At this point, you all know the story: since Breath of the Wild’s release, one of the most prominent points of discussion has been its approach to dungeons. Many fans lamented the lack of traditional temples such as those found in Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess, while others embraced the collective shakeup the Divine Beasts brought to the table. Personally, I appreciated the four mechs for what they were, but as a hardcore dungeon aficionado, I found myself missing many of those classic elements.

With Tears of the Kingdom only a couple days away, let’s re-visit this topic once more. This time, however, rather than simply gauge which camp each of us falls into, I’d like to know what level of compromise my fellow temple enthusiasts are willing to accept. For instance, if the game’s dungeon equivalents expand upon the Divine Beasts’ design philosophy, then is there still a chance for them to scratch that dungeon itch? For you, what threshold do these locales need to cross in order to feel “dungeony” enough?

Earlier today, Nintendo confirmed the inclusion of dungeons, with Art Director Satoru Takizawa saying “the dungeons are huge and each carry their own regional look and feel, just like traditional The Legend of Zelda games.”

A major selling point for virtually any of my favorite temples is its rich atmosphere. Not only is it visually distinct from the other dungeons in its respective game, but the overall tone is also unique. Even more impressive are the dungeons from Twilight Princess, nearly all of which boast a tangible connection to the world.

For as much as I adore Ocarina of Time’s Forest Temple, it feels less like an extension of the game’s lore and more like a fun, moody video game level. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, of course. That said, if you were to ask me what the best-case scenario would be, then I’d cite Snowpeak Ruins or the Arbiter’s Grounds. As long as the mechanics and design of said dungeon are at least decent, strong atmosphere has the potential to elevate it into my list of favorites. And the more lived-in the dungeon feels, all the better.

The Divine Beasts checked at least one of those boxes, as their place in the mythology is firmly established. One of the main issues, of course, as has been repeated ad nauseum by myself and others over the years, is that they lacked aesthetic variety.

All of that is to say that, yes, even if Tears of the Kingdom’s dungeon design more closely resembles that of the Divine Beasts, it will go a long way for me if they’re each imbued with more character. Let’s drop the singular, colorless motif in favor of more vibrant locales.

What’s your threshold, though? At minimum, what do Tears of the Kingdom’s dungeon equivalents need to do to satisfy your inner, old-school Zelda fan? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

 

 

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