Elden Ring vs The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Elden Ring is a challenging open-world action RPG that brings FromSoftware’s punishing combat into a vast, explorable land conceived with George R. R. Martin. It rewards curiosity and mastery with deep build variety and cryptic, atmospheric storytelling.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure game that takes place in the kingdom of Hyrule. The game follows the story of Link, who awakens from a deep sleep with no memory of his past. He must explore the vast open world, complete quests, and battle enemies to uncover the truth about his past and save Hyrule from destruction. The game features a dynamic weather system, a day-night cycle, and a vast open world to explore, complete with puzzles, secrets, and hidden areas.
Around $59.99; Shadow of the Erdtree expansion sold separately.
- Massive, rewarding open world
- Incredible boss design
- Huge build freedom
- High replay value
- Immersive open-world environment
- Engaging storyline with memorable characters
- Innovative gameplay mechanics
- High replay value
- Very difficult, steep learning curve
- Little hand-holding
- Performance issues at launch on some platforms
- Steep learning curve
- Some players may find the game too challenging
- Limited character customization options
What reviewers say
Elden Ring Reviews
4.0 (2)Love it
Sunk way too many hours into Elden Ring. Massive, rewarding open world. No real complaints. Would recommend.
Fun with caveats
Picked up Elden Ring recently. Upside: high replay value. Downside: very difficult, steep learning curve.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Reviews
No reviews yet.
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the safer, more accessible default for players seeking puzzle-solving and environmental interaction, whereas Elden Ring caters to action RPG fans looking for demanding, methodical combat and deep build variety. The main trade-off is Elden Ring's steep difficulty and cryptic storytelling versus Zelda's environmental physics, puzzle focus, and family-friendly age rating (PEGI 12, ESRB E10+).
Key differences
- •Combat and Difficulty: Elden Ring features demanding, methodical combat with a very difficult, steep learning curve and little hand-holding, while Breath of the Wild involves battling enemies with a variety of weapons where some players may find it too challenging alongside a steep learning curve.
- •Customization and Build Freedom: Elden Ring offers deep build and weapon variety with huge build freedom, whereas Breath of the Wild has limited character customization options.
- •Storytelling and World Design: Elden Ring utilizes cryptic environmental storytelling in a massive open world created by FromSoftware and George R. R. Martin, while Breath of the Wild features an engaging storyline about uncovering Link's past and Hyrule's history.
- •Core Gameplay Focus: Elden Ring focuses on open-world exploration with hidden dungeons and action RPG mechanics, whereas Breath of the Wild emphasizes physics-based environmental interaction (like using wind to glide or water to swim) and puzzle-solving.
Gameplay & fun factor
Both offer massive open worlds with high replay value, but Elden Ring leans into action RPG combat while Zelda focuses on physics and puzzles.
Platform availability
Elden Ring is available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, whereas Breath of the Wild's platform is not specified in the facts.
Price & value
Breath of the Wild has a clear MSRP of $59.99 (paid one-time), while Elden Ring's pricing is unknown (around $59.99 with separate expansion).
Multiplayer / co-op
Breath of the Wild is explicitly single player; Elden Ring's multiplayer details are not specified in the facts beyond deployment as a game.
Content & replayability
Both games feature vast open worlds, hidden areas, and high replay value.
Difficulty & accessibility
Breath of the Wild is rated PEGI 12 and ESRB E10+, whereas Elden Ring features very difficult combat, a steep learning curve, and no hand-holding.
Graphics & performance
Breath of the Wild holds a critic score of 98/100, while Elden Ring had performance issues at launch on some platforms.
Choose Elden Ring if…
Action RPG fans who enjoy a challenge, deep build variety, and demanding combat.
Choose The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild if…
Gamers looking for an immersive open-world adventure with puzzles, physics-based mechanics, and an engaging storyline.
Common questions
How much do these games cost?
Breath of the Wild is a paid one-time purchase with an MSRP of $59.99, while Elden Ring's exact pricing is unknown (around $59.99, with Shadow of the Erdtree sold separately).
Which game is more difficult or better for beginners?
Breath of the Wild is more accessible with an ESRB rating of E10+ (PEGI 12), whereas Elden Ring features very difficult, demanding combat with little hand-holding.
What platforms can I play these games on?
Elden Ring is available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, while Breath of the Wild's specific platform availability is not specified in the provided facts.