Think about how difficult it is to make a Zelda game. It's one of the most iconic series in all of gaming, and for nearly 40 years, it's been defining the action-adventure genre, inspiring developers and players alike with its groundbreaking design and eye for detail. Which means for every new entry in the series, greatness isn't a just goal, it's an expectation. Any Zelda less than a genre-defining classic is considered a failure. That alone would be enough of a burden for any developer-but for Tears of the Kingdom, that was just the beginning. Forget an iconic series; TOTK had the pressure of being a sequel to Breath of the Wild, a wildly revolutionary title in every way, and subject to near universal praise. If that wasn't enough, TOTK was also saddled with a 6 year development cycle, all while using the same engine and same general overworld. For a long time, people were skeptical of TOTK, and had good reason to be. (The phrase "$70 DLC" wasn't uncommon in discussion around the game.) But as more was revealed about BOTW's sequel, it became more and more clear that, once again, the Zelda series was cooking something special. And its release did far more than just quell fears.
One of the biggest concerns about Tears of the Kingdom was, due to its familiar locales, that it wouldn't provide that same wow factor its predecessor did. It doesn't take long for TOTK to prove that theory wrong. Whether it's the sun-swept sky islands, the pitch-black depths, or the renovated locations, there's plenty to be awed by; Link's first dive from the Great Sky Island is bound inspire awe. Somehow, Nintendo has taken what is essentially the same world map as BOTW and updated it, changed it, renovated it in such a way that, somehow, it's still infinitely explorable-maybe even more so than its predecessor. Only those with the strongest of wills will be able to carry out a plan in this game; there's more than ever in Hyrule that's worth going off the beaten path for. And that's just on the surface; combine the titanic addition of the depths with the enticing allure of the sky islands, and you have an open-world vastly worthy of exploring. Or, for many, re-exploring.
But as big as exploration was in Breath of the Wild, and as good as it is in Tears of the Kingdom, amazingly, that's not even its focal point. The abilities you're given in the game border on nonsensical, in the best of ways. Ascend revolutionizes both traversal and world design. Fuse provides nearly limitless combat applications. Recall is an incredible feat of game engineering, and its range is simply unbelievable. And Ultrahand, named after a Gunpei Yokoi toy of the 60s, is the crème de la crème of creativity and innovation in gaming. TOTK, beyond its story, provides a practically unlimited sandbox tool for players to create to their wildest dreams. In fact the player is given so much control at first that it's almost alienating, and getting accustomed to these new systems can take a little time. But it swiftly becomes second nature, and by then, the amount of freedom the player is unrivaled. Gone are the days of "one problem, one solution." TOTK is a gorgeous, awe-inspiring canvas, waiting for you to add in all your personal little details.
Now, players who weren't fans of its incumbent are likely to feel the same about Tears of the Kingdom. And that's a shame, because virtually everything that was a source of debate about BOTW is improved here. The story, while still subdued, is a significant improvement, and delivers impactful moments with a significantly more satisfying final boss fight and conclusion. Weapon durability, when combined with Fuse, is a non-factor; you'll never be wanting for weapons in this title. More traditional dungeons return with unique and well-designed bosses. Enemy variety is increased, and their drops are much more useful. The game looks fantastic, especially while running on what's effectively a modern smartphone, and loading time is reduced. If there was a popular complaint about BOTW, it was addressed in TOTK.
Many have speculated on where the Zelda series goes from here. As incredible as Tears of the Kingdom is, it would be risky (at best) to try to base a 3rd title in this version of Hyrule. But that can be speculated on in the future. Because with TOTK, Nintendo has done something truly exceptional-perhaps, even more surprising than BOTW. Concerns for the game's wellbeing seem foolish in retrospect. And while BOTW was no stranger to 3rd party knock off titles, it's hard to see how TOTK could even be imitated. To have this many new, groundbreaking ideas in a 36-year old series defies all sense of logic and reality, and yet, it feels like something only Zelda could provide. So if you worried the magic of BOTW would be irreproducible, that TOTK would struggle to have its own sense of identity, that it would fail to live up to the hype, worry no longer. They've done it again. What else is there to say?
One of the biggest concerns about Tears of the Kingdom was, due to its familiar locales, that it wouldn't provide that same wow factor its predecessor did. It doesn't take long for TOTK to prove that theory wrong. Whether it's the sun-swept sky islands, the pitch-black depths, or the renovated locations, there's plenty to be awed by; Link's first dive from the Great Sky Island is bound inspire awe. Somehow, Nintendo has taken what is essentially the same world map as BOTW and updated it, changed it, renovated it in such a way that, somehow, it's still infinitely explorable-maybe even more so than its predecessor. Only those with the strongest of wills will be able to carry out a plan in this game; there's more than ever in Hyrule that's worth going off the beaten path for. And that's just on the surface; combine the titanic addition of the depths with the enticing allure of the sky islands, and you have an open-world vastly worthy of exploring. Or, for many, re-exploring.
But as big as exploration was in Breath of the Wild, and as good as it is in Tears of the Kingdom, amazingly, that's not even its focal point. The abilities you're given in the game border on nonsensical, in the best of ways. Ascend revolutionizes both traversal and world design. Fuse provides nearly limitless combat applications. Recall is an incredible feat of game engineering, and its range is simply unbelievable. And Ultrahand, named after a Gunpei Yokoi toy of the 60s, is the crème de la crème of creativity and innovation in gaming. TOTK, beyond its story, provides a practically unlimited sandbox tool for players to create to their wildest dreams. In fact the player is given so much control at first that it's almost alienating, and getting accustomed to these new systems can take a little time. But it swiftly becomes second nature, and by then, the amount of freedom the player is unrivaled. Gone are the days of "one problem, one solution." TOTK is a gorgeous, awe-inspiring canvas, waiting for you to add in all your personal little details.
Now, players who weren't fans of its incumbent are likely to feel the same about Tears of the Kingdom. And that's a shame, because virtually everything that was a source of debate about BOTW is improved here. The story, while still subdued, is a significant improvement, and delivers impactful moments with a significantly more satisfying final boss fight and conclusion. Weapon durability, when combined with Fuse, is a non-factor; you'll never be wanting for weapons in this title. More traditional dungeons return with unique and well-designed bosses. Enemy variety is increased, and their drops are much more useful. The game looks fantastic, especially while running on what's effectively a modern smartphone, and loading time is reduced. If there was a popular complaint about BOTW, it was addressed in TOTK.
Many have speculated on where the Zelda series goes from here. As incredible as Tears of the Kingdom is, it would be risky (at best) to try to base a 3rd title in this version of Hyrule. But that can be speculated on in the future. Because with TOTK, Nintendo has done something truly exceptional-perhaps, even more surprising than BOTW. Concerns for the game's wellbeing seem foolish in retrospect. And while BOTW was no stranger to 3rd party knock off titles, it's hard to see how TOTK could even be imitated. To have this many new, groundbreaking ideas in a 36-year old series defies all sense of logic and reality, and yet, it feels like something only Zelda could provide. So if you worried the magic of BOTW would be irreproducible, that TOTK would struggle to have its own sense of identity, that it would fail to live up to the hype, worry no longer. They've done it again. What else is there to say?