The One Thing People Don't Want In Breath Of The Wild 2
The hype surrounding the new preview for "Breath of the Wild 2" has dredged up arguably the most divisive part of the first game: weapon durability. In "Breath of the Wild," each weapon has a set number of uses before it breaks. It isn't necessarily a ground-breaking mechanic in the world of video games, but "Breath of the Wild" was the first game in the "Zelda" series to implement it. Some fans hate it, and some love it.
One Twitter user argued that weapon durability removed the need for strict strategies around weapon choices, simply because encounters couldn't be designed around specific weapons or overly delicate ones that could break in a couple of hits. Another complained about the chore of foraging for new weapons after each encounter. On the other hand, some argued that the need for improvisation actually tied into the survival theme of "Breath of the Wild" better. Some even relished the opportunity to throw weapons at their enemies as they were about to break instead of worrying about discarding them.
Instead of a clear "yay" or "nay" perspective, another portion of fans have discussed ways to "fix" the mechanic to make it more enjoyable. Some have argued that weapon degradation wouldn't be so bad if they had a way to repair them. For example, The Washington Post's Gene Park pointed out how the presence of even one repairable weapon (the Master Sword) enhanced his experience.
Some people actually like weapon durability
However, the fact that there's such a discourse over weapon durability means that more positive perspectives do exist in the mix. Fanbyte's Imran Khan recently published an article on why weapon durability actually enhances the "Breath of the Wild" and makes the game what it is. Instead of limiting the experience like critics suggest, it might actually convince players to experiment in ways that makes the game more enjoyable. His take received public applause from supporters of the pro-durability side of the debate.
"'Breath of the Wild' is a game about constant, joyful exploration and improvisation. Weapon durability doesn't just enable that playstyle – it requires it," one commenter wrote in agreement.
It seems like a good chunk of fans will still be pleased if devs decide to keep weapon durability in the sequel. And honestly, even the haters will probably be tempted to try the game anyway. Weapon durability might seem like the one thing people don't want, but it has far more supporters than you might expect.