How Breath of the Wild 2 Should Change Hyrule’s Map

The upcoming Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 appears to be a darker, more mature game than its predecessor. However, based on a teaser trailer and information from developers, it’s apparent the Breath of the Wild sequel will be a direct continuation of Link and Zelda’s adventures. That doesn’t necessarily mean, however, that the locations will stay the same. In fact, there are several changes Breath of the Wild 2 could make to its map to keep it from feeling like its retreading the same territory.

One of the highlights and selling points of Breath of the Wild was the open world exploration across a massive map. Over the course of many hours, players could explore every nook and cranny of the world — assuming they could survive it. With Breath of the Wild 2 taking place in the same version of Hyrule and surrounding areas, some alterations will need to be made in order to keep the second game feeling just as refreshing as the first.

With a game like Breath of the Wild 2, it’s expected that developers will reuse some assets. That doesn’t mean the game will be unoriginal, though. Majora’s Mask reused assets from Ocarina of Time, but it featured a new and completely original story. Like Majora’s Mask, Breath of the Wild 2 appears to be much darker in tone that its predecessor, and has sent fans theorizing how that darkness will affect Breath of the Wild 2’s gameplay. Darker themes could also affect the map of Breath of the Wild 2, assuming the world doesn’t get destroyed in an opening sequence and Link and Zelda don’t get sucked into an alternate timeline.

Breath Of The Wild 2’s Map Should Add Classic Zelda Dungeons

Fan theories suggest Link and Zelda may go back in time to stop Ganondorf, but if that doesn’t prove to be the case, there’s still plenty of ways Breath of the Wild 2‘s map can change. A massive world can hide massive secrets. The plot of Breath of the Wild 2 could easily focus on Zelda and Link discovering hidden dungeons in the already-established overworld. It would also fix one of the major complaints fans had with the original game — the lack of traditional dungeons. Placing more traditional dungeons around Breath of the Wild 2’s map would fix one of the original’s flaws while also allowing players to explore new areas.

Another option is to create new locations either in the sky or under the sea. Dual worlds is a typical fantasy trope often utilized in past entries, and Zelda games haven’t shied away from skyward and underwater locations before. The plot of Breath of the Wild 2 could take adventurers into temples above the clouds, or ruins far beneath the sea. It’s a way to build upon the first game’s world while introducing new locations to explore.

If Nintendo really wants a new location, then Breath of the Wild 2 could be set up more like Wind Waker. Rafts and boats were already featured in Breath of the Wild, and Link could explore several surrounding nearby islands in the game. In the sequel, Link could just as easily take a bigger boat and explore islands further away. Perhaps it even takes him to a zone just as big as the one in Breath of the Wild.

Until new information regarding Breath of the Wild 2 is shared, all of this is just guesswork. However, it seems completely unrealistic that Breath of the Wild 2‘s map won’t change at all from the original’s. Hopefully, the changes will make the newest Zelda game feel just as exhilarating and awe-inspiring as the first Breath of the Wild.

About The Author

Austin King
(1234 Articles Published)

Austin King is a Game Features Editor at Screen Rant. He’s the author of several books and hosts the Dragon Quest FM and JRPGs & Me podcasts. You can find him on Twitter @DragonQuaustin.

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