Introduction
Basic information
Developer Name: Nintendo
Full Name: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Release Date: May 12, 2023
Released on: Nintendo Switch
Cross Play: No
Initial thoughts
Having completed Breath of the Wild, I went into Tears of the Kingdom with cautious optimism. I wondered whether it would be a mere expansion or a true sequel. Thankfully, it’s clear that this game builds a lot on what came before, but not always gracefully. The moment I dropped into the sky islands and saw the world stretch below, I knew I was in for something special. Yet as the hours passed, it became evident that the number of new mechanics, while impressive, sometimes gets in the way of its own elegance.
Story and setting
Plot overview
The story begins with Link and Zelda investigating a mysterious ruin beneath Hyrule Castle, which leads to Zelda’s disappearance and the emergence of an ancient evil. As you explore the sky, surface, and depths, you uncover a surprisingly emotional tale about legacy, war, and hope. The narrative is more structured than its predecessor, with proper cutscenes and deeper lore.
World building and immersion
Link remains a silent protagonist, but Zelda and the Sages receive more focus. Their pasts and motivations are explored more meaningfully this time around. Ganondorf returns with a commanding presence, offering a classic villain that feels satisfying to overcome.
Character development
While not groundbreaking, the story does carry weight, particularly in how it connects ancient history to present-day struggles. Key scenes evoke emotion, especially toward the climax.
Emotional impact
Hyrule has changed. The addition of sky islands and the gloomy Depths provides a compelling new verticality. Towns have evolved, and environmental storytelling continues to shine. Despite reused areas from the previous game, the world feels renewed with mystery.
Rating for story and setting
I have visited multiple aspects of the story and after some thought and objective thinking, I rated the story and setting with a 7.5.
Gameplay and mechanics
Core gameplay mechanics
The game reuses Breath of the Wild’s core gameplay but adds new powers: Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, and Recall. These tools allow for incredible freedom in solving puzzles and engaging with the environment. Combat is improved with more build variety through weapon fusion.
Difficulty and balance
The difficulty curve remains organic, with freedom to approach content at your own pace. However, the sheer number of systems can lead to confusion, especially when combat gets cluttered with random skill activations.
Pacing of the game
The game encourages exploration, sometimes at the cost of narrative flow. It’s easy to forget major objectives after several hours of diving into caverns or gliding from sky islands.
Innovation and uniqueness
The fusion system is brilliant, when it works. Combining objects to make vehicles, contraptions, and absurd weapons is often hilarious and creative. But not every system feels polished. The Sage abilities often trigger by accident, cluttering combat and creating frustration. The ghost versions of the Sages feel tacked on, with immersion-breaking behavior and awkward pathing.
Controls and user interface
Managing inventory and building vehicles can be overwhelming. While control mapping has improved slightly, the UI still feels cumbersome during high-stress situations.
Microtransactions
None, thankfully.
Rating
After combing through many of the mechanics, the pacing and other factors of this game, I rated the gameplay and mechanics with a 7.
Graphics and art style
Quality of graphics and art direction
The cel-shaded art remains gorgeous. Environmental lighting, weather effects, and enemy designs are consistently strong. Sky islands and the Depths offer visual contrast, giving Hyrule a fresh dimension.
Technical performances
The game performs admirably on Switch hardware, though frame drops occur when too much is happening on screen. Despite this, stability is mostly reliable during exploration and combat.
Environment and design uniqueness
The vertical world structure, sky, surface, and Depths, feels distinct and rewards exploration. Shrines are smarter, more creative, and varied than before.
Rating
It took me some time to give the graphics and art style an objective rating. There are many things to consider, but ultimately, I rated this section with a 7.5.
Sound and music
Music score and how it contributed to the game
Atmospheric and subtle, it changes accordingly to being in the sky, depths, or what passes for dungeons in this game.
Sound effects quality
The sound effects are well-done, with satisfying audio cues for actions like jumping, interacting with objects, and meowing. The sound design helps to bring the world to life.
Voice Acting
Improved from Breath of the Wild, with more consistent performances across the cast. Zelda’s voice is more emotionally charged, and Ganondorf’s is suitably intimidating.
Rating
After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 7.
Replayability
Game Length and content volume
The game is overflowing with side quests, shrines, mini-bosses, armor sets, and collectibles. You can easily spend over 100 hours and still find surprises.
Extra Content
There’s so much to do that replayability depends more on your own pace. The sheer density of mechanics can make replays exhausting, but completionists will find plenty to return to.
Replay value
You can replay this game over and over to get everything, but once you seen everything, you probably will not replay it anytime soon.
Rating
After thoughtful consideration, I decided to rate the replayability and game length of Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom with a 7.
Suggestions and comparisons
Suggestions and feedback
Streamline the mechanics. Sage abilities should be reworked or controllable via a menu toggle. Fewer, but more polished systems would elevate the experience. The fusion system is enough, no need to pile on excessive clutter.
Comparisons
Compared to Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom is larger, denser, and more complex. It has higher highs and more ambitious tools, but it loses some of the elegance and cohesion that made the first game timeless.
Personal experiences and anecdotes
Breaking the game with fusion was pure joy. I remember building a flying machine with rockets, fans, and two logs, then forgetting to attach a steering stick and launching myself directly into a cliff. It was moments like these that made the sandbox gameplay so rewarding. Even when things went wrong, it was fun.
Rating
Taking in all the personal experiences with Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, I give it a personal rating of 7,5
Last words
Pros
- Huge open world
- Engaging storyline
- Creative sandbox mechanics
- Fusion system is innovative
- Great shrine design
- Gorgeous art direction
- Improved voice acting
- Deep vertical exploration
- Smart enemy design
- Tons of side content
- High freedom of approach
- Beautiful soundtrack
Cons
- Too many unpolished mechanics
- Sage abilities trigger accidentally
- Ghost followers break immersion
- Interface and control clutter
Tears of the Kingdom is an ambitious sequel that dares to expand every system from Breath of the Wild. While its creativity shines, it often overwhelms with too many half-baked mechanics. Still, the core experience remains magical. It’s a game that lets you laugh at your own experiments, get lost in a world of secrets, and shape your adventure. Despite its flaws, it stands tall as a bold evolution in the Zelda series.
FINALÂ RATING
7.3
Please let me know what you think of Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review, I hope to see you in the next review!
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It’s good to see they keep adding new things after so many years
True, they still have it when it comes to creativity, but it’s a bit concerning it will run out of control, from what Sven mentioned on complex mechanics. New things are welcome, but it can be hard to balance it out to be simple enough so it doesn’t get in the way, but makes the experience.
I wonder how the Switch 2 will improve the game.
Love the fusion stuff. Haven’t played the game but seeing all of the inventive stuff and speedrunning tech from fusion is always awesome to see.
I have no idea how some people come up with those ideas.
Though I never played the game..I kinda get the same impression. It seems that TOTK is desparate to be able to match up with its predecessor, and even surpass it yet this desperation translates to failure.
It should have been polished more!
This game truly redefines what open-world adventure means!
You can even move through the ceiling!
Cel-shading graphics style is tricky, i use to like it more in some more early (older) games then with most new. But still i remember some good newer examples so it about how it is used probably. It is alone hard to tell if mechanics are broke or not well made so i cant about this but no doubt it is very important aspect. If there are many of combinations that can be good too. Nevertheless i feel this game is very good overall, never had chance to play it, will probalby see more in video, thx for review.
I hope you will enjoy the video, I made one that does not spoil anything!
The Zelda series has been entertaining me with unique elements in each new installment! Whether that is good or bad.
There are indeed new elements!
Based on everything I heard about it from multiple sources, this review seems like an accurate assessment of the game.
Good job as always! 🙂
I am glad you agree with the review!
Another awesome franchise I’ve never really played XD
Thanks for the detailed review. These games do look more and more like something I would enjoy.
Maybe you should try it one day?
Hey! Hey! Hey! Listen! ^^
Was the last i played … and made it in the water temple but not out anymore :-/
HEY LISTEN!!!!!
Before reading this review I only heard good things about this game. I saw a lot of videos about the machine building mechanics. What was the weirdest thing you build?
I built a flying device that kept doing loops….
The combination feature may not be for everyone, but I’m glad they made it. Itll give playtime value to the more creative of us.
Creative people can go wild!
i love open world games. Thanks for the review!
You are welcome!
I’m so far behind on this Zelda series. I love this franchise though. I’ll have to find the time to catch up.
You really need to catch up!
When Totk was first announced I was a bit worried that it would basically be Breath of the Wild with only a few differences in the world, but they added lots of new areas, puzzles and mechanics! They did a really good job making it feel very different and even more exciting to explore despite being the same general areas!
Yeah, but there are a bit too many new mechanics!
Loved seeing many creative builds on the internet 🙂
Now an upload function will be added!
Fusion systems, exploration, freedom of approach. These words caught my eye. I haven’t tried this game, but your review makes sure I will enjoy it when I do. I also look forward to the characters and story this game will tell. I really need more hours a day to try all the games I love.
The story is the best part of this game!
This review is awesome! I like open world games and sandbox mechanics.
There is a lot of sandbox mechanics going on!
A 7.3? Sven is going to make a lottttttt of people angry haha
I am just being honest and objective!