I fell in love with “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” instantly. Seriously, as soon as I was dropped into the world as Link, freshly awakened from a 100-year nap, I knew the journey would be magnificent! But I’m not here to talk about all that. I want to weigh in on the superb sound design.
The sound track is worth mentioning because, for one thing, the player hardly knows it’s there. It’s a calming few piano notes that drift in and out of your speakers like a blade of grass caught in a light breeze, until you face up an enemy. Then, the melody picks up–like your blood pressure, adding to the thrill of the fight. The roller coaster wave of emotions from just the music alone is stunning.
The way Link’s armor and weapons clink around while running or walking is just a small, satisfying detail in the game’s seemingly endless sound library. Hitting enemies registers a hearty noise that actually sounds weighty. Enemies grunt and scream in such a unique unforgettable way. Honestly, there to many other small sounds to even get to.
All in all, “BOTW” is an addictive and stylish installment to the Zelda franchise. Its mechanics will likely be mimicked by other developers for years to come. However, the sounds that were created for this game will likely never be reproduced again.