Zelda: Breath of the Wild VR Mod Looks Amazing

A new, completely free VR mod for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has brought the game back into the spotlight years later. Called BetterVR, this mod offers players the chance to experience Hyrule firsthand in virtual reality, and the results are far more impressive than expected, both technically and visually.

BetterVR Mod Transforms Breath of the Wild From Top to Bottom

BetterVR was developed for Cemu, which runs the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild via emulation, and makes the entire game playable in virtual reality. Players can see the world through Link’s eyes and explore the open world without being tied to a classic screen. This takes the game’s atmosphere and sense of scale to a completely different level.

One of the most striking aspects of the mod is its full stereo imaging and 6DOF support. Developed without resorting to methods like alternative eye rendering, the system provides a smoother and more natural VR experience. In addition, hand and arm tracking is supported; meaning that swinging a sword, cutting down trees, or fighting enemies becomes possible through physical movements.

BetterVR stands out not only for its freedom of movement but also for its special VR controls. Players can reach across their backs to grab the sword or choose to use classic button controls. This approach prevents the mod from feeling like a “trial” and makes it feel almost like a native VR game.

The Flat2VR team behind the mod previously received great acclaim for their VR work on Half-Life 2. This adaptation for Breath of the Wild involves similar technical effort; the team reverse-engineered the game’s mechanics to make it suitable for VR. The fact that the mod doesn’t contain any game files creates a relatively safe legal space. While it’s unclear how Nintendo will approach this project, BetterVR has already given Breath of the Wild a completely different perspective.

Read More: Eric Barone was generous to the C# Framework