The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild constantly challenges players to find unique solutions for puzzles and combat, but its archery mechanic subverts these efforts with powerful attacks and relatively easy access. Unfortunately, making arrows and bows accessible results in BOTW’s challenges becoming obsolete. There’s no need to trick a Moblin to move closer to a cliff if a flurry of arrows can quickly finish the job, and there’s no urge to change such an effective strategy. Players looking to experience the game’s challenges and entertaining strategies should avoid using archery (except as a last resort).
Unlike Red Dead Redemption 2, which equips players with ample supplies and efficient methods to kill enemies, Breath of the Wild is more conservative with inventory slots, weapons, and ammunition. Players must use their wits and surroundings to defeat opponents reliably. The Zelda game lacks a traditional leveling system. While players may obtain a hefty collection of hearts and stronger weapons as the game progresses, there’s no single ability that assures victory. Abilities on Breath of the Wild’s Sheikah Slate can help manipulate the world and items, but archery renders most of these abilities second-tier compared to ranged attacks in combat.
Like most video games, Breath of the Wild starts players at an extreme disadvantage to many enemies throughout its open world. Link’s personal stats begin at three hearts and a measly stamina bar that restricts many activities players can complete. This vulnerable state also prevents players from tackling combat head-on and encourages more creative forms of problem-solving. Unfortunately, it isn’t long until players get their hands on primitive bows and regular arrows, discovering one of the easiest methods to defeat enemies and complete challenges. BOTW enables players to bypass its mechanics and end fights before they begin instead of encouraging unique combat methods.
Breath Of The Wild's Explosive Arrows Make The Game Too Easy
One of the biggest offenders for making BOTW too easy is bomb arrows, which players can obtain early on if they know where to look. These projectiles are incredibly deadly and capable of defeating hordes of enemies with a single shot. BOTW’s bomb arrows also affect objects, sending everything from boxes and items exploding across the area. Players with enough Rupees can buy bomb arrows, sell monster parts from bodies, and maintain a regular income of deadly arrows. These projectiles don’t scale with level but make combat's difficulty innate.
And it's not just regular enemies that BOTW's archery has this effect on. Some of Breath of the Wild's most powerful bosses are its Divine Beasts, which house elemental avatars of Ganon. Each boss fight features different mechanics that require players to use their minds rather than their might. Unfortunately, players that anticipate the elemental nature of their opponents can bypass the most difficult portions of the boss fights. Frost arrows, fire arrows, and bomb arrows can all force these versions of Ganon into their second phases in short periods of time.
Breath of the Wild’s arrows and archery is an unfortunate crutch for many players, restricting combat strategies by being the easiest (and most logical) way to defeat enemies. Stasis, Magnesis, Remote Bombs, and more can serve as interesting replacements for traditional combat but are overridden by frost arrows, shock arrows, fire arrows, and bomb arrows. Though environmental risks occasionally limit their uses, they are more often than not the simplest solution to most of BOTW’s challenges. Players looking to embrace The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s real challenges can ignore archery altogether and utilize more creative forms of combat and problem-solving throughout Hyrule.