While the Ocarina of Time remake largely follows the same map as the original, they have taken quite a number of liberties, which will make exploring this Hyrule exciting for new players and veterans alike. If you look around in Hyrule Field, then you will be able to see all of Hyrule around you. Hyrule Castle, the smoking Death Mountain, the spinning windmill of Kakariko Village, the sandstone rock formations of Gerudo Valley. It's all there, visible right from the entrance to the field from the forest.
You can also spot enemies in new places. There are little Peahats flying around everywhere. There is a larger section now leading from Hyrule Field into the Zora River, with some Blue Tektites waiting there. And this might only be the beginning. There is stylized map of Hyrule for you to find in the background of the official European website:
Not only looks this very charming, but it does reveal that certain locations may have received an overhaul, most notably the Ice Cavern. There is now a staircase leading to it, which might be an indication that they want you to still reach it even when there is no ice at Zora's Domain any longer, where unfreezing the place after the Water Temple should be on top of every fan's wishlist. It also looks like it is in its own location, separate from Zora's Fountain, though this might be misleading.
The well in Kakariko is also pictured as its own location, while in the trailer it can be seen right where it always has been. Though, they have changed the layout of Kakariko quite a bit:
The Skulltula House and the construction site have swapped locations, while overall the village isn't set on an orthogonal grid any longer... It looks a lot more organic, which is great.
It's the same with the back alleys in Hyrule Castle Town, where a lot of it was made seamless, which includes going into buildings. However, they have kept loading transitions between the major areas, like going from the forest into the field. Aonuma said that they have done this to "preserve the essence of the original game", but I call that an excuse.
I understand that this was necessary for the dungeons, because their insides are much larger than what the outsides would allow, but I don't see how the overworld couldn't have been entirely seamless, especially with how they have re-arranged everything on the map to fit together perfectly. Unless they have faced some technical limitations.
The area from where you exit the forest has also changed drastically. It's no longer on a bridge, but a path surrounded by roots. You can still go under it, from what it seems, but I personally hope for the the Lost Woods to feel a lot more like proper woods and less than a 3D chamber dungeon.




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