Role-playing games (RPGs) are one of the most beloved genres in gaming. Fans love the rich world-building, immersive stories, and intriguing, colorful characters. That said, they can be daunting for newcomers. Iconic series like The Legend of Zelda can be overwhelming to play for the first time, especially since it's hard to know where to jump in.
With decades of games, sprawling storylines, and different types of gameplay, it's not always obvious where a newcomer should begin their journey. But playing any Zelda entry doesn't have to be intimidating. You just need to take the right approach and ease into the experience.
Let's explore three simple and proven ways to start your RPG journey.
Use Accessible Entry Points
The biggest obstacle for new RPG players is picking the right game. Do you start with the first game or the latest? While some RPG series with many installments have interconnected storylines that sprawl across many games, Zelda has a more refreshing approach. Most of its titles are standalone adventures. You don't need to have any background knowledge before playing one.
For Zelda, Breath of the Wild is a great entry point into the series. It encourages exploration, and you can go at your own pace. Also, the mechanics are intuitive, and you can be rewarded for your experimentation, rather than being punished for your mistakes in gameplay.
For other RPGs, like Final Fantasy, find one of their beginner-friendly titles that let you ease into the story and gameplay to minimize the learning curve.
Aim for Exploration and Not Perfection
Some of the newer RPGs try to pressure players into playing a certain way and achieving specific objectives. At the true heart of the best RPGs, like Zelda, is exploration, not mission-based perfection. They invite curiosity and encourage you to try different abilities and weapons and venture into different locations.
The point is to interact with the world while learning to play the game organically, so stop worrying about a missing item or which path to choose. Instead, focus on the adventure and take one path the first time and try the second path the next time.
Community Resources Can Enrich the Gameplay
RPGs offer gamers vast and detailed worlds and hidden systems that reveal themselves methodically. New players should lean on community resources, such as guides, forums, and tips, to make the game more enjoyable and less intimidating, but without spoiling the experience.
Use these resources as companion pieces, not crutches. A quick search through a guide can help you understand a tricky puzzle in Zelda or demystify a complex part of any RPG. Sharing knowledge and resources is part of the RPG culture, so don't be shy about it. Let them nudge you in the right direction.
Playing Zelda and other RPGs doesn't have to be a complicated, mind-boggling process. Start with the more accessible games and keep the focus on exploration. Use any available resources to help you jump into a beloved virtual world with confidence and less hesitation, and discover why this genre is one of gaming's most enduring.
