On the subject of the store, let’s get rid of the random assortment of the same types. There are so many 9MM pistols and shotguns in the game. Buying one only to have a better model come around later feels like the money invested in the previous model to be a wa

I’ve touched on Breath of the Wild’s ending before, and how it's an almost perfect example of melancholic hopefulness. The evil is vanquished, and now Link and Zelda are tasked with forming a new life together, with rebuilding Hyrule and comprehending what’s next after hundreds of years away from home. Hyrule is both keenly familiar and an unknown quantity, with so much changing over the past century while many of its core fundamentals remain the same. Now they need to move onward and figure out what to do next, carrying all of their past losses on their shoulders while adding further responsibilities to the p

Men are already in positions of power in these scenarios, so women are left to comprehend the opposite gender’s mistakes and find a way forward of their own accord. It’s empowering to an extent, although the fact that women are made to throw away what is seen as conventional beauty purely to grow into something one would define as independent still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. On the flipside, this rejection of traditional femininity is equally as groundbreaking, showcasing that societal norms aren’t something these heroines have to abide by. Other characters are often left shocked and outraged at these changing tides, but that’s the whole point - it’s a statement that’s supposed to inspire.

Female characters parting with their hair has been a deliberate sign of growing maturity in media for decades, a changed appearance highlighting that women are willing to leave behind everything in service of something greater. Mulan is the most popular example, with the titular character cutting her gorgeous hair to join the army and assist her ignorant father. It's the opposite of Zelda’s situation - instead of pulling herself away from the royal family, Mulan is doing everything she can to preserve it. But the core motivation remains the same: these are two women who realise a sacrifice must be made, even if it means altering their appearance and walking away from a life of security.

Princess Zelda is sporting a new haircut in Breath of the Wild 2 , which seemingly isn’t a subtle hint that she’ll end up as a playable heroine in the upcoming sequel. Instead, it’s a new look for a main character who has saved her kingdom, witnessed the loss of countless loved ones, and managed to survive and continue with a life she’s afraid isn’t deserved.

As mentioned earlier, the game can get pretty intense with the number of villagers hounding after Leon. Some areas, like the early village sections, are interesting puzzles. Where is the best place to set up shop in order to take the horde out most effectively? It makes the player really th

For the first time, the new revelation gives Resident Evil 4's parasitic enemies a significant role in the Resident Evil universe and timeline, and a directly links them to Resident Evil's Umbrella Corporation . Before Capcom revealed this information, little was revealed about the origins of the Nemesis parasite, other than it was an artificially created parasite made in Umbrella's European facilities. The context of this parasite nor its origins were ever disclosed, colossal weapon damage boost until

Breath of the Wild 2 seems to follow a similar trajectory, except Hyrule Castle is floating in the sky this time. See, it makes all the difference. Except it doesn’t really, and I can’t help but feel that potentially relegating Princess Zelda into the role of a helpless damsel in distress once again does a disservice to what is easily the best iteration of this character to date. In many ways, Zelda is the star of the show, especially in the previous game’s flashbacks where her struggle with accepting royal power and the inevitable loss of her friends becomes a crux for the unfolding narrat

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, so it’s time to try something that isn’t afraid to alter the landscape.

Since then, shops have opened up in other games, usually through New Game+ modes. While it might be tempting to just do that again without clerks, they shouldn't get rid of The Merchant. His warping around may not make sense but he is as big a part of the game as Leon