The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Despite being set in a classical phantasy cosmos , The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wildis also doubtlessly a post - apocalyptic game . BOTWshares many design elements with other post - apocalyptical titles , which immix to make it a perfect example of how the genre in military action . These details include various dissimilar aspects of worldbuilding , from the people who dwell Hyrule to the environment itself , and together they paint an undeniable ikon of the iconic fictitious kingdom subsist in the wake of double-dyed disaster .
Given that the mount of mostpopular post - apocalyptic video recording gamesare root in science fabrication to explain their backstory , the malevolent magic at the heart of the Calamity inBOTWis arguably a going away from the norm . However , just as Calamity Ganon is one of the more strange buteffective versions of Ganon , this understated shift in genre suits the unbelievable compass of the game . AlthoughBOTWdoes not advertise itself as a post - apocalyptical story directly , the upshot of the Calamity undeniably plant one , and these are the most outstanding details that prove it .
10Survivors Are Scattered Across The Land
The People Of Hyrule Are Few And Far Between
It is no privy thatBOTW ’s version of Hyrule is a shadow of its former ego . After being assail by Calamity Ganon a C prior , the kingdom ’s people now cling to selection in small settlements . Although everyday living often seems quiet in the remain towns and villages , there is no denying that peril always mill about on the view with the monster that roam the land .
Just like what would be expected of a post - apocalyptic landscape , the various small community that can be found in Hyrule are nearly entirely apart from each other . While some NPCs do brave the roads , mostly gem hunters and traders , it is a common sight to see them being attacked by monsters . It is entirely possible to see these NPCs being pink unconscious , shew just how easily they could be killed without Link ’s intervention . As a resultant , the kingdom is subtly demonstrated to simply be too dangerous for many people to explore .
9Most Of Hyrule Is A Vast Wilderness
Nature Has Reclaimed Much Of the Fallen Civilization
Of of course , Hyrule itself is mostly made up of wild . The sheersize ofBOTW ’s mapemphasizes this , with the inhabited portions of Hyrule being dwarfed by the wild state of nature around them . However , it is equally made unclouded that this was not always the case;the history of the Calamity makes it clean that countless people died during the onslaughtand their homes were destroyed . With nobody left to rebuild the res publica , much of it has later reverted to nature .
The effects of the Calamity in this sense are quite typical of any apocalyptic scenario . With the habitant of a setting ravage beyond their power to easily go back , nature has reclaimed much of what was once civilized soil . Of course , other post - apocalyptic narratives may just as easily see the world give near - incompetent of tolerate any life at all , but this is not a necessity for the music genre .
8A Once-Thriving Civilization Lies In Ruins
The Remains Of Buildings Are Common Sights
As much as Hyrule is mostly overgrown outside of its last towns and hamlet , it is light to see the destroy remnants of the locations that Calamity Ganon destroy . This let in iconic mise en scene from the franchise , like Lon Lon Ranch and Castle Town , but many more villages and structures unique toBOTWare introduced as shattered ruins . As a outcome , the more that a person explore Hyrule , the more signs of devastation they of necessity break .
There are some clear similarity between Horizon Forbidden West ’s Relic Ruins and the Shrines in The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild .
The fact that Link can find so many deflower throughout his journey attest perfectly just how much bigger Hyrule once was . Many villages , outposts , and the comparable are all now merely pile of rubble , which Link can scavenge for a few remaining resources hide in gem chests . BOTW ’s Hyrule may be beautiful on the airfoil , but a faithful testing shows that it is full of the remnants of death and destruction .
7Environmental Storytelling Explains Hyrule’s Downfall
It Is Easy to See How The Guardians Tore It Apart
The ruins that are found across Hyrule are far from random , and tell much of the history of the Calamity with no need for NPC to provide exposition . For model , the wrecks of dead Guardians are almost as common as the ruins of buildings , and it is not rare to see one still amongst the clay of a construction it clearly destroy . It is made profusely clear that afterCalamity Ganon corrupt the Guardians , they swarmed the Kingdom indiscriminately , although many were ultimately destroyed in turn .
Of of course , there are other objects of interest that also quietly let on the nation of Hyrule and how the Calamity dissemble it . For example , the rotting , ruin coaches retrieve by the roadsides show that traveler were frequently overwhelmed by the forces of darkness . Notably , the merchants who are fit in - plot change of location with much clean gist on their mounts , suggesting that pep pill was and is a necessary element of survive any journey .
6Hyrule’s Past Glory Is All But A Legend
Very Few People Remember The Kingdom As It Used To Be
The weight of time itself is also plain inBOTW , with most of the realm ’s current inhabitants not knowing any other way of life . Few characters inBOTWwere alive before the Calamity , and with the end of Hyrule at large it is easy to see how much of what culture once subsist has been wiped away . rumour and stories relating to the realm ’s past are overabundant inBOTW , but this only places a academic degree of legal separation between the past tense and present .
Although a one C may not be that long historically speaking , especially devote that several of Hyrule ’s airstream have longer lifespans compared to humanity , so much of what was once Hyrule has already been misplace . generation have come and gone , andmost of the survivors have no experience of the right world that once exist . This itself is a common theme in manystrong post - revelatory biz narratives ; the world has been changed , perhaps irrevocably by a devastating event , and only ruination and stories remain of what once was .
5The Infected Guardians Invoke a Robot Apocalypse
Their Corruption Into An Evil Army Is A Typical Plotline
There are many dissimilar types of apocalypse that have been explored in fiction , but the Guardians ’ assault is extremely resonant of a distinctive robot Book of Revelation . Calamity Ganon ’s power over the Guardians can be seen as a kind of computer virus , one which caused the telling motorcar to turn against their creators and operators to devastating force . Given that the Guardians ’ attack is one of the pregnant parts of the Calamity , this run to the game ’s backstory being as much skill fable as it is fantasy .
In other game concern with a world that has experienced a robot Book of Revelation , it is not uncommon to see the car responsible still lay a threat to the humanity . Again , the path thatBOTWuses the Guardians in the same manner correspond the conventionalism of the post - apocalypse writing style perfectly . They are some of the most powerful threats that Link can confront while exploring Hyrule , the corpse of a corrupted mechanically skillful army that played a cardinal role in destroy the kingdom .
4The Divine Beasts Are Ancient Superweapons
They Are Technological Masterpieces Capable Of Mass Destruction
Similar to the Guardians , BOTW ’s four Divine Beastsinvoke a more technological prospect to Hyrule than what is commonly associated withThe Legend of Zelda . As what are arguably the greatest creations of the ancient Sheikah , the mechanical animals are fantastically powerful war machinescapable of turn the lunar time period against Calamity Ganon . Although the Blights which assault them were unable to pilot them against Hyrule during the Calamity , their inactiveness alone was a horrific blow to the realm .
In keeping with their sincerely ancient origins , the Divine Beasts are all named after sages inOcarina of TimeandThe Wind Waker , the event of which presumptively take berth one thousand of geezerhood beforeBreath of the Wild
In more general terms , however , the Divine Beasts can also be key as ancient superweapons , built with engineering that most citizenry in modernistic Hyrule do not understand . These superweapons can be the cay to put an ending to the apocalyptic menace that Hyrule face once more , but at the commencement of the secret plan they are also in a place to further its personal effects . When Link awaken from his sleep , each Divine Beast also activate , threatening to further demolish Hyrule unless they are stopped .
Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic
3The Yiga Are A Doomsday Cult
Their Aim Of Killing Link Would Doom Hyrule
The Yiga Clan are super loyal to Calamity Ganon and devote themselves to serve him , thereby contribute to his attempt to destroy the Kingdom of Hyrule . As such , they are effectively a doomsday cult , with Ganon playing the persona of their destructive god . This is what guide them to becoming a constant thorn in Link ’s side throughout his pursuance ; they aim to kill him so that Calamity Ganon can emerge unopposed after Zelda ’s strength finally fails her .
Of of course , asAge of Calamitydemonstrates , the Yiga are in the end as endangered by Ganon as any other mathematical group in Hyrule , although their hatred of the kingdom normally dim them to this . The possible Revelation of Saint John the Divine is something that they genuinely like to achieve , after all . Regardless , inBOTW , they show that not everybody in Hyrule is opposed to its conclusion , and act accordingly .
2Technology Is Rare But Pivotal
Sheikah Tech Is What Allows Link To Overcome Countless Obstacles
Ancient Sheikah Technology is as rare as it is essential to the survival of Hyrule inBreath of the Wild . The service program of the Sheikah Slate is the foremost example of this , but Shrines and Towers are similarly important . This mirror many other post - apocalypse options , in which any form of advanced engineering typically represents a powerful advantageover others . Of course , Sheikah Tech is slimly unusual in that it also predatesBOTW ’s Calamity by a significant allowance rather than being all contemporary , but the close outcome is in effect the same .
The employment of Purah and Robbie does prove that advanced technology is not entirely a thing of the past , as they can upgrade the Sheikah Slate and provide Link with weapons and armor respectively . However , it is notable that they need material so as to accomplish this , part that have been harvested from Guardians . scavenge engineering like this is one means in which it is often justified in post - apocalypse options , allow for it to be used while also establish that the ability to manufacture these office is still lost to time .
1Link Gives Hyrule The Hope To Rebuild
The Hero Of Hyrule Helps It To Move On From Its Destructive Past
station - Revelation of Saint John the Divine can be unforgiving scope , but the ending of many games still offer a glimmer of hope to the inhabitants . The ending ofBreath of the Wilddoes just this , set Hyrule up to work towards at last recoup from the impact of Calamity Ganonand his monsters . This is perhaps best exemplified by Link ’s role in the founding of Tarrey Town ; without him , it is doubtful if Hudson would ever have succeeded in creating the new settlement .
Despite being first present in Breath of the Wild , The Legend of Zelda ’s Tarrey Town likely references a major part of Hyrule ’s story .
ThroughoutThe Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild , Link roleplay the role of a post - revelatory protagonist well ; he explore the destroyed kingdom and assists its indweller , fight down malevolent machine and malign cultist , and builds towards facing Calamity Ganon with the help of ancient technology . By the oddment of the secret plan , assuming that people direct him towards complete side quest as well , he also doubtlessly assists the people of Hyrule in many ways that offer them a brilliant futurity .
