Basically everything that could be said about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 probably will be said. The core gameplay, the driving plot, the state of Hyrule, Link’s new tools, and whether Zelda will be playable are all on the table for this upcoming conference, and there’s a good chance fans will leave even more excited than they went in. One particular reveal everyone is interested in is how Malice will work in this sequel, given that it was largely wiped out in Hyrule upon Calamity Ganon’s defeat. Given what is likely Ganondorf’s appearance in the reveal trailer, Malice is probably going to make a return, and there are plenty of ways for it to do so.
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The World of Malice
One recurring mechanic in the Zelda series is alternate worlds, or “Dark” worlds. Starting with the famous Dark World that the Sacred Realm became in A Link to the Past, these alternate takes on the normal map have become a staple that appeared in many major Zelda games. Ocarina of Time had a different take on this concept with its child and adult timelines, but with one firmly dominated by Ganondorf, the same feeling persisted. The mechanic later showed up in Twilight Princess, and was further emphasized by requiring players to use Wolf Link while navigating a new Twilight environment. It made its final notable appearance in A Link Between Worlds, which featured Lowrule, a place that looked like the original Dark World but was a different dimension altogether.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has the unique opportunity to merge the concept of a dark world with the realm of an open world for the first time. This is uniquely possible thanks to the Malice itself. While in the first game it just took the form of environmental gunk and filler tissue for the biomechanical bosses, in the sequel it could be both more pervasive and subtle, with an entire plane of Malice building up beneath regular Hyrule thanks to Ganon’s possible return. Alternatively, it could be like Twilight Princess again, and the player’s first time through a region would involve dispelling the layer of Malice that is permeating everything and making the terrain difficult to traverse.
There is also a unique opportunity to involve both Link and Zelda in the dual world gameplay. If Nintendo really does end up going with a dark world of Malice, then it could make navigating each world feel even more different by assigning a different character to each version of Hyrule. Zelda could navigate the regular Hyrule with a modified version of the Sheikah Slate from the first game. This would also explain how she meets the first game’s cast. Meanwhile, Link would be navigating the world of Malice using the protection of the Master Sword and the mysterious glowing arm to keep himself safe. While that would risk splitting the game up into “old” and “new” sections, the layout of the regular Hyrule could still be affected by events in the alternate one, as Malice would almost certainly be spilling back over into the real world.
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A New Threat
With Malice possibly playing a much more directly threatening role in Breath of the Wild 2, it could be used in a number of ways it wasn’t before. First, playing off the above Malice world theory, is its role in the environment. Malice already showed up as an obstacle around some towers, the possessed Divine Beasts, and in Hyrule Castle. While it was previously just an obstructive damage surface, it could do a lot more here. Mobile Malice that moved in either a pattern or in direct pursuit of the player could feature prominently. Malice could also spawn complete enemies instead of the first game’s floating skulls, and might even rise to fight the heroes directly.
Speaking of enemies, Malice-infused foes are likely to be a very real and dangerous threat. Taking a page from their introduction in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, these high-tier enemies would be a source of immediate concern whenever they show up. Now, the average Bokoblin can become an ultra-aggressive nightmare that can snack the player around like they would its brethren. And that’s just the weakest example; a Malice-infused Lizalfols that could spread Malice through its spit would be a menace, and Malice-ridden Guardians and Lynels are almost too horrifying to contemplate. There’s plenty of potential here for enemies that immediately become the center of attention when they appear.
Finally, if any of this comes to pass and Malice does end up engulfing or encroaching on large chunks of Hyrule, it may affect NPCs as well. In Breath of the Wild, NPCs tended to be sequestered far away from any Malice infestations. But, in the spirit of Breath of the Wild 2 trending towards a darker tone, the inhabitants of Hyrule may end up dealing with Malice up close and personal, and not always coming away unscathed. The corrupting gunk could attack some villages directly, and even possess some of the villages’ warriors like it did one of the elemental dragons in BotW.
This would lead to side quests involving the player beating them back to their senses, and could even provide some extra enemy variety in staffing up the dungeons fans hope will be in the sequel. There are plenty of gameplay and story uses for Malice left on the table, and it is almost guaranteed that Breath of the Wild 2 will try some of them. Hopefully it ends up as well-executed as the first game, and Zelda fans will be kept on their toes throughout their latest adventure.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is in development for Nintendo Switch.
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