This study shows that playing an open-world game, such as The The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and nostalgia evoked by Studio Ghibli films significantly foster a sense of exploration and calm in life, as well as a feeling of mastery and skill, and purpose and meaning, hence ultimately contributing positively to one’s overall happiness in life.

Source: Arigayota A, Duffek B, Hou C, Eisingerich A Effects of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Studio Ghibli Films on Young People’s Sense of Exploration, Calm, Mastery and Skill, Purpose and Meaning, and Overall Happiness in Life: Exploratory Randomized Controlled Study JMIR Serious Games 2025;13:e76522 DOI: 10.2196/76522

  • Skullgrid@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    4 days ago

    I do think Breath of the Wild is very good at eliciting a state of slowness and calm in people that are normally rushing through actions or constantly distracted.

    my current experience :

    Stupid lizard, it’s running away. Finally, a new one I can actually see. Fuck, a bunch of bokoblin skeletons spawned and shood it away. Oh boy, a dragon, I gotta get some dragon pieces to upgrade my armour. Where did it fall to? Oh boy, a shooting star.

    I still need more fucking lizards…

    BTW : any advice finding dragon pieces after they fall? I have lost where they went a couple of times.