Daily Debate: Is It Time for a Customizable Link Character?
Posted on June 12 2024 by Josh Wittmershaus
When I start a new game, I’m eager to jump into gameplay and story right away. Now more than ever, however, after a title screen we find ourselves confronted with what can truly be an existential crisis, for better or worse: The character customization menu. Some people spend an entire first session just designing their character for the game, in order to suit their desires on what they want their avatar to present and represent.
Character customization can be a fulfilling part of the gaming experience, as it allows you to traverse a world with someone or something that embodies a likeness of your own creative image to best ability that the game and your patience allow. However, when a protagonist isn’t consistent in a game — especially in a series with connecting lore like Zelda — it can impact the collective understanding of the story and its characters. If everyone is playing the same character, but everyone’s character looks distinct and different from the next, it’s hard to justify from a canonical standpoint that they’re the same character.
In both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, players can dress Link up and dye articles of clothing to the point that cut scenes are practically unique for each person based on what they’re wearing. In older games, you could change the character’s name to something other than Link. So, where do you draw the line on modifications to our beloved hero?
Call me old school, but I think that less-is-more, and that Link’s appearance — and even his attire — should be subject to little-to-no modifications. I don’t think these limitations inhibit our ability to feel connected to Link as a player, especially given his mostly consistent presentation through the 30+ years of the franchise.
What do you think? Would you want to see the avatar known as Link with a customizable name again? Would you like to see their whole appearance customizable, or to a certain extent? Let us know in the comments below.
Josh Wittmershaus is a writer at Zelda Dungeon. Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, he now resides in Northern California. Aside from Zelda, Josh enjoys playing music, seeing live music, music history, and all other things music. He also enjoys skating, hockey, and the occasional political or philosophical thought exercise.
