During today's E3 2021 presentations we got to see the Nintendo Direct where roughly a minute and 40 seconds of new The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 gameplay was shown. I'm incredibly excited for this game and was basically screaming nonstop during the presentation. (Editor's note: She was.) For anyone else who's hyped, I've captured several screenshots and am here to pick them apart with you. It's worth noting that the game is still in development, so the game might see some big changes from what was shown here by the time it actually releases.
Nintendo E3 Zelda trailer
Watch the full new Zelda E3 trailer here and then we'll dissect it further in the article.
Something happens to Zelda?
Source: Nintendo (screenshot)
Near the start of the new video, we see an evil undead figure rising and Zelda falling into a dark abyss. Considering it's common for Zelda to be missing from the majority of a Zelda game, it's likely that Link is on a mission to save her.
It's interesting to note that the undead figure has holes on his body, similar to the ones we've seen on the Guardians. There are also holes in the palms of his hands. Perhaps he has some kind of hand powers that we haven't seen just yet as a foil to Link's own.
Link's new glowing hand powers
Speaking of which, it looks like Link's right hand gets overtaken by some kind of magical green force. It might not even be his own hand since it's shown with long pointed fingernails, very different from Link's dainty digits.
Source: Nintendo (screenshot)
This glowing hand seems to bring new powers to our Hylian hero including the ability to move through walls using watery portals and the ability to move objects, similar to how we could in the original with the Shiekah Slate Runes.
New flamethrower tool
In this shot, we see Link shooting fire at a plant-like enemy hanging from the ceiling while holding some kind of dragon head-shaped tool in his left hand (remember, his right hand is the weird one). This appears to be a new flamethrower tool of some kind. It might even be a special shield considering the way he holds it.
Still takes place in Hyrule
Look between the legs of this Stone Talus and you'll see the iconic Dueling Peaks from the original Breath of the Wild game. From this, we can surmise that at least part of the game takes place on our familiar map.
Floating islands and new locations
It seems that we'll be exploring new locations while jumping from one floating island to the next. I hope we have enough stamina to get that far!
Another thing to note is that the red tendrils coming from the undead figure seem to also push Hyrule Castle into the sky. Perhaps this is related to the floating islands Link must explore. Although, the islands we see Link on do seem to have a very different feel to them.
The Glider returns
The Glider made it possible to do a whole lot of easy exploration in the first game. Since we're spending so much time in the clouds for the sequel, I'm very happy to see that it's returning (this time with tassels). Those islands look pretty far apart. Maybe the glider will get an upgrade to help us reach them easier.
Tie-in to Skyward Sword?
Source: Nintendo (screenshot) and Nintendo
Considering some of the imagery we saw in the new Breath of the Wild sequel trailer, perhaps it's not just a coincidence that Skyward Sword HD is coming to Nintendo Switch later this year. After all, Skyward Sword is the first game in the Zelda timeline and has Link exploring floating islands and falling down to the world below, with his arms and legs spread wide similar to what we see in the screenshot above.
Perhaps the two stories directly tie into each other in some way? Nintendo hasn't officially revealed where Breath of the Wild fits into the Zelda timeline after all, but it does seem to be near the end.
Here's another thing to chew on. Those Goddess Statues that we first saw in Skyward Sword are all over Breath of the Wild. Perhaps these two games serve as bookends to the current timeline.
Link's new clothes and hairstyle
Speaking of falling, while in the sky areas, Link is shown wearing Roman-style sandals and clothing that looks a lot like a toga with a green sash. Not to mention, his hair is floating free from any hair ties and he doesn't seem to have any weapons on him.
This is peculiar considering we also saw moments where he was wearing the traditional Champion's Tunic and carrying his full arsenal including the Master Sword. Could there be a time travel component? Perhaps something will happen and Link's journey will span several years. Or maybe he'll lose his gear and have to start over. It does seem to be the same Link though, given that his right arm is still overtaken.
New shield
In this shot, we can clearly see a white and red shield that wasn't in the original Breath of the Wild game. As such, I'm pretty sure we can expect new weapons and armor.
New enemies and upgrades to existing enemies
We see some strange green mech creature with white teardrop crystals on its shoulders. I suppose it could be friendly, but it just seems too imposing for that. Though, come to think of it, those eye shapes do put me in mind of the Shiekah symbol with the teardrop falling from the eye. Or the Yiga Clan symbol which is the same thing but upside down. Maybe they're related in some way.
Source: Nintendo (screenshot)
Additionally, we see Ganon's porky Bokoblin and Moblin henchmen returning, only this time, they seem to have sharp horns or helmets on their heads and they've become crafty enough to build their fort on top of a Stone Talus. Imagine trying to take down that big beastie while arrows are being shot at you!
So much to look forward to!
It looks like a whole lot is in store for us with the Breath of the Wild sequel and we can't wait to learn even more. If you haven't played the original Switch game yet, now's the perfect opportunity to do so before the next game releases. No exact release date has been given yet, but the Zelda team is shooting for a 2022 release. I'm guessing this is going to be a big game that will require plenty of room on our microSD cards.
Explore a Ganon-ravaged Hyrule
Link awakens from a 100-year slumber only to realize that Hyrule has been destroyed by Ganon and his evil minions. Now he must explore an open world to get strong enough to take Ganon down. He can go straight to the final boss if he wants to, but there are so many fascinating things on the map to keep you busy for hours.
