While fans and players are still left in the dark on many of the details concerningThe Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild 2at the current time, some things are confirmed beyond the original teaser trailer. One of these things confirmed by Eiji Aonuma is that themap of Hyrule from the originalBreath of the Wildwill be reused and the game will not be built from scratch. However, this does not mean players will be having the same experience as in the original game in the sequel.
Hyrule in the originalBreath of the Wildis incredibly vast with different landscapes and cultures to be found all around. However, something definitely needs to change for the release ofBreath of the Wild 2so that fans don’t view the sequel as overpriced DLC.
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When considering that the team behindBreath of the Wild 2is reusing the originalBreath of the Wildmap, it doesn’t mean that the map won’t also be expanded on. With new gameplay confirmed to be included in the new title, there’s the possibility of new travel options allowing Linkand possibly Zeldato reach places Link couldn’t have before.
Underground
As originally shown in the E3 teaser trailer, Link and Zelda are exploring some kind of underground cavern where they find the presumed corpse of Ganondorf. There is a possibility of there beingmany secrets hidden underneath Hyrule, not just the corpse of Ganondorf.
There are possibilities of the ruins of locations from previousLegend of Zeldatitles lying in caverns underneath Hyrule or even thriving civilizations that have simply been hidden away from those who live on the surface. Entrances to these underground locations could have opened upduring the fight with Calamity Ganonor events taking place in between the first and secondBreath of the Wild.
Underground locations opening up can also greatly change old locations' purposes and presentsplenty of opportunities for story and side quests. They can also hold many secrets for players looking to explore every inch of Hyrule once more.
Ocean
Many players love and miss the fully explorable sea inThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The originalBreath of the Wild,of course, does not have this feature due to an invisible wall stopping players who venture too far out onto the sea. However, its possible that players may be able to see more of the world outside of Hyrule in the sequel.
With the possibility of an even grander adventure of the horizon, players could be able to travel the seas away from Hyrule to find possible old Hyrulian territory or even other nations. This could lead to more races be introduced or reintroduced to the Zelda series oreven the return of Prince Sidon. After all, he seems to be the type to help Link out traveling across large bodies of water.
Even if an entire ocean or sea isn’t available to be explored, new locations of importance that must be found via water travel could make for interesting gameplay and story. There could even be Easter eggsreferencingthe Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.
Over Mountains and Ravines
The boundaries surrounding Hyrule have left a deep mystery for many players. What could lie beyond the borders of Hyrule other than out of bounds glitches? There’s a possibility thatBreath of the Wild 2could answer this question.
It is unknown what could be outside Hyrule. There could beother civilizations, kingdoms, and monsters. There also could be answers to the mysteries that Link and Zelda are trying to solve with the strange corpse lying underground. Most other important civilizations and countries in theZeldauniverse are usually only created or accessed via magical means such as Termina, Lorule, and Koholint Island. It would be interesting to see how the neighbors of Hyrule fared against Ganon if there are any at all.
There is even a possibility that there is nobody else outside of Hyrule, creating a sort of desolate landscape where no life can grow or be nurtured. This could have horrifying implications on the rest of the world and Hyrule’s position in it. This could also introduce somevery frightening dungeons as well.
The Sky
While the land of Skyloft was brought down to the ground after the events ofThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the possibility of Hylia left some floating islands in the sky is still there. Loftwing statues can be found in the originalBreath of the Wild, although they are most likely extinct. However, this doesn’t mean Link wouldn’t find some way to reach the skies and explore the land far above the clouds.
Exploring the sky could have players gain a whole new perspective on Hyrule, seeing it from an angle they’ve never seen it before. It could also lead to a return to some of the airborne battles seen in the originalBreath of the Wild.
There’s also thepossibility of land rising up into the sky, making a sort of new Skyloft. Players could have Link climb up floating rocks high up into the sky before seeing a floating landscape that couldn’t be seen from below.
However Nintendo decides to expand upon the originalBreath of the Wild, there are a lot of opportunities for new content while still building off of the original map. Players are sure to see plenty of returning faces as well as brand news ones, creating an exciting and fresh experience. Asanything beyond the initial trailer and interviewsare currently kept secret by developers working on the project, fans can’t really do much except spectate and theorize.
While manyplayers have their own wishes and expectationsfor the upcoming game, there are sure to be plenty of elements that no one had seen coming and are sure to surprise those who play. Considering old concept art from the originalBreath of the Wildthat ranges from silly to downright horrifying, the development team is definitely working with a lot of different ideas on the board to choose from.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2is in development.
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