It is precisely from a Zelda game that MMORPGs could learn a lesson. Because that would make MMOs more attractive even for solo fans.
The game worlds of MMORPGs often become boring over time. Enemies in the open world can usually be defeated so easily that one can almost wipe out entire camps with closed eyes and without much thought.
For this reason, many MMORPG fans increasingly long for challenges that are offered in solo content – which in World of Warcraft has led to the Depths or the Mage Tower, for example.
However, it is a pity that this only concerns small, individual areas, while the large open world remains at the same level. Everything eventually becomes weak, and one can basically run into any mob camp, spam area spells, and succeed without any problems.
The game world of Azeroth, which initially captivates so much, becomes trivial and simply boring after a while. Simply because the challenge is lost due to the strength of one’s own character. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Breath of the Wild makes the world harder
In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild there is a hidden level system. “Hidden” because there is no clue in the game and the details were only found through data mining and a lot of research.
At its core, it works like this:
As you kill enemies in the world, you gain experience points – not visible to players. Whenever you exceed certain experience thresholds, things in the game world change. A camp with 3 easy enemies, for example, turns into a camp with 2 easy and 1 medium enemy. Later, there are further adjustments when you have even more experience points.
This system works for almost all enemies and camps in the game. A Leune (a kind of centaur) that was tough at the beginning of the game remains challenging even toward the end because it has “leveled up” as well – it learns new abilities, has more health points, and uses better weapons.
Consequently, stronger enemies also leave better loot. So it is not just “annoying” that there are now stronger opponents – you also get something for it.
YouTuber Croton broke down the system if you’re interested in the details:
I understand that Zelda: Breath of the Wild is neither the first nor the only game that offers increased world difficulty. Many other games do something similar, usually not very subtly. But I have never found it resolved as smartly as in Zelda. It is simply not a big system that is imposed – it integrates organically into the game.
The game world would be better if it grew with you
I would also wish for something like this for MMORPGs, especially for World of Warcraft. I love questing in the open world, but after reaching the maximum level, one very quickly reaches a state where everything in the game world is trivial. Those seeking challenges must necessarily go into dungeons, raids, or the Depths.
What if a camp of the Defias lets elite guards patrol after I have broken in too often? What if my constant assaults on an outpost of the black dragons eventually lead to them defending it more strongly? These stronger enemies could drop more gold or have a higher chance of better loot – as long as one is traveling alone, of course. Otherwise, it would just again be a farming nightmare with maximum exploitation.
At least it seems World of Warcraft is open to experimenting with such a system. Because in the upcoming game mode “Legion Remix,” Blizzard wants to showcase such an alternative world where enemies are much more powerful. I can only hope that this will be used as an inspiration for future expansions to perhaps give the open game world a bit more love – even if only for solo fans who want a bit more challenge.
