I’ll likely write an article defending Breath of the Wild’s use of flashbacks one of these days, but for now I want to focus on the sequel and how it should do away with them. The first game’s ending sees us return to the present day, with Link and Zelda embarking on another trip across the land to reunite with friends and mourn the loss of their loved ones. Things are returning to normality, at least until another threat emerges in Breath of the Wild 2 and once again throws everything into disarray. So when Calamity Ganon (or whoever is in that spooky cave) rears its head once again, I want the narrative that follows to take full advantage of the present day.
Princess Zelda’s new look could be little more than an aesthetic makeover, but that would cheapen what her character is capable of, especially given how much room she’s given to shine in Breath of the Wild. While she’s seldom seen outside of flashbacks and cutscenes, watching her initial reticence to Link ’s presence and how it evolves into a willingness to confide in the Hero of Time as a lasting companion is emotional to watch, especially once we become aware of everything Zelda has lost and seeks to regain while keeping Calamity Ganon at bay. She’s the integral fabric of this narrative, while Link is the weaver who joins all of these incoherent threads together.
As much as I love them, flashbacks simply don’t facilitate an approach like this. They’re an elusive manner of storytelling by design, providing brief snapshots of memories as we’re left to fill in the blanks for ourselves. It informed the overall tone and thematic delivery of the last game, but now that enigmatic atmosphere has subsided, it’s time to commit to something more definitive.
Technically, Luigi’s Mansion 3 was not a first-party game when it came out since it was developed by Next Level Games. However, as the studio has been working exclusively with Nintendo for years and, in 2021, was purchased by the latter, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is essentially a first-party ti
It’s heartbreaking, with Zelda’s increased trepidation as she marches towards oblivion reflected in her distrust of Link, an aura of royal pretentiousness that inevitably morphs into fondness over time. Link begins his journey as a knight tasked with watching over the princess, but eventually becomes a close friend she can confide in when everything seems lost. It’s powerful, and the fact something this emotionally resonant is told through the medium of discordant flashbacks is quite an accomplishment.
Her presence in Breath of the Wild 2 doesn’t inspire confidence. In past trailers she explores the underground caverns of Hyrule Castle with Link before coming across the corpse of Ganondorf. It’s cursed or something, so our hero is quickly infected with an ancient curse as Zelda is yeeted into a dark hole of oblivion. I desperately hope she isn’t stuck there for the entire story as a generic damsel in distress, because the first game helped prove that her character is far more than the archetypal mould from which she was born. Nintendo needs to subvert expectations, whether it be through additional playable characters or a narrative that is far from traditional. Pull a Majora’s Mask – we rarely see numbered sequels in the canonical timeline, Alpha Protocol revival so it’s time to try something that isn’t afraid to alter the landscape.
Catra from She-Ra and The Princesses of Power and Amity Blight from The Owl House also change their hairstyles to serve their character development, whether that be accepting their own sexuality and leaving behind oppressive familial structures or welcoming those who once pushed you away and putting aside a toxic life of villainy. Once again, these are all female characters confronting a heteronormative society and fighting back against it, even if said worlds are fantastical in nature and far more eccentric than our own. If done right, characters can still be grounded and relatable, as their struggles become ones we can sympathise with. It’s beautiful, so perhaps there’s a reason this tried-and-true trope has so much staying power in modern media.
Considering just how long it took for Capcom to develop _ Resident Evil 2 _ ’s remake, it was something of a surprise when the company announced that _ Resident Evil 3 _ ’s remake was in active development. What was more surprising, though, was the reveal that a _ Resident Evil 4 _ remake is underway. This has concerned fans for two reasons: the first being _ RE4 _ ’s already stellar reputation and the second the fact that Capcom is skipping an entire g
Perhaps the most glaring reason _ Code Veronica _ needs a remake before _ Resident Evil 4 _ is that it’s simply the next game in the chronology. Both in the _ Resident Evil _ main timeline and in the franchise’s release order, _ Code Veronica _ follows _ Resident Evil 3 _ . Skipping over to _ RE4 _ – a game that flashes forward roughly a decade– seems a poor move. It’s also disconcerting in the sense that this would imply Capcom has no interest in remaking _ Code Veronica _ . Why remake _ Resident Evil 4 _ first just to jump back in time for _ CV
