More Ruins, More Moblins, and More Shrine Puzzles - Screenshot Roundup 24

Exploring Outpost Ruins & Getting Myself Hurt. A lot. - Screenshot Roundup 23

Saying Hello to the New Neighbors

I scout my surrounding from the top of my perch. Directly below me, I see a large bokoblin camp in the woods. I also spot a couple of explosive barrels up here next to me.

Can you see where I’m going with this?

Worth it.

I (mistakenly) discover that I can just drop right down while carrying one of these barrels without taking any damage. Which is good because I don’t think I would have hit anything from up there. I do manage to take out a sole ‘blin with the barrel, before I decide to just climb down and do this on foot. I got places to be.

I run in guns-a-blazin,’ and get myself killed. Wonderful. After respawning, I rethink my tactics and pick off the bokoblins on the towers first, before finishing the rest in melee. I collect some Arrows from a nearby chest, before making my way out to the main road.

Outpost Ruins

I head back towards the plateau first, wanting to cover the small bit of ground I floated over on my way off. More ruins, though I’d argue more “put together” then those on the plateau were. We’ve got at least the foundation of several full buildings still intact. We also have a number of monsters – mostly chus popping up as I explore buildings, but also a couple of bokoblins wandering around. I find a few chests among the ruined buildings, containing another Traveler’s Bow, some Amber, and… A RED RUPEE! I HAVE MONEY NOW! AAAHAHAHAHA!

I have yet to see another living person, let alone a shop. This means nothing to me.

“…and the deep and dank tarn at my feet closed sullenly and
silently over the fragments of the 'House of Usher.”

Going by the name of this place, this must have been guard outpost for the castle. Probably destroyed like the rest of the kingdom 100 years ago. No decayed guardians around thankfully, just ones long since dead. Eerie, but cool to explore.

As I continue the short trek towards the plateau, I spot something off in the distance, near a flag pole. It looks like a bokoblin, but definitely isn’t one. Much longer face. New enemy type! I equip a fresh sword and sneak up, taking cover behind the base of a large flag pole. Then while his back is turned, I run up to striIIAAAAAHHH WHAT THE FUCK THIS THING IS HUGE! I panic and run away back towards the ruins until I’m sure the giant isn’t following.

Okay, that was unexpected. To be fair, I had the camera at a weird angle, but that thing was HUGE compared to Link. I need to kill it, if not just to see how strong it is since this cannot be the only one of these I’m going to encounter. Sigh.

WHY?!

I gather up some courage, and make another run to face off what I will later come to learn is a Moblin. Less bull-doggy then I remember but I’m also pretty sure bokoblins didn’t exist before a decade ago so who cares, it’s a video game. With a strong sword equipped, I don’t even give it a chance to react to my approach, I just start swinging. It’s certainly stronger than any previous enemies, but it’s nothing fancy – still just a big dumb 'blin. I take it out and watch it explode in a shadow of darkness, just like all the other trash.

I’m at the base of the plateau, and the road splits, wrapping around…but given the size of the world, exploring “everything” is going to be difficult to do systematically. I haven’t even explored 5% of the map yet. So, a decision is made: I am going to follow the path the game has set out for me. I will take the shortest route to the next objective, but explore the surrounding area of everything I pass through on the way. I am currently on my way to Kakariko Village. That is my next major stop, but along the path there I will make sure to explore the locations I pass along the way. The Outpost Ruins, for example. That should give me a good starting point, at least. I gather up some new monster parts from the moblin, namely his Horn and Teeth. More potion ingredients! Then, I turn around and begin my trek.

Less stressful then giant monsters.

East Post Ruins

After leaving the first set of ruins, I’m ambushed with a series of rolling boulders, like I was back on the plateau. No culprits of course, as this is just scripting within the game, but it was kinda neat. On the opposite side of the road further up are the East Post Ruins. Much larger than the last, with far more monsters lurking about. I go ahead and do a little bit of looting, finding another Traveler’s Bow and some Arrows.

I’m pleasantly surprised by some of the enemy AI here – there are bokoblins waiting for me roadside, hiding in the tall grass where I almost missed them. I go through a few weapons here, but pick others up, including a Wooden Mop. K.

Up further is a bridge, but before that, a shrine! My first non-plateau shrine. Presumably the one I would be expected to find next. After clearing the nearby bokoblins, I activate and descend into the shrine.

The Wind Guides You

This may have taken me several tries.

           ~Bosh Kala Shrine~

The first thing I notice is the lack of a rune pedestal. Womp womp. It does look like I still have space for another rune, or maybe more, but I don’t get it here obviously. So, the wind guides me, huh? Well there’s a lot of fans blowing a head of me, Including one with a chest on it to my right. This seems self explanatory; I climb up the platform next to the fan, and jump off towards the chest. I pull out my paraglider, the wind “guides” me across, and I get some more useless amber.

Bosh Kala

Next up is another, longer gap – this time over a bottomless pit. With a running jump, I use my glider again to cross, hitting a metal screen on the opposite side to stop me from overshooting. Up next is another gap, with no safety screen on the opposite side this time. No matter, I run and jump, making it across...and immediately getting distracted by a second chest in this distance and miss my landing. D’oh.

On my second attempt, I actually aim for the chest after leaping, and manage to make my landing, getting a pretty decent Soldier’s Claymore for my troubles. I hop down from my ledge and walk back over to the fan, making the same leap again and not missing this time. Then I stroll right up to Bosh Kala himself, open his cage, and get me my fifth Spirit Orb.

This game is gonna be easy.

---

Heart Containers: 4
Spirit Orbs: 1
Rupees: 20(!!!)
Koroks Found: 9
Shrines Completed: 5
Ruins Looted: 2ish
Hyrule: Entered (Heh)

Wrapping Things Up & Moving On to Hyrule Kingdom - Screenshot Roundup 22

Meeting the King & Learning My History - Screenshot Roundup 21

Ghost Hunting Across the Plateau

After avoiding the Talus again – really don’t need him waking up right now – I find myself back at the Old Man’s campsite in the Forest of Spirits. And he is understandably not here, the fire long since gone out. All of his other stuff is still here though. I know I’ve been on my own this whole time, but knowing he’s not just out here in the forest anymore…it’s actually kind of lonely. I’m the only living person on the plateau.

Just me and the fireflies.

I reach the ruined fountain, the Sheikah Tower to my left and the Temple of Time straight ahead. I take my time wandering through the ruins. Everything here is dead, either 100 years ago or by my hands. Actually…shouldn’t these guys have respawned by now? I don’t think I’ve seen a single monster I’ve killed before respawn. Do they STAY dead? Oh god, I hope not, that sounds so fucking creepy… Maybe the distance for respawning is just REALLY far? Or maybe it’s because I’m still in the “tutorial?” I’ll find out eventually I guess. Or I will forever wander a desolate digital landscape.

*chorus of angels sings*

Eventually, I reach the temple proper. Still creepy. I swear if something jumps out to scare me, I quit. I walk through the main doors to…find nothing. Well, no Old Man, but the statue in the back is glowing, and these Spirit Orbs are burning a hole in my pocket. I make my way back, the glow dying out as I get close, and I pray. Either the goddess or the statue – I’m not really clear on how this works, if it’s a conduit to the actual deity or if it just works for the goddess - offers to increase either my hearts or my stamina in exchange for four orbs. So it’s basically this game’s version of heart pieces. I
go with a Heart Container the first time, as I still feel waaaay too squishy.

As soon as I’m finished with the statue, a voice calls out to me. There’s the old man. He’s on the roof, and wants me to meet him out there. Sure, that’s normal. Sighing for Link, I exit the temple and begin to search the perimeter for the best way up. The walls are all fairly even, so I pick a spot towards the southern corner and hop up. I still have the stamina restoring meals on me if I need it. I cut it even closer than I did with the stone tower, but make it up nonetheless.

I watch as poor, exhausted Link struggles to catch his breath as I walk across the roof.

It’s a mess. One side of the roof is a death trap, full of holes and without a clear path, but the other half is solid, and I walk my way to the center beam. To my left is what I suppose would be the temple’s bell tower, and I can see what appears to be the Old Man’s form glowing within.

"Just...pretend I'm not on fire."

The cut scene starts as I approach. I will avoid explaining too much of the plot details, but here is the gist: Ganon tried to destroy the world, I’ve been asleep for 100 years, the Old Man is really the ghost of the King of Hyrule, King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, and the voice that was speaking to me earlier was Princess Zelda, who is now trapped in Hyrule Castle holding back Ganon. And now that I’m awake, it’s up to me to stop him and save Zelda. Also I still can’t remember anything. A solid if not clichéd call to action for our hero. I’m invested, even if Link isn’t yet.

Seek Out Impa

After the King finishes his tale, he finally grants me the use of his paraglider. He tells me going after Ganon now would be suicide, and instead points me to a path to the east, towards Kakariko Village. I know that place! There I will meet Impa, who will be able to help me further. Also, there are apparently a pair of mountains called “Dueling Peaks” and all I can picture is boobs fighting each other. So now you get to think about that too!

With a final plea, the king fades away, flickering into blue flames and then nothing. Once again I am alone on the plataeu. There’s not much left to do here, though I’m sure I’ll be back soon. There’s bound to be plenty of things I missed. Chests, Koroks, hell I still have to kill that fucking Stone Talus. And those are just the things I know about, who knows what else this game has to throw at me.

Actually, there’s a chest up here with me. Carrying a very nice Soldier’s Bow. Gonna save that one for something big.

Okay this is pretty cool.

I walk out of the bell tower and onto the roof. Before I leave, there’s one last stop I want to make – The Woodcutter's House. The King’s house. The King’s cabin? The Cabin in the Woods. James Woods. Woody Harrelson. What was I doing? Right, woodcutter. I run across the roof and leap, ready to put my new paraglider to use. I pull out the glider and drift towards the cabin in the distance.

I find the cabin in the same state as the campsite. No one home. I putter around for a bit, picking up the stray ingredient here and there. I give the Old Man’s diary another read. He actually updated it after I gave him the recipe. The first new entry is still in the style of a diary entry, but the second, he speaks directly to me. Aww. He’s sorry for hiding his identity. It’s okay ghost man, you were just doing what you thought you needed to.

I'm honestly not sure how I missed this one.

I wrap things up here pretty quickly. Any stray mushrooms outside are gathered, and a shimmering bundle of leaves on the roof draws my attention. Korok! There’s got to be a ton of these guys I missed. Once I feel stronger, I’ll see about tracking them all down.

I walk back north, towards the north eastern side of the plateau. God that’s a long drop down… The fog has cleared so I can see the ground, but it’s still just as daunting. I think I can make out what looks to be bokoblins or bokoblin adjacent, so a straight drop down isn’t the smartest idea. I use my scope to check out the path. I can see the Dueling Peaks off in the distance. There’s a bridge over a river, and some ruins on the way.

Oh god(dess). There's so much to do.

I’m right next to the sheikah tower, and I’m thinking I could jump from the top. I see some kind of wooden structure standing above the small forest below. Like a hut or cabin on stilts. No signs of movement, so hopefully it’s safe. I warp to the top of the tower and position myself facing our landing pad, before running and leaping off. I pull out my paraglider and float towards my target.

Hyrule Kingdom

The name flashes on my screen as I land, next to a chest and some explosive barrels. Oooh, Fire Arrows!

I think we’re off to a good start.

---

Heart Containers: 4
Koroks Found: 9
Shrines Completed: 4
Relationship Status: Lonely
Ghosts: Hunted

Returning to the Forest of Spirits & Another Skull Rock - Screenshot Roundup 20

River Rafting, Raids, & Repelling - Screenshot Roundup 19

Rafting Down the River of the Dead

I use Cryonis to piggy back across ice pillars until I make it to the still functioning part of the dock. It’s secured with a rope (physics!) but otherwise appears to be a simple raft. I hop onto it and look down river for a second before cutting the raft loose. We start moving, though it’s a little slow for my liking and I’m left at the mercy of the current and wind. I pull out my Korok Leaf from earlier and decide to see how hard it is to steer one of these.

*whistles Steamboat Willie theme*

I'm not too bad, it turns out. The leaf doesn’t lose any durability unless I’m standing too close to the mast and it hits, so I can see the benefit in carrying one of these on me going forward. I fuck around for just a little longer before beaching the raft further down river – There wasn’t any place I needed it to get to, and there’s waterfalls on either end. Still, I can say I’ve steered a boat now.

There’s really only one direction left to go, so I pass by the disabled guardians in the snow again, and head north, towards the large bokoblin tree fort. I hug the mountainside to avoid being seen, climbing up some so I can get a good vantage point.

It’s a pretty big tree fort – one I definitely would have been jealous of as a kid. It’s got two levels, three if you count the ground where I can spot a cooking pot and some plants. There seem to about four or five bokoblins here, including one of their darker colored kin. A drawbridge to the second floor is pulled up by some ropes, probably to prevent me from just running up and slaughtering everyone.

FACE

Hitting the bokoblins with my bow from here is a little annoying, and if I move any closer, they will probably see me. There are no other trees or boulders to hide behind, just this big stone pillar that’s too far to be of any use. Throwing bombs from this distance is out of the question, so that leaves running in and shooting the bridge down before they can snipe at me.

There’s a few false starts, my hands of course feeling slipperier than usual since I actually need to focus on something. I have to practice my aim a few times, the rope is a fairly small target, and I have to aim a little higher to hit it and not the bridge. I still manage to miss on my first run, my arrow landing on the side of the fort and drawing the attention of the bokoblins. I don’t know if they have the programming to lower the drawbridge, but nothing happens. There’s just some confusion and screaming before they give up and seemingly forget about me.

Yay. Arrows. *twitch*

I make another run for it, this time managing to bring the bridge down. I shoot a few more arrows at the ‘blins as they come running down towards me, and finish the rest of the reds off with my sword. The darker one is a little tougher and I have to actually dodge a few of its swings before I can take it out. I collect their body parts, arrows, and some Amber from a chest. The only other thing in the immediate area is that large stone column. There’s something at the top, but I’m a little worried I won’t have enough stamina to make it.

I cut it close – I use the very last of my stamina to jump to the top – but don’t end up needing to eat any food. I’m decently high up – not as high as Mount Hylia or anything but still, I can see for a decent distance. There’s a chest up here and my reward for the treacherous climb are some arrows. I see a bokoblin camp just northeast of where I am now – that’s where I’ll head next.

Beautiful, and full of death.

The climb down is less exciting without any real danger of running out of stamina. I make my way towards the camp I saw, up a hill connected to the snowy hills I explored earlier. Nothing fancy here either, a cooking pot and some more amber…getting a little sick of all this amber. The enemy camp is against a cliff, and I follow the cliff’s edge back towards the stone column and tree fort. It’s a pretty steep drop, and I can see the Forest of Spirits - and the clearing with the Talus – below me. The cliff side seems to turn and then drop suddenly, though not so drastically that I don’t think I could make it.

I continue to follow the cliffside as it winds down the side of the plateau. There are a few precarious drops, but I manage to survive the first part of the climb down. About halfway down from where I started, I can see down the cliff clearly – it’s another skull fort! Also along this cliff are a series of precariously placed boulders. I immediately put my rock-presents to good use and take out all three of the bokoblins I spot below me with a SPLAT. I’ll finish off whatever’s inside once I get down there.

Still tacky.

The cliff spirals around and down the alcove. On the way down, I snatch up a few Apples and Hylian Herbs for some future cooking. I can see another bokoblin camp in the forest not too far away, so that’ll be up next on our murder tour. As I move towards the skull’s entrance, the wind starts blowing very dramatically. I don’t waste time, slaughtering the remaining bokoblin and collecting some Fire Arrows from a lone chest inside. I move back towards the forest after collecting the body parts of my enemies.

Hopper Pond

I reenter the Forest of Spirits, this time on its west end, on the opposite site of the Stone Talus’s clearing. Phew. This is probably the biggest camp on the plateau by my estimates. The bokoblins are spread out around the lake, with a few towers and patrols. This is gonna be a fun one. I start by sneaking towards the northern end. I climb up a tree and use my bow to pick a couple of them off. Then I climb back down, sneak to another tree, and repeat. The trick only works twice though, and the remaining bokoblins see me when I try a third. Oh well.

Not pictured: The Bokoblin I blew off the screen.

I dance with the remaining bokoblins on foot, switching between two of them while dodging the arrows of a third. Once they are both down, I notch an arrow and take out the last attacker. My reward? An Opal. Better than an Amber, I guess. Looking at the map, it seems like I’ve explored just about everywhere else on the plateau. Guess it’s time to head to the temple. Of Time.

I make sure I take the LONG way around the Talus.

---

Heart Containers: 3
Koroks Found: 8
Shrines Completed: 4
Rivers Rafted: 1
Skulls Cleared: 2
Stone Talus: Avoided

Ghostbusting & Waterfall Caves - Screenshot Roundup 18