It’s been a long 5 years since the release of Breath of the Wild and in that time fans of the series had to contend with a slew of sandbox games that were graphically superior but couldn’t capture the magic that Nintendo created. Well thankfully the wait is over as The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom hit the streets (May 12th) with all its glorious side quests and Zelda lore.
As of this writing, I've only played about 30 hours of the game so this will solely be my first impression of Link's latest quest to save Hyrule Castle from the villain of seemingly no motivation.
When you combine the new abilities and the wide decision space made avail to players you end up with a game that provides a level of freedom that is unparalleled in AAA gaming. At a surface level, Tears of the Kingdom's contemporaries may appear as "open" but at their core the mission structure and completion parameters are no different than their linear counterparts.
For those that thought Breath of the Wild's weapons system was overly punitive will be disappointed as it remains intact in the sequel. That means you will be unable to acquaint yourself to a particular weapon on your quest to rescue Zelda and the kingdom from the clutches of Gannon. While some make take issue with it, I feel it gives the game a feeling of uncertainty and scarcity that help sells the feeling of being a "lone warrior" in Hyrule.
Overall, the gameplay here is improved and some quality of life features like recipes come in handy and are much welcome. There were some abilities I felt would feel like an easy way to access high elevations sans climbing but I was wrong. All of the new abilities exist in an environment that requires you to call on them at different times without feeling formulaic and/or cheap...yes I'm looking at you Mario.
[Spoiler Begin]
BY RECREATING THE EXACT SAME SCENARIO! Yes, Tears of the Kingdom's beginning uses a plot device that allows them to recreate the Shrine of Resurrection and Great Plateau journey all over again. Link wakes in a cave, he knows nothing, a strange voice tells him what to do, and you start to explore. It's the Breath of the Wild intro but this time the cave is on a set of floating islands that you can't leave rather than a plateau.
It’s kinda cheap and I wish they didn't try to incorporate the reset of Link's progression into the narrative. It would have been better if the game began with you have 3 hearts just because.
[Spoiler End]
With the spoilers out of the way I must say that the story is for all intents and purposes BOTW with a new coat of paint. Zelda is in trouble, Hyrule is on the verge of collapse, Gannon is the culprit, and Link has to join together the "Champions" to be strong enough to defeat the Dark Lord. It's cookie cutter and I could say I expect more from Nintendo but I don't, this is what they do. Despite this, Link is still as cool as ever and the game never leaves you feeling unmotivated to save Zelda and the people of Hyrule.
The sound design makes the environments feel much more full and enriching with sounds of animals and the environment all around you. Not only is the sound design top notch, the game is freaking gorgeous...Hyrule has never looked better! While the Switch may not have the graphical prowess of the PS5 or Series X it did not stop Nintendo from creating a game that will have your jaws drop to the floor in amazement. My eyes lit up the first time I made it to one of the Sky Towers.
What also makes the environment so spectacular is that it's not just a non-interactive backdrop for the gameplay like in Ghost of Tsushima, Assassin's Creed, GTA, Horizon Zero Dawn, and etc. In Tears of the Kingdom, if you need to make a raft you can chop down a tree to make wood logs. If you need to start a fire you can chop down the wood logs to make firewood. If you want to start a fire you can strike a rock with your sword to create a spark to light the firewood.
If it's too hot you'll get heat sickness, if it's too cold you'll freeze, if it's raining you'll slip, if you swim in too large of a body of water you'll get tired and drown. In Tears of the Kingdom, the environment is every bit a pivotal part of the game as Link, Gannon, Zelda, and etc.
In addition, the Sky Islands while cool have yet to significantly alter or add to the experience in any significant way. There is also a portion of the game known as "The Depths" which so far have been underwhelming and don't add much to game play other than frustration. I hope that I'm wrong about this but so far I haven't found much to gain in either area.
With that said though the Sky Islands are fun to traverse and I always find myself in the sky whenever I'm playing.
Everyone on this site knows how much of a Breath of the Wild fanboy I am and Tears of the Kingdom took it and evolved it in a lot of core ways. While it's not perfect and some of the story quests are laborious, I without a doubt feel that Tears will go down in history as a genre defining title. If you're still reading it's time for you to go buy Tears of the Kingdom and experience the legend for yourself.
That's my first impression...leave your first impressions in the comments below.
As of this writing, I've only played about 30 hours of the game so this will solely be my first impression of Link's latest quest to save Hyrule Castle from the villain of seemingly no motivation.
Gameplay
At its foundation, Tears of the Kingdom feels and plays similar to Breath of the Wild. The movement, the combat, the menu make it easy to hop right into TOTK with little refresher. However where Tears of the Kingdom flourishes is in how the gameplay builds the “I feel I can do anything” foundation that Breath of the Wild created.When you combine the new abilities and the wide decision space made avail to players you end up with a game that provides a level of freedom that is unparalleled in AAA gaming. At a surface level, Tears of the Kingdom's contemporaries may appear as "open" but at their core the mission structure and completion parameters are no different than their linear counterparts.
For those that thought Breath of the Wild's weapons system was overly punitive will be disappointed as it remains intact in the sequel. That means you will be unable to acquaint yourself to a particular weapon on your quest to rescue Zelda and the kingdom from the clutches of Gannon. While some make take issue with it, I feel it gives the game a feeling of uncertainty and scarcity that help sells the feeling of being a "lone warrior" in Hyrule.
Overall, the gameplay here is improved and some quality of life features like recipes come in handy and are much welcome. There were some abilities I felt would feel like an easy way to access high elevations sans climbing but I was wrong. All of the new abilities exist in an environment that requires you to call on them at different times without feeling formulaic and/or cheap...yes I'm looking at you Mario.
Story
For those who have beat Breath of the Wild or any Zelda game in the last 30 years you know that you defeat Gannon, Zelda returns to Hyrule safely, and Link ends the game with full vitality and kit. So players may wonder “how can they recreate the feeling of adventure, wonder and confusion that users felt when leaving the Shrine of Resurrection?"[Spoiler Begin]
BY RECREATING THE EXACT SAME SCENARIO! Yes, Tears of the Kingdom's beginning uses a plot device that allows them to recreate the Shrine of Resurrection and Great Plateau journey all over again. Link wakes in a cave, he knows nothing, a strange voice tells him what to do, and you start to explore. It's the Breath of the Wild intro but this time the cave is on a set of floating islands that you can't leave rather than a plateau.
It’s kinda cheap and I wish they didn't try to incorporate the reset of Link's progression into the narrative. It would have been better if the game began with you have 3 hearts just because.
[Spoiler End]
With the spoilers out of the way I must say that the story is for all intents and purposes BOTW with a new coat of paint. Zelda is in trouble, Hyrule is on the verge of collapse, Gannon is the culprit, and Link has to join together the "Champions" to be strong enough to defeat the Dark Lord. It's cookie cutter and I could say I expect more from Nintendo but I don't, this is what they do. Despite this, Link is still as cool as ever and the game never leaves you feeling unmotivated to save Zelda and the people of Hyrule.
Environment
The sound design makes the environments feel much more full and enriching with sounds of animals and the environment all around you. Not only is the sound design top notch, the game is freaking gorgeous...Hyrule has never looked better! While the Switch may not have the graphical prowess of the PS5 or Series X it did not stop Nintendo from creating a game that will have your jaws drop to the floor in amazement. My eyes lit up the first time I made it to one of the Sky Towers.
What also makes the environment so spectacular is that it's not just a non-interactive backdrop for the gameplay like in Ghost of Tsushima, Assassin's Creed, GTA, Horizon Zero Dawn, and etc. In Tears of the Kingdom, if you need to make a raft you can chop down a tree to make wood logs. If you need to start a fire you can chop down the wood logs to make firewood. If you want to start a fire you can strike a rock with your sword to create a spark to light the firewood.
If it's too hot you'll get heat sickness, if it's too cold you'll freeze, if it's raining you'll slip, if you swim in too large of a body of water you'll get tired and drown. In Tears of the Kingdom, the environment is every bit a pivotal part of the game as Link, Gannon, Zelda, and etc.
Gripes
One downside to Tears of the Kingdom has to do with the way Nintendo designs video games. Their philosophy is to fine tune the core mechanics of the game to peak "fun" and then repeat them ad nauseum through-out the game. Since Tears of the Kingdom at its foundation is Breath of the Wild it is easy to recognize the core gameplay loops and how they are reskinned in different environments. Most people won't find issue with it but it made Zelda a bit laborious at times.In addition, the Sky Islands while cool have yet to significantly alter or add to the experience in any significant way. There is also a portion of the game known as "The Depths" which so far have been underwhelming and don't add much to game play other than frustration. I hope that I'm wrong about this but so far I haven't found much to gain in either area.
With that said though the Sky Islands are fun to traverse and I always find myself in the sky whenever I'm playing.
Parting Thoughts
Some may take issue with Tears of the Kingdom’s familiarity but I feel it allows players to immerse themselves into the new world immediately. On first play you can focus on mastering the new abilities and using them to manipulate the materials across the land instead of trying to learn an entirely new system. I'm excited to continue playing the game and seeing what else Nintendo has in store.Everyone on this site knows how much of a Breath of the Wild fanboy I am and Tears of the Kingdom took it and evolved it in a lot of core ways. While it's not perfect and some of the story quests are laborious, I without a doubt feel that Tears will go down in history as a genre defining title. If you're still reading it's time for you to go buy Tears of the Kingdom and experience the legend for yourself.
That's my first impression...leave your first impressions in the comments below.
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