You’re standing on the Great Plateau. The wind is howling. Link is shivering in a thin tunic, and you’re looking at a map that’s basically a giant blur of brown and green. Most people immediately go to Google. They type in breath of the wild walkthrough because they want to know where the paraglider is, or why that Guardian just blasted them into another dimension.
Here’s the thing. Most guides are written like a grocery list. Go here. Pick up this. Fight that. But The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild isn't a grocery list. It’s a chemistry set. If you follow a rigid path, you’re honestly robbing yourself of the entire point of the game.
The Great Plateau is a Lie (In a Good Way)
The first four shrines aren't just tutorials. They’re a test of your patience. Most players get stuck on the cryonis trial or freeze to death trying to reach the Mount Hylia shrine.
You don't need the warm doublet immediately. You can literally just cook some spicy peppers. Grab five of them, throw them in a pot, and you’ve got ten minutes of cold resistance. That’s the "hidden" breath of the wild walkthrough secret: the game never tells you the "right" way because there isn't one. You can brute-force the cold by carrying a lit torch. You can eat food. You can find the Old Man's diary.
Do whatever works.
Once you get that paraglider, the world opens up. It’s overwhelming. Your instinct is to follow the yellow quest marker to Kakariko Village. Do that, but don't just do that. If you see a weirdly shaped mountain or a glowing blue rabbit, go chase it. The "intended" path is just a suggestion.
Why You Should Ignore the Divine Beasts (For a Bit)
People rush to the Divine Beasts because they want the special abilities. Mipha’s Grace is basically a cheat code, sure. But if you rush Vah Ruta or Vah Naboris too early, you’re going to get wrecked by the blight bosses.
Thunderblight Ganon is a nightmare. Honestly, he’s harder than the final boss. If you’re following a standard breath of the wild walkthrough, they’ll tell you to get the Rubber Armor or a bunch of Heart Durians. That’s solid advice, but it misses the nuance of the combat.
- Learn to parry.
- Perfect the flurry rush.
- Keep a wooden shield for lightning areas so you don't act as a lightning rod.
The game tracks your "hidden" XP. The more enemies you kill, the harder the world gets. If you grind too many silver Bokoblins early on, you’ll find yourself facing gold enemies before you even have a decent sword. It’s a scaling system that Nintendo never explicitly explains, but it’s why your friend’s game might look way harder than yours even if you’re at the same spot on the map.
The Chemistry of Hyrule
Most walkthroughs skip the physics. This is a mistake.
Rain isn't just a nuisance that stops you from climbing. It changes the friction of the surfaces. It makes electricity more volatile. If you’re fighting a group of enemies near a puddle, shoot an electric arrow into the water. It creates a massive AOE shock.
Fire works the same way. If the grass is dry, light it on fire. The updraft lets you use your paraglider to get bullet-time with your bow. You don't need a 50-damage sword if you have a bundle of wood and a flint.
The Master Sword Trap
Everyone wants the Master Sword. You need 13 heart containers to pull it out of the stone in the Lost Woods. Don't count your stamina vessels toward this; the sword only cares about the red hearts.
A lot of people trade their stamina for hearts at the dark statue in Hateno Village just to get the sword early. It’s a valid strategy. But remember: the Master Sword "breaks" too. It needs to recharge. It’s not a permanent solution to your gear problems, though it’s incredible for the Divine Beasts and Hyrule Castle because its power doubles to 60.
Finding the Memories Without a Map
The "Captured Memories" quest is the actual story of the game. If you don't do it, the ending feels empty.
Instead of looking up a map of all 12 locations, talk to Pikango. He’s the traveling artist found at various stables. He will literally show you exactly where to go based on the paintings in your Sheikah Slate. It’s a much more rewarding way to experience the lore than just tabbing out to a YouTube video every five minutes.
Practical Steps for Your Journey
If you’re feeling lost, do these things in order. It won't break the game's sense of discovery, but it will keep you from throwing your controller at the wall.
🔗 Read more: Half-Life: Alyx Jeff Still Creeps Me Out (And Here is Why)
- Unlock the Towers First. Knowledge is power. Seeing the topography makes every other part of your breath of the wild walkthrough easier to follow.
- Focus on Stamina over Hearts. You can always eat "Hearty" foods to get temporary yellow hearts. You can't easily fake a massive stamina bar when you're halfway up a cliff.
- Find Hestu. He’s the giant broccoli-looking guy. You need Korok seeds to expand your inventory. Without him, you'll be constantly dropping cool weapons because you have no space. He moves from the road to Kakariko, to the stables, and finally to Korok Forest.
- Cook during a Blood Moon. Between 11:30 PM and midnight during a Blood Moon, every meal you cook is a "critical success." It gets extra hearts, longer buffs, or more stamina recovery. Save your best ingredients for these nights.
- Master the "Stasis+" upgrade. Go to the Hateno Tech Lab and upgrade your Sheikah Slate. Stasis+ lets you freeze enemies in time. It’s the single most powerful tool for managing crowds.
Hyrule is meant to be felt, not just completed. If you find a secret cave or a weird puzzle, stay there until you solve it. The beauty of this game isn't the credits rolling; it's the weird stuff that happens when you're wandering off-path. Get comfortable with being a little bit lost. That’s where the real game actually lives.