Where Breath of the Wild was the lonely and solitary journey of one man using everything at his disposal to save the day, Tears of the Kingdom is the epic and sweeping follow up tale that aims to raise the stakes and expand upon its predecessor's world. Breath of the Wild was the proof of concept, and Tears of the Kingdom is the victory lap.
While Nintendo already hit it out of the park with 2017's first open world Zelda adventure with myself and swarths of other fans singing its praises, the pre-release reception to the early views of TOTK was... lukewarm? The "it's just BOTW DLC" had quite the fair point in looking at a game whose only new aspect that added to the previous iteration of the world were some islands in the sky. I was mostly unmoved by this game until I actually started playing it. The game's title may have been BOTW 2, but a simple sequel this game is not. Tears of the Kingdom adds layers upon layers to BOTW's gameplay and exploration and then heaps on extra helpings of goodies onto what was already a gargantuan game.
The world of BOTW as we know it is the same, but different in the sense that it has been packed to the brim with stuff to do, along with a re-shuffling of some locations and new wrinkles in the overworld. There are a bevy of shrines to take down once again, plenty of new and exciting bosses to face, caves, wells, and of course, the sky islands and the depths. If that somehow wasn't enough, add on some dungeons and an endless list of things to build and weapons to fuse with the extremely fun ultrahand and fuse abilities, and you have yourself a game that can suck up hundreds of hours of your life. I really cannot emphasize enough how much fun the new abilities are. They make things as innocuous as traveling a joy and the way they are utilized in the new shrines make each one a great time.
Tears of the Kingdom has a larger emphasis on story for those who were begrudged by its passive presence in BOTW, but the open world structure still causes hiccups in the pacing and overall extent to which things can be fleshed out. Most Zelda stories aren't masterfully deep, but while it certainly isn't bad, I can't help but feel like the story this game has to offer could have used a more cohesive structure that allowed it to be more expansive. Still, the emotional resonance of this game is powerful, with some amazing moments and a final sequence that might be a tearjerker for some. No spoilers, but the final boss is an incredible spectacle that might just be one of the best in the series.
Despite my glowing review of it, Tears of the Kingdom is not exactly a perfect game. There are the aforementioned story bumps, some issues with the structure of the dungeons, the depths being somewhat barren after some exploration, and the fact that exploring and questing generally begins to feel less rewarding as you rack up more hours... but I can't really bring myself to knock the game that hard for its few flaws. An experience as rewarding and just flat out fun as this one deserves to be rated in kind. This game delivers on nearly everything players wanted in the wake of Breath of the Wild: more enemy variety, better dungeons, more meaningful quests with better loot and rewards, new armor sets, a better story, new abilities, the list goes on. Tears of the Kingdom is a spectacularly unique and bold entry in the Zelda franchise, and even though I'm beginning to feel a craving for a return to the series more linear 3D roots, this is yet another world that I will be returning to a lot, even after the credits have rolled.
While Nintendo already hit it out of the park with 2017's first open world Zelda adventure with myself and swarths of other fans singing its praises, the pre-release reception to the early views of TOTK was... lukewarm? The "it's just BOTW DLC" had quite the fair point in looking at a game whose only new aspect that added to the previous iteration of the world were some islands in the sky. I was mostly unmoved by this game until I actually started playing it. The game's title may have been BOTW 2, but a simple sequel this game is not. Tears of the Kingdom adds layers upon layers to BOTW's gameplay and exploration and then heaps on extra helpings of goodies onto what was already a gargantuan game.
The world of BOTW as we know it is the same, but different in the sense that it has been packed to the brim with stuff to do, along with a re-shuffling of some locations and new wrinkles in the overworld. There are a bevy of shrines to take down once again, plenty of new and exciting bosses to face, caves, wells, and of course, the sky islands and the depths. If that somehow wasn't enough, add on some dungeons and an endless list of things to build and weapons to fuse with the extremely fun ultrahand and fuse abilities, and you have yourself a game that can suck up hundreds of hours of your life. I really cannot emphasize enough how much fun the new abilities are. They make things as innocuous as traveling a joy and the way they are utilized in the new shrines make each one a great time.
Tears of the Kingdom has a larger emphasis on story for those who were begrudged by its passive presence in BOTW, but the open world structure still causes hiccups in the pacing and overall extent to which things can be fleshed out. Most Zelda stories aren't masterfully deep, but while it certainly isn't bad, I can't help but feel like the story this game has to offer could have used a more cohesive structure that allowed it to be more expansive. Still, the emotional resonance of this game is powerful, with some amazing moments and a final sequence that might be a tearjerker for some. No spoilers, but the final boss is an incredible spectacle that might just be one of the best in the series.
Despite my glowing review of it, Tears of the Kingdom is not exactly a perfect game. There are the aforementioned story bumps, some issues with the structure of the dungeons, the depths being somewhat barren after some exploration, and the fact that exploring and questing generally begins to feel less rewarding as you rack up more hours... but I can't really bring myself to knock the game that hard for its few flaws. An experience as rewarding and just flat out fun as this one deserves to be rated in kind. This game delivers on nearly everything players wanted in the wake of Breath of the Wild: more enemy variety, better dungeons, more meaningful quests with better loot and rewards, new armor sets, a better story, new abilities, the list goes on. Tears of the Kingdom is a spectacularly unique and bold entry in the Zelda franchise, and even though I'm beginning to feel a craving for a return to the series more linear 3D roots, this is yet another world that I will be returning to a lot, even after the credits have rolled.
4 Comments
Oh, wow, another Zelda game that's being hailed as the second coming of Christ. I'm so glad Tears of the Kingdom managed to bless us mere mortals with its presence and exceed the divine masterpiece that was Breath of the Wild. Because, you know, we were all just begging for more of the same.
I mean, sure, it's not like the pre-release reception was lukewarm or anything. People were totally wrong to say it's just BOTW DLC. How dare they have any doubts about a game that only added some islands in the sky? Clearly, Tears of the Kingdom is a groundbreaking masterpiece that redefines gaming as we know it.
And let's not forget about the sheer joy of doing the same old stuff all over again! More shrines, more bosses, more caves, and, of course, the sky islands and the depths. Because who needs innovation and fresh ideas when you can just slap a few new locations onto a gargantuan game? It's not like we've seen this formula a thousand times before.
Oh, and the new abilities! They're so much fun, right? Who needs a truly engaging story or compelling characters when you can have gimmicky gameplay mechanics that make traveling slightly more enjoyable? I'm sure fusing weapons with the ultrahand and getting a never-ending list of things to build will keep me entertained for the next century.
Sure, the story could have used a little more work. But who cares about depth and cohesiveness when you can have emotional resonance and tearjerking moments? Just slap together some amazing moments and throw in a final boss that's "one of the best in the series," and you're golden. It's not like storytelling is an important aspect of a game or anything.
And hey, let's not forget about the flaws! The hiccups in pacing, the issues with dungeon structure, and the barren depths after a bit of exploration. But you know what? Who needs a flawless game when you can just overlook those minor inconveniences? I'm sure the reward of playing the same quests over and over again will keep you hooked for hundreds of hours, even if it becomes less and less fulfilling.
So, congratulations, Tears of the Kingdom. You managed to deliver exactly what we wanted: more of the same with a shiny new coat of paint. I can't wait to waste my life away in this spectacularly unique and bold entry in the Zelda franchise. Truly, there's nothing more refreshing than retreading familiar ground.
I mean, sure, it's not like the pre-release reception was lukewarm or anything. People were totally wrong to say it's just BOTW DLC. How dare they have any doubts about a game that only added some islands in the sky? Clearly, Tears of the Kingdom is a groundbreaking masterpiece that redefines gaming as we know it.
And let's not forget about the sheer joy of doing the same old stuff all over again! More shrines, more bosses, more caves, and, of course, the sky islands and the depths. Because who needs innovation and fresh ideas when you can just slap a few new locations onto a gargantuan game? It's not like we've seen this formula a thousand times before.
Oh, and the new abilities! They're so much fun, right? Who needs a truly engaging story or compelling characters when you can have gimmicky gameplay mechanics that make traveling slightly more enjoyable? I'm sure fusing weapons with the ultrahand and getting a never-ending list of things to build will keep me entertained for the next century.
Sure, the story could have used a little more work. But who cares about depth and cohesiveness when you can have emotional resonance and tearjerking moments? Just slap together some amazing moments and throw in a final boss that's "one of the best in the series," and you're golden. It's not like storytelling is an important aspect of a game or anything.
And hey, let's not forget about the flaws! The hiccups in pacing, the issues with dungeon structure, and the barren depths after a bit of exploration. But you know what? Who needs a flawless game when you can just overlook those minor inconveniences? I'm sure the reward of playing the same quests over and over again will keep you hooked for hundreds of hours, even if it becomes less and less fulfilling.
So, congratulations, Tears of the Kingdom. You managed to deliver exactly what we wanted: more of the same with a shiny new coat of paint. I can't wait to waste my life away in this spectacularly unique and bold entry in the Zelda franchise. Truly, there's nothing more refreshing than retreading familiar ground.
none of you will be spared
Oh, look, another gushing review of Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. How original. It's truly impressive how fans like you can overlook the game's blatant shortcomings and settle for mediocrity. I suppose when you're so desperate for any content related to Breath of the Wild, even a glorified DLC will do.
You claim Tears of the Kingdom adds layers to the gameplay and exploration, but let's be honest here. The addition of a few islands in the sky hardly qualifies as groundbreaking innovation. It's nothing more than a feeble attempt to squeeze some extra hours out of the same tired formula. And don't get me started on the "endless list of things to build and weapons to fuse." That's just a transparent ploy to keep players mindlessly grinding away, as if quantity equates to quality.
Oh, the story! Finally, a bit of substance, right? Wrong. The so-called emphasis on story is nothing more than a Band-Aid fix for the lackluster narrative of Breath of the Wild. It's like slapping a pretty bow on a rotten apple and expecting people to be impressed. And let's not forget the pacing issues caused by the open world structure. Clearly, the developers were too busy patting themselves on the back for creating a massive map to bother with crafting a cohesive and engaging story.
But hey, who needs a well-crafted story when you have emotional resonance, right? The game might be emotionally resonant for some, but for those of us with discerning tastes, it's nothing more than cheap manipulation. Throw in a tearjerker moment and a flashy final boss, and suddenly all the flaws are supposed to be forgotten. How predictable.
And let's not overlook the game's other flaws—the lackluster dungeons, the barren depths, and the diminishing rewards of exploration. But oh no, let's not "knock the game that hard" for its few flaws, right? After all, it's not like players deserve a polished and fulfilling experience after shelling out their hard-earned money.
In the end, Tears of the Kingdom is just another overhyped entry in the Zelda franchise, propped up by desperate fans who are willing to settle for anything that bears the name. So enjoy your recycled content and shallow gameplay. The rest of us will be waiting for a true masterpiece that pushes the boundaries, not one that rehashes tired ideas and expects applause.
You claim Tears of the Kingdom adds layers to the gameplay and exploration, but let's be honest here. The addition of a few islands in the sky hardly qualifies as groundbreaking innovation. It's nothing more than a feeble attempt to squeeze some extra hours out of the same tired formula. And don't get me started on the "endless list of things to build and weapons to fuse." That's just a transparent ploy to keep players mindlessly grinding away, as if quantity equates to quality.
Oh, the story! Finally, a bit of substance, right? Wrong. The so-called emphasis on story is nothing more than a Band-Aid fix for the lackluster narrative of Breath of the Wild. It's like slapping a pretty bow on a rotten apple and expecting people to be impressed. And let's not forget the pacing issues caused by the open world structure. Clearly, the developers were too busy patting themselves on the back for creating a massive map to bother with crafting a cohesive and engaging story.
But hey, who needs a well-crafted story when you have emotional resonance, right? The game might be emotionally resonant for some, but for those of us with discerning tastes, it's nothing more than cheap manipulation. Throw in a tearjerker moment and a flashy final boss, and suddenly all the flaws are supposed to be forgotten. How predictable.
And let's not overlook the game's other flaws—the lackluster dungeons, the barren depths, and the diminishing rewards of exploration. But oh no, let's not "knock the game that hard" for its few flaws, right? After all, it's not like players deserve a polished and fulfilling experience after shelling out their hard-earned money.
In the end, Tears of the Kingdom is just another overhyped entry in the Zelda franchise, propped up by desperate fans who are willing to settle for anything that bears the name. So enjoy your recycled content and shallow gameplay. The rest of us will be waiting for a true masterpiece that pushes the boundaries, not one that rehashes tired ideas and expects applause.
guah
11 months ago