2017's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild launched alongside the massively successful Nintendo Switch and was almost universally praised as one of the best open-world video games of all time, and players are still discovering new secrets five years later. Although players have been anxiously awaiting the sequel to BOTW, which could run on a new Switch console, BOTW keeps providing reasons for them to revisit. The game's expansive open-world setting is packed with things to do, meaning that not every single secret may be discovered in a single playthrough.

There's certainly no shortage of content in Breath of the Wild. As Nintendo's premier open-world franchise and the first Legend of Zelda game to adopt a traditional open-world structure, a great deal of care went into crafting this expansive, cel-shaded rendition of Hyrule. This care can be felt through the game's many towns, shrines, and various secrets, all elevated by its charming and tranquil aesthetic.

Related: Zelda: Breath Of The Wild's Best-Kept Secrets

As is the case with most open-world games, there are several upgrades to unlock, collectibles to gather, and side quests to complete in BOTW. The game's ambitious scale and attention to detail allow for deep gameplay and near-constant discovery that players can sink their teeth into, even if most online attention is now firmly fixed on details surrounding BOTW 2, like Link's weird handBreath of the Wild still has plenty to offer, and chances are returning players will continue to make new discoveries once they boot up the game.

Breath Of The Wild's Open-World Is Like No Other

Zelda standing in front of the landscape as the sun sets in Breath of the Wild sets

Breath of the Wild earned its title as one of the best open-world games ever by providing players with a huge map to explore, free from the restrictions and monotonous design choices that plague so many other games of this type. Instead of meaninglessly following arbitrary map markers and waypoints, players are encouraged to wrestle with BOTW's environment, uncovering all sorts of secrets as they go. While other games will overtly draw the player's attention to valuable items and quests, BOTW actively hides them from the player, which means that a lot of players will miss small details on their first playthrough. Even the arguably insulting Korok Seed hunt in BOTW is implemented in such a way that players will have to employ a bit of critical thinking, rather than just following a map.

The Gameplay Systems In BOTW Are Deeper Than They May Appear

Elemental Temples The Legend of Zelda Has Never Used

Instead of having an endless amount of tools like in other Legend of Zelda games, Breath of the Wild provides players with four simple spells. These spells appear straightforward at first, but they can actually be used for some very unique, emergent gameplay. For example, the Magnesis spell can be used in a variety of combat encounters to deal damage to enemies. With how many different enemies, metal objects, and environments there are in the game, the gameplay possibilities stemming from just this one spell are almost endless.

A similar level of complexity can be found in the game's weather and element systems. It was just earlier this year that a BOTW player found an easy way to beat a Shrine by making use of a Blizzard Rod, which will apparently make a naked Link immune to fire. This was a revelation for even the most dedicated players, and it signals that there could be even more to discover as it pertains to how things like ice, fire, and lightning operate within the game.

Thanks to a diverse, mystery-ridden open-world and gameplay that is deceptively deep and nuanced, BOTW is a game that players will be passionately dissecting for years to come. If The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's sequel can provide the same level of complexity through its world and overall design, series fans will certainly be satisfied with it.

Next: BOTW 2: Destiny Abound Isn't The Title For Breath Of The Wild's Sequel