The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Written by Lunar_95

Developed and published by Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was released in May 2023. The game returns to the familiar yet evolved world of Hyrule, with even more depth and verticality. The land is now split into three major layers: the surface world, floating sky islands, and a mysterious underground. These new environments, combined with the dynamic weather, sprawling towns, and ancient ruins, offer a fresh twist on the vast world that fans loved in its predecessor The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

In Tears of the Kingdom, you once again take on the role of Link. After a catastrophic event, you must embark on a quest to stop a new threat that emerges from beneath Hyrule. Along the way, you will discover ancient powers, uncover forgotten secrets of the kingdom, and restore balance to the land. The stakes are higher than ever, as you race against time to prevent further destruction and protect those you hold dear.

The game builds on the mechanics of its predecessor, offering an even more expansive sandbox. It emphasizes creativity and player agency, with a new set of powers that let you manipulate objects in the environment in ways never before seen in the series. One standout feature is the Fuse ability, which allows you to combine weapons, items, and materials into new creations offering endless possibilities for combat and exploration. The sky islands add vertical exploration, with thrilling moments of diving from the heavens to the surface world.

The progression system is once again tied to completing Shrines to upgrade Link's stamina and health, but this time you also unlock new abilities that completely change how you interact with the world. For example, the Ultrahand allows you to build vehicles or devices from found materials encouraging experimentation. Outside of gameplay, the game's narrative dives deeper into Hyrule's lore, enriching the player's understanding of its ancient history and giving more context to the events of the previous games.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a brilliant evolution of the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild formula. The game expands the world, story, and gameplay in exciting new ways. With its focus on creativity, exploration, and freedom; it pushes the boundaries of what an open-world game can be. Nintendo has crafted yet another masterpiece, and for those who loved Breath of the Wild, this is an unmissable experience. I rate this game as Excellent on the five-tiered scale (Bad, Below Average, Average, Above Average, Excellent).