strains. It’s praiseworthy when it comes to degree design, but it surely additionally shows Nintendo’s generally twisted humorousness — and it may be outright annoying to cope with when you don’t go in ready. It’s a booby-trapped, Hitman-esque degree the place the percentages are stacked closely in opposition to you, and it’s superb.
Eventide Island isn’t straightforward to achieve. It’s an empty spot alongside the southeast coast of the sport’s large map, and except you’ve heard of it by means of phrase of mouth, you won’t have stumbled upon it except exploring out of curiosity alone. You possibly can fly there by way of Hyperlink’s glider (though this requires a number of stamina) or use a raft. You possibly can’t simply escape, both; the one solution to depart is to swim all the way in which again to the mainland — that’s, except you’re very artistic.
Upon touchdown on the island, the hunt’s guidelines will show on display: Transfer three orbs to numerous areas to win. Easy sufficient. However there are some harsh situations: The sport takes away your weapons, shields, armor, meals, and all different stat-buffing dietary supplements. You’ll have to seek out new gear on the island. To make issues more durable, the hunt disables the power to save lots of your recreation, so that you’ll lose every part (once more) when you die.
It initially appears unfair, despite the fact that you do have your Sheikah Slate and its runes — the bag of methods you acquire within the early recreation. So, you’ll be able to blow stuff up with bombs, make ice platforms in water with Cryonis, lock enemies and obstacles quickly in place with Stasis, and telekinetically pull magnetic objects round with Magnesis. Which means this might be a very laborious quest when you’re extra comfy combating with degradable weapons than Hyperlink’s reusable runes.
Beating every cluster of enemies requires a strong grasp of each certainly one of Breath of the Wild’s recreation mechanics — particularly stealth, luring enemies into traps, and being brutally correct with bows and bombs. You’ll want to know the right way to get essentially the most injury with crappy weapons that’ll break rapidly, backstab what few unassuming enemies you’ll be able to, pull off important headshots, trigger distractions, and on high of all that, use the atmosphere to your benefit.
Relying in your ability degree, getting by means of Eventide Island can take a number of hours and restarts. With every new try of this quasi-roguelike expertise, your tools shall be gone, however your information of the island’s structure stays. I gained’t faux that the information alone will make it easier to win; you’ll possible have at the very least one heated gamer second when coping with some fidgety physics, or when an amazing rush of enemies will get in the way in which of an orb. Nonetheless, lastly making it to the shrine is without doubt one of the most rewarding moments that Breath of the Wild has to supply.
It’s been about six years since I first made my solution to Eventide Island, and my appreciation for its design solely grows. It’s a enjoyable but torturous sandbox the place Breath of the Wild’s many recreation methods work in symphony. Most of all, I like how this quest toys with the sport’s relationship with the participant, virtually as if to say, “For those who fly over right here, appearing all impartial and curious, we’re going to allow you to do this. Simply know that you could be get your ass kicked within the course of — proper up till the second the place you triumph.”
