Link certainly has a rough go of things during his adventure: Being brought back from the brink of death, weakened and with none of his gear; losing his memory and not fully understanding his importance to the world; and encountering deadly beast after deadly beast, all of which are intent on killing him. It is enough to make anyone seek a reprieve. Luckily for Link, such a break can be found within the borders of Hateno Village. One of the few areas not ravaged by the Calamity, Hateno Village is like home away from home for the young champion.
It’s also literally his home. Well, eventually, at least.
Getting to Hateno Village takes a bit of effort, but once Link has made it through the rocky, monster-filled terrain between it and Kakariko Village, it’s like stepping into a different world. A sense of peace almost seems to rush over him as he strolls past the sign hanging above the entryway into the town. The streets and buildings are neat and well-maintained, and the residents are happy and busy whirring away with their daily tasks and habits. Any of the previous heroes would probably view this village as a reincarnation or amalgamation of all peaceful towns that have existed throughout Hyrule’s existence. Finding towns like this are one of the few true benefits of Link’s history repeating itself.
The homes and businesses all line up, though not perfectly, along the main street, which winds up a hill with a towering research lab at the peak. The town was built to fit the terrain, and the charm of the rustic homes is a perfect match for this concept. Living off the land is the staple of Hateno Village and its people, with their farms, gardens, and cattle, so dwelling and building as the geography permits is appropriate. That’s why the gaudy modular homes lying to the west of the town’s entrance are such an eyesore. They are the latest efforts of the Bolson construction company, but the visionaries seemed to have missed their mark when it comes to reading the local’s tastes.
This town being home to the largest population of Hylians in the land, there is plenty for Link to see and do. There are shops to buy supplies and gear at, a dye shop to let his personal flair shine through, a deluxe hotel with an equally deluxe receptionist (according to Manny), and the lab that most locals seem happy to believe isn’t there. The cursed statue, which deals in life and souls, can also be seen as the last of the businesses to investigate, but letting a rogue deity play with his life is something Link should carefully consider before agreeing to any offers.
As Link should expect, there is a shrine located near the town. Shrines are often carefully positioned next to absolutely nothing, so finding one near a large population comes without surprise. He might tire of completing them, but having a warp point so close to Hateno Village is one of the better reasons to hold it together and solve a shrine’s puzzle in record time. There’s always the chance Link will be on the other side of the world when he’s overcome with the urge to dye his outfit completely purple.
Hateno Village continually offers up a bounty of offerings and deals for Link, but there’s one temptation that Link certainly can’t ignore: The prospect of being a homeowner.
To the side of the town, almost beyond its compact and cozy borders, rests a home that has been left to rot. Link can find the home, a cluster of bricks, boards, and potential, being surveyed and prepared for demolition by the crew of the Bolson Construction Company. Speaking with Bolson, the owner and namesake of the crew, leads Links down and through a hard-to-forget conversation and to the chance to buy the home for himself.
After paying the surprisingly modest fee of 3,000 rupees and 30 bundles of wood — a price Bolson seems to fabricate only for the sake of giving Link the satisfaction of working to gain what he wants — Link can know the joys of homeownership, constant maintenance and taxes included. With this bachelor pad as a sort of headquarters, Hateno Village earns a new role as a place to come back to after dealing with all that Hyrule throws at Link — a personal shrine of rejuvenation.
