In early 2022 I was struck by a terrible illness. An under-researched illness that turned me from being active and fit to disabled and house bound in all of a sudden. For a few months I was even bed bound. No doctor seemed to be able (or even willing) to help me. I was only in my mid 30s...
This situation was so overcharging and terrible that I sometimes closed my eyes and wished I could be somewhere else... someone else. Like an attempt to daydream. I started missing the serenity of my childhood and constantly thought of it. I had never been a real gamer, but for some reason I still don't understand the video game "Zelda - A Link to the Past" came to my mind. I loved it as a child. And this thought gave me some sort of temporary peace, it was somewhat soothing.
After a few months my condition improved a little and I could stay awake for most of the day. Online I came across a video about a "new" Zelda game, so I decided to order a Switch and the game. The title sounded so incredibly beautiful "Breath of the Wild".
At that time, I hadn't played any video game for around 20 years. I didn't know anything about the latest graphics, consoles, etc. And luckily I didn't know anything about this new Zelda title either.
After being blown away by the new graphics I started realising what was right before my eyes. A vast world, incredibly beautiful, as if someone wrote a Ghibli style poem and turned it into a video game. And despite the occasional combat (which I don't like as much as I like atmosphere, puzzles and exploration) this world calmed me down pretty effectively. It became my escape, an alternative reality in which I wasn't disabled and struck by misfortune. For a few hours per day I was able to forget what I had to cope with in real life.
And on top of this, I have always been fascinated by post apocalypse scenarios, lost places, worlds that had fallen and tried to come back to life. Hyrule was exactly that. And I wandered through it (it took me some time to understand I could fast-travel using the shrines 😅), ready to explore every single square centimeter in the slowest possible pace, discover its secrets and its overwhelming beauty. Countless times I stopped for sunsets and other beautiful sceneries and just gazed at them. I got to know its inhabitants, learned its history. It was as if I became part of it.
It felt as if someone made this game to give me a helping hand during a very difficult time. As if it was made for me. Considering all my preferences. Nearly perfect.
BotW has a special place in my heart. I'll never forget the comfort and peace it brought me.
Now I wonder, can anyone relate? Has anyone else experienced something similar with this game?
If English was my mother tongue, I would have written a way more poetic post about this masterpiece. But I don't like using AI in this particular case and I guess you got me.