It’s a little hard to believe Sanderson has any free time to spend on video games, givenhow many bookshe has coming out every year. But it’s not a shocker to me that hecarves out a space in his life for games likeBreath of the Wild, as they often explore narrative storytelling techniques that any seasoned author will appreciate and even be inspired by.
Brandon Sanderson’s Favorite Zelda Game Is BOTW
BOTW Combines Essential Zelda Elements That Sanderson Loves & Adds More
BOTWis an essential entry in the franchise, and it’s one of the mostpopular Switch gamesof all time. With a whopping 97Metacriticscore,it’s beloved by many fans of theZeldafranchiseand of video games in general. It’s no wonder Sanderson loves it, but his explanation of exactly why he lovesBOTWso much sheds some light on what the game does so well. It isn’t simply about finding the game interesting, he has an obvious respect for howBOTWtells its story and engages players through gameplay.
Why Brandon Sanderson Loves Breath Of The Wild
He Enjoys The Game’s Humor, But His Appreciation For BOTW Runs Deeper
Sanderson points out thatBOTW"has [his] kind of humor,“namely, lighthearted and somewhat whimsical character-driven humor that includes self-referential jokes and situational comedy. However, it’s not all about the laughs. Sandersonhas a deep respect forBOTW’sdesign and innovative style,stating that it"combined the magic of classic gameplay with a modern design aesthetic.“He also appreciated that"the dungeons became little mini-puzzles to beat instead of sometimes seemingly endless slogs to get through,“among other design and gameplay features.
Brandon Sanderson’s love forBOTWwon’t come as a shock if you’ve read any of his work, asits style of storytelling could’ve been pulled from Sanderson’s own work. He acknowledges that one of the greatest classic games of all time,A Link to the Past,was hard to unseat as his topZeldachoice, butBOTWmanaged to do it with its unique gameplay mechanics and the way it merged classic and modern features to create a one-of-a-kind experience.
“The storytelling elements that Sanderson enjoys inBOTWare arguably the game’s most compelling features.”
He also points outBOTW’sability to bridge concepts and features from its predecessors, such as “giving you specific tools to beat specific challenges” and the fact that it “lets you have them all at once.” Perhaps most interestingly, however, is Sanderson’s appreciation for the"nonlinear storytelling and the use of flashbacks"as narrative devices throughoutBreath of the Wild. The storytelling elements that Sanderson enjoys are arguably the game’s most compelling features, with itsuniversally lovable characters, immersive world, and unique aestheticscomplementing the narrative elements almost perfectly.
It’s likely all these things coming together in a fun and exciting way that makes this one of Sanderson’s favorite and most beloved games. He’s certainly not alone in appreciatingBreath of the Wild’sability to innovate and re-imagine its iconic characters and settings, nor is he the first to acknowledge how engaging the gameplay is for such a wide audience. It shouldn’t come as a surprise thatBrandon SandersonlovesThe Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand appreciates its style of humor, but it may be welcome news for fans of the game and his works.
