493 Words About: Breath of the Wild and the Agony of Rain
The sight of a few drops instilled a panic in me that was immeasurable. I was almost near the top of the mountain and I could see the rock that hid the Korok I was looking for. Panic shifted to crushing disappointment as I watched Link start to slip and then fall down the slide of the mountain. This miserable failure was painful enough…and then the lightning started and my shield began to catch sparks.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild provided a new freedom I had never experienced before in any Legend of Zelda videogame: I could climb!
I’m showing my age terribly by admitting that, but it’s important because, before this game, a hill, a mountain, a column of stone, or even the side of Hyrule Castle was purely an obstacle. I understood that I couldn’t bypass this element, so I would have to find a way around, before inevitably stumbling into the Metroidvania obstacle that forced me to resume the main story-line. Breath of the Wild was a breath of fresh air (forgive me) because the only true obstacles were enemies I couldn’t beat…or the rain.
My intellectual impression of Breath of the Wild is always the land of Hyrule. Exploring this great open world is ultimately exploring a series of environments and natural systems. Whether it’s the desert, the snowy mountains, the meadows, the jungle, or the beaches, Link is constantly navigating weather patterns and thus adjusting his outfits, weapons, and consuming food to adapt to whatever system he is exploring.
Rain is one of the few impassable obstacles because there is no way to overcome it.
To wit.
Link will have to climb numerous hills and mountains to reach particular goals, whether it be shrines, koroks, or even just treasure. As he climbs Link will expend stamina energy that can be renewed with food items, and this gave me the impression that even the tallest mountains were no match for Link’s personal conviction.
And then the rain started.
Every seven “steps” Link slipped before catching himself making whatever progress I had made null and void. The first few times I tried to climb through the rain I worked through half of my food reserves until I finally gave up and fought a Hinox to feel better about myself.
More than just the failure to climb, the rain in Breath of the Wild is painful because it reduces the wonderful agency I had been relishing up to that moment. There is no obstacle Link cannot overcome as long as the player approaches it with the right resources and strategy, but the rain stops me.
Just like Death Stranding, Breath of the Wild is using weather for narrative and structural purposes. Link is a warrior, and a hero, but not invulnerable. The obnoxious lesson to learn is there are some elements that simply cannot be overcome through traditional means. In moments like this, new strategies have to be employed.
Joshua “Jammer” Smith
1.1.2026
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