Hyrule Field Sure Feels Empty In Ocarina Of Time These Days

The young adventurer Link has been entrusted with an epic quest that will take him to every corner of the globe. He is fated to do incredible things, to become the Hero of Time, but for now he is just a boy. He says farewell to his dearest friend, Saria, and, with his trusty sword and his fairy Navi in tow, he steps out of his tiny community of forest children and finds himself in awe of the wider world. As he gazes out, he realizes this vast untamed wilderness is … maybe the size of a couple of football fields? Thereabouts? I was there when Ocarina of Time first released in 1998, and like many young gamers, my mind was blown. This was one of our earliest experiences with 3D exploration in an open world, and it truly felt vast. The central hub of Hyrule Field was large enough to gracefully cross on horseback. Almost 30 years later, though, the once-majestic Hyrule Field lacks its original luster. I recently got to play the Ocarina of Time remake, and like lots of players, I was curious how--or if--Hyrule Field would be updated for this latest incarnation of the game. The answer is that it's very faithful to the original, for better and worse. The size appears roughly the same, and…

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