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[Caelus]

In Breath of the Wild, something people have complained about is Link's muteness and overall lack of expressiveness aside from some in-game animation.

However, localization differences found between the English and Japanese (as well as other languages) have revealed that through the in-game Quest Log (which I'm sure not everyone tends to read since the quests are pretty straightforward), Link himself actually comments on his own adventures and it gives us more insight into his personality.

Here are the links to the original reddit and Tumblr (credit to GAF user Darksim for finding this) posts. Some examples [minor DLC spoilers]

Japanese Translation:

(I) Finally retrieved the legendary Master Sword. (I) Don’t know if it’s just an illusion, but the sword itself seems to be delighted about this.
To this moment, Princess Zelda is still inside Hyrule Castle, fighting to suppress the Calamity.
She is still holding on to the faith in me, believing that I will definitely come for her…!
But with the power (that I have) now, can she really be saved (by myself)…?

Japanese Translation:

(I) finally conquered the merciless Trial of the Sword.
……
(I believe that) Princess Zelda would be quite happy about how much I’ve improved

(I) captured the giant horse in Taobab Grasslands
So that’s why. It’s indeed a really big horse. It trampled whatever kind of monster in its way with ease when it galloped. That was really cool.
When it was brought back to Straia (by me), he was very surprised.

More examples are in the posts, showing Link to be quite a goofball while demonstrating compassion.

As we can see, the English localization has pretty much changed the more personable and charming 1st person records to a more dull 2nd person description, removing some insight into how Link views his adventures.

It seems like a deliberate decision to make Link more of a blank slate, and this is reflected in the cutscenes, but I think it would've been fun to read the quest log had they preserved the original writing better. What are your thoughts?

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

Sad to see the more overt characterization taken out of the localization, but I still did get a sense of Link in Breath of the Wild being sort of a compassionate goof with something of a passive-aggressive streak.

 

[LordKano]

I didn't play in English, but I still felt like BoTW characterized Link quite a bit, more than the previous games, notably through the dialogs choices.

 

[Ahasverus]

NoA is a sad joke. Is there anything they're good at except PR spins? I don't think so.

 

[NSESN]

I am not seeing any difference beyond the fact that it is written in 3rd person.

 

[13ruce]

I am fine with Link's thoughts, as long Link does not talk or has full dialoge i will be a happy Zelda fan.

So i would not mind it if that was perfectly translated.

 

[semiconscious]

such a weird decision, to just change it like that. smh...

 

[Ridley327]

I am not seeing any difference beyond the fact that it is written in 3rd person.

Same here. The perspective doesn't change the content.

 

[Brofield]

If anything, this was the game NOT to make Link a blank slate. Sure, I imagine him as a goofball with a heart of gold, some sass and passive aggressiveness anyways, but with the voice acting and Link's name locked down, it should have been the game to give more personality to him, even if he doesn't speak

 

[Karspankey]

Well that's weird. Wonder what made them make that change.

 

[mdubs]

I am not seeing any difference beyond the fact that it is written in 3rd person.

Yup. No bother here

 

[Phu]

Looking over this, more than anything, they both seem pretty lifeless.

 

[Atheerios]

You shouldn't just blame NoA, as I believe NoE translation is similar in that regard.

 

[wrowa]

There's one text box in the game where Link comments on some fish or something. That was really weird to me, since it's the only time in the game we read Link's thoughts. In such a random place to boot.

 

[Caelus]

You shouldn't just blame NoA, as I believe NoE translation is similar in that regard.

I assumed so, but I'm not sure as some of the comments on the reddit post suggest some European versions of the game preserved the 1st person.

 

[-Mutsukki-]

That's not entirely true. Someone more knowledgeable about japanese can correct me, but I'm pretty sure there's absolute no indication that Link is talking about himself, EVEN if the subject is omitted. In Japanese there's no way to know or to replicate that nuance in English, NoA's translation is not wrong at all. If other languages choose to use first person that's just a preference. The weird part is NCL not issuing any kind of guide for this (or maybe they did. but or NoA only)

Nevemrind I missed the kanji for "jibun" which is oneself, so it's really from his perspective even if it's ambiguous most of the time

 

[Ex-Psych]

They gave me the option to make seal puns as Link. So not hurting here

Spoiler

WOOOOO. MEMBER STATUS YEAAAAA

 

[Little Mons†er]

Edit: on second thought that's quite interesting and cool. But it doesn't affect the overall experience lbr

 

[kunonabi]

I guess buying the Japanese version was an even better decision than i thought.

Still, the bigger problem was Link's complete lack of personality during the story sequences. They do a great job with him everywhere else but when comes time to actually give the story any emotional weight or punch they seemed to avoid it at every turn. Just a baffling decision.

 

[Refreshment.01]

I am not seeing any difference beyond the fact that it is written in 3rd person.

The difference is quite significant since one gives Link characterization, the other is an unknown narrator given a chronicle.

Is too bad that i played it in english. It would have been a ratther interesting to bring this up in the "lackluster plot, no character development, story sucks" discussion that pops in most Breath of the Wild threads.

EDIT: BLANK SLATE.

Link hasn't been a blank slate for quite some time and if he is, he would be a rather poor one.

 

[NSESN]

I guess buying the Japanese version was an even better decision than i thought.

Still, the bigger problem was Link's complete lack of personality during the story sequences. They do a great job with him everywhere else but when comes time to actually give the story any emotional weight or punch they seemed to avoid it at every turn. Just a baffling decision.

There's no difference between version. You must be talking about playing with japanese language.

The difference is quite significant since one gives Link characterization, the other is an unknown narrator given a chronicle.

Is too bad that i played it in english. It would have been a ratther interesting to bring this up in the "lackluster plot, no character development, story sucks" discussion that pops in most Breath of the Wild threads.

It's not that different from a person talking to themself.

 

[BassForever]

I assumed so, but I'm not sure as some of the comments on the reddit post suggest some European versions of the game preserved the 1st person.

Probably because the NoE translations were based upon the English but I don't know that to be fact.

Honestly this is much to do about nothing. Going off the Japanese translation Link seems just as boring in that language as he is in English. He does the job of blank slate for self insert main character just fine.

 

[AlexFlame116]

I am not seeing any difference beyond the fact that it is written in 3rd person.

Same here. I can see who Link is by his personality and how he acts in-game. Plus the info is still there, but just in third person mode.

Overall to me it's not a big deal at all.

 

[7Th]

Will the people that defended Fates' garbage localization defended this?

 

[Caelus]

Honestly this is much to do about nothing.

In the end? Sure. I just think it would've been more fun had they gone with 1st person.

 

[Kurita]

Nvm

 

[NSESN]

Will the people that defended Fates' garbage localization defended this?

First, while still bad, Fates localization was still 100 times better than the original script, there was no way to save it. Second it is nowhere near the same, you don't lose any info here.

???
You can translate using both 1st person and 3rd person though. Japanese version doesn't make it clear at all.

Are you a native japanese speaker? If so you can confirm if the transation is correct or not?

 

[Aters]

Some of you guys in this thread is why NOA is auch garbage.

 

[-Mutsukki-]

???
You can translate using both 1st person and 3rd person though. Japanese version doesn't make it clear at all.

I thought so too but the first item description uses 自分 pretty clearly, which is a word you wouldn't use to talk about anyone but yourself

 

[dadjumper]

The Japanese certainly is written more casually, but I'm not seeing anything overt to suggest that it's Link himself and not someone else. Not sure who it'd be but it seems like jumping to conclusions since the writer doesn't refer to themself with any pronoun but 自分

I thought so too but the first item description uses 自分 pretty clearly, which is a word you wouldn't use to talk about anyone but yourself

Yes it is, you could use it to mean "your own"

 

[zeemumu]

I'm not seeing the loss in characterization, just changed wording and point of view. Most of his characterization comes from the flashbacks anyway.

 

[Vital Tundra]

I mean would it be neat if they made the English version in 1st person? Sure. Does it really add all that much? Not really.

 

[Ridley327]

Some of you guys in this thread is why NOA is auch garbage.

Outside of the perspective change from first- to second-person, the text appears to be identical otherwise. Isn't that what people have been asking for Treehouse to do more of?

 

[MaverickHunterX]

I always thought that was kinda weird, considering the amount of personality they gave to Zelda herself.

To be honest, it still kinda bugs me that in the ending, when

Spoiler

Zelda asks if Link remembers her, that he just stands there like a statue - should have hugged her, at most

 

[MartyStu]

I mean it could have been a bit different, but Link is still a non-Character. Changing the perspective does very little.

 

[-Mutsukki-]

The Japanese certainly is written more casually, but I'm not seeing anything overt to suggest that it's Link himself and not someone else. Not sure who it'd be but it seems like jumping to conclusions since the writer doesn't refer to themself with any pronoun but 自分


Yes it is, you could use it to mean "your own"

That's true, but not in this case. He's talking about how much zelda is sure he will come to save her and uses 自分, just that with no other word to go with it so there's really no way it could be anyone else

 

[Triforce141]

The main cutscenes didn't give him much characterization other than he's a stoic silent hero, and those lines posted are more of the same given to us from said story sequences

Nothing was cut and the general gist of the message is there and accounted for, most of the character coming from Link are the dialogue choices and certain ways he reacts to in-game

Will the people that defended Fates' garbage localization defended this?

Have you seen the original script / story? It's equally bad, if not even worse than what the people bashing Treehouse but defend both the original writing and fan translation give credit for.

The fan translation is an even worse adaptation of said original writing for that matter

 

[Caelus]

Outside of the perspective change from first- to second-person, the text appears to be identical otherwise. Isn't that what people have been asking for Treehouse to do more of?

There's slightly more difference, such as one of the descriptions adding "-goro" to the end of a sentence in an attempt to mimic how Gorons speak, or a "What the heck?" reaction to the Horned Statue in Hateno. You could interpret it as either Link or the narrator, I'd have preferred if it was Link.

The Russian version of the game apparently has the quest log in 1st person, I'd like more verification though.

 

[entremet]

Not a huge deal. First person for item description doesn't really do anything fo me.

 

[BGBW]

I always thought that was kinda weird, considering the amount of personality they gave to Zelda herself.

To be honest, it still kinda bugs me that in the ending, when

Spoiler

Zelda asks if Link remembers her, that he just stands there like a statue - should have hugged her, at most

That's because when Link finally saw Zelda for the first time in 100 years only one thought sprung to mind:

Spoiler

"She's got a dumb belly"

 

[7Th]

First, while still bad, Fates localization was still 100 times better than the original script, there was no way to save it. Second it is nowhere near the same, you don't lose any info here.

Nah; the original was definitely bad, but the localization was putrid. I've come to hate Phoenix Wright for conditioning an entre generation to happily eat garbage whitewashing.

 

[BanjoLayleeYookaKazooie]

Much ado about nothing in my opinion.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

Using "I" gives credence to the whole "Link is Link and the stories are about him" Thing the designers are so hung up on (no playing the Princess!)

Using "You" just makes that arguement even more stupid, due to the whole "Link is just a blank slate"

 

[Madao]

so, which of the localized languages actually preserve the way it was written in japanese? i thought they were gonna tell us in the OP instead of just making us guess.

 

[Ex-Psych]

That's because when Link finally saw Zelda for the first time in 100 years only one thought sprung to mind:

Spoiler

"She's got a dumb belly"

Spoiler

Pretty sure that was just the clothing.

 

[-Mutsukki-]

I mean in the end the information is exactly the same, it depends on how you view this little nuance in the text. I think it's a shame because it wouldn't have made it a bit more fun to read the texts, but it's nothing to crucify NoA over it like some are doing in this thread, they chose to be more direct and clear, which is a bit boring but gets the job done nonetheless

 

[Star Orpheus]

Didn't NoA completely change Marina's personality in Splatoon 2? I understand that some things need to be changed in a localization but this seemed unnecessary.

 

[Ridley327]

There's slightly more difference, such as one of the descriptions adding "-goro" to the end of a sentence in an attempt to mimic how Gorons speak, or a "What the heck?" reaction to the Horned Statue in Hateno. You could interpret it as either Link or the narrator, I'd have preferred if it was Link.

The Russian version of the game apparently has the quest log in 1st person, I'd like more verification though.

Does it matter if it's Link if the descriptions are still written in such a way to establish a fairly neutral stance? I'm certainly not against Link getting more development, but these quest descriptions aren't good evidence that it already existed in this game.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

I mean in the end the information is exactly the same, it depends on how you view this little nuance in the text. I think it's a shame because it wouldn't have made it a bit more fun to read the texts, but it's nothing to crucify NoA over it like some are doing in this thread, they chose to be more direct and clear, which is a bit boring but gets the job done nonetheless

 

[NSESN]

Didn't NoA completely change Marina's personality in Splatoon 2? I understand that some things need to be changed in a localization but this seemed unnecessary.

Marina is much more popular in the west tho. So I think it was for the best.