Explore Breath of the Wild’s “Invisible” Sound Design in This Video Essay
Posted on July 31 2019 by Alexis S. Anderson
Breath of the Wild is one of the most immersive and expansive Zelda games to date, and its attention to detail helps make the experience of playing it that much more captivating. One element that might go consciously unnoticed is its “invisible” sound design, which consists of everything from the sound of Link’s footfalls on different terrain to alterations in the combat theme depending on an enemy’s difficulty level. YouTube’s Scruffy discusses the significance of these subtle sounds in his recent video.
This is a fascinating exploration of sound in Breath of the Wild as it shows just how meticulously every little noise and theme alteration was planned out. These invisible sounds are seamlessly woven into the game itself, so much so that I hardly noticed them at all. I often change into stealthy outfits as I play, but it never occurred to me that Link’s gear got quieter as a result.
I was disappointed in the lack of memorable location and theme music in Breath of the Wild, but seeing how skillfully its sounds and songs were implemented makes me appreciate the game as an artistic whole. For more insights like these on games from Splatoon to Pikmin, as well as original arrangements and 3D modeling content, hop over to Scruffy’s channel.
Did you notice these “invisible” sound design choices? Do you think they elevated your gaming experience? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Alexis S. Anderson is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon who joined the writing team in November, 2014. She has a JD from the UCLA School of Law and is pursuing a career in Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law. She grew up in the New Jersey suburbs with her parents, twin brother, and family shih-tzu.
