The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is receiving a sequel that looks rather dark in comparison to the original, calling to mind the eerie atmosphere of Majora's Mask. It's been too long since Zelda embraced the potential to add a darker entry to the series, but it means that Nintendo has had plenty of time to look back on the elements of Majora's Mask that made it beloved and strange. Majora's Mask embraced the aspects that made it weird, and Breath of the Wild 2 should as well, which would allow it to capitalize on the popularity of the dark fantasy genre.
Breath of the Wild is an open-world Zelda game, and it brought with it a new sense of wonder to an old franchise, giving it a fresh feeling. While there is a confirmed sequel for Breath of the Wild in development, not much is known about it beyond the developers saying that the game will be darker. As a direct sequel, Nintendo could make Link and Zelda older in BOTW 2 instead of keeping them as young adults, but the most players can do for now about the dynamics they'll see between characters is speculate.
Breath of the Wild 2 won't be the first darker entry amongst the Zelda games, but it can learn from Majora's Mask, the first Zelda game to show a much more surreal and creepy side to the franchise. With Calamity Ganon's defeat at the end of Breath of the Wild, it's a good time for Nintendo to bring in a different villain for BOTW 2, much like Majora's Mask did after the events of Ocarina of Time. This is also the perfect time for developers to resolve more Breath of the Wild plot threads, and perhaps these were left open given the knowledge that there would be a sequel. Despite continuing Breath of the Wild, BOTW 2 has a lot of opportunities to deviate from its predecessor.
BOTW 2 Should Include Zelda, But Not With Her Needing Link's Help
In the majority of Zelda games, Zelda is in a situation that requires Link to fulfill his hero's destiny and save her. Majora's Mask is different in that Zelda is seen only once, and it's in a flashback. Zelda being in need of Link's help isn't a requirement for a Zelda game, and deviating from that idea opens up more possibilities for roles that she can fill. Unlike Majora's Mask, BOTW 2 should feature Zelda in a bigger role, and it's past time that she takes up her independent and fierce Sheik persona once more.
Including Zelda in a role that is proficient in combat and shows her as being able to hold her own opens up the option for developers to create a storyline in BOTW 2 where players can play as her. There was almost a female version of Link in Legend of Zelda, and a stronger, more combat-oriented Zelda in BOTW 2 could step into the role that Linka was never given the chance to fill. Zelda has always had abilities and powers of her own, but players don't get to see her use that strength often enough. It's time for her to leave the role of Damsel in Distress behind with BOTW 2 and step into the role of hero herself.
BOTW 2 Needs To Embrace Majora's Mask's Darker Tone
Majora's Mask is a weird game, and it's not shy about including those strange moments and characters like the Happy Mask Salesman that give it its characteristic dark and surreal tones. It even features a bizarre side quest where Link can help Romani fight off a ghost attack to protect the cows of Romani Ranch. Yet it's this embrace of the stranger elements in the game that really gives Majora's Mask its charm. It's the perfect time for a Majora's Mask sequel, and BOTW 2 could fill that void. Fans have been praising the darker tone that the BOTW 2 trailers have shown so far, and Nintendo needs to commit to creating an atmosphere and story that live up to the expectations it's giving Zelda fans.
The open-world style from Breath of the Wild being continued in the sequel gives developers the chance to include the kind of delightfully weird side quests that players can stumble upon in Majora's Mask, and hide them throughout the map. However, BOTW 2 should not include the reliance on timing from Majora's Mask, where players need to utilize variations of the Song of Time and keep a close eye on the in-game time in order to complete quests. Timing is so important in Majora's Mask, lag was purposely included in the Switch port so that a cutscene would play correctly. That pressure to keep track of in-game time is not a feature that BOTW 2 should adopt from Majora's Mask unless Nintendo wants to add an unnecessary amount of stress for its players.
Song Of Healing From Majora's Mask Can Return In BOTW 2
BOTW 2 is capable of being creepy and surreal without adding stress, and part of Majora's Mask surrealism came from using the Song of Healing. Meeting the strange citizens of Termina, learning about their struggles, and then soothing their pain with the Song of Healing while the moon continues to come closer to destroy all they know is a very somber and surreal experience in Majora's Mask. BOTW 2 needs to recreate those feelings in its own way and perhaps weave new lore for the origin of the Song of Healing in this branch of the Zelda timeline.
The BOTW 2 trailers have left fans both excited and curious, speculating over why Link has a new arm and what will happen after Link and Zelda are separated in the trailer. Most of all, fans are excited about the darker tone that developers have confirmed will be present in BOTW 2, reigniting memories of the strangest Zelda game: Majora's Mask. For this more mature atmosphere, developers need to look at elements from Majora's Mask, and then change and improve upon them to create another masterpiece. Developers should even consider adding a concurrent storyline for Zelda that allow players to play as her in Breath of the Wild 2.