REVIEW – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom but isme many have eagerly waited for years. Since the release of Breath of the Wild in 2017, there hasn’t been a new Zelda game for the Nintendo Switch console, but now the long-anticipated sequel has finally arrived, offering an even bigger and more beautiful world. After Breath of the Wild, we return to Hyrule, but this time, adventures also await us in the sky. Was the wait worth it? The short answer: yes. The long answer: read on.

Tears of the Kingdom takes place immediately after the events of Breath of the Wild, as Link and Zelda attempt to restore the kingdom of Hyrule following Ganon’s destruction. However, a mysterious force disrupts the peace, and a massive catastrophe threatens both the land and the sky. Link gains new abilities from a mysterious armguard, enabling him to travel to floating islands in the sky where he encounters new friends and foes. Zelda disappears into a gaping chasm, and Link must find her before it’s too late.

A vast and diverse world unfolds before you once again

Undoubtedly, the greatest strength of Tears of the Kingdom lies in its stunning graphics and visual presentation. The game utilizes the same engine as Breath of the Wild but is noticeably more beautiful and detailed. The lighting and shadow effects, textures, and animations – in their enchanting style and cell-shaded technology – are incredibly lifelike and colorful.

Numerous diverse locations can be explored, each unique and atmospheric. You can traverse Hyrule and the floating islands in the sky, which conceal new challenges and discoveries. Travel between islands is facilitated by a special device, enabled by Link’s new abilities. Flying provides a fun and exhilarating experience, offering numerous opportunities for creative solutions. Naturally, the game features weather changes that influence gameplay and visuals.

The world of Tears of the Kingdom is always brimming with new and wondrous things to see or try, filled with life and secrets worth uncovering. The various NPCs are diverse and intriguing, with whom you can converse, accept quests, or even befriend. In this universe, various animals and plants coexist, with which you can interact or even capture and tame. It’s a true playground for adventurous gamers.

Not ultrasound… Ultrahand!

Tears of the Kingdom offers numerous innovations in gameplay as well. Link can use new abilities to solve tasks and battles in new ways. The Recall ability allows Link to reverse time and the movement of physical objects, useful for solving puzzles or surprising enemies. With the Fuse ability, Link can merge his weapons and shields with other objects to alter their effects and power. For example, attaching a fire candle to a bow allows for the shooting of fire arrows. The Ultrahand ability enables Link to move and bond large objects, constructing vehicles and structures. For instance, connecting a tree trunk and a propeller results in an airplane. The Ascend ability allows Link to phase through solid ceilings and caves and ascend to the sky islands. This is helpful for exploration and combat, as it makes evading or attacking enemies easier.

Of course, elements from Breath of the Wild return, such as weapon degradation, clothing changes, cooking, and stealth. A plethora of weapons and clothing can be found or crafted, influencing Link’s attributes and abilities. They are necessary, as a myriad of challenges and intelligent, diverse enemies must be faced. Battles are dynamic and truly challenging, requiring attention to enemy movement, weaknesses, and behavior. There are also a variety of logical and creative puzzles to solve. The puzzles are often related to the environment or Link’s new skills. The reward is a variety of treasures and secrets to be found. Of course, these can also be accompanied by a variety of quests that add colour to the story and gameplay. There are also main quests, which drive the main story forward, and side missions, which involve NPCs in the world. These are often both humorous and surprising, and often have multiple solutions.

A fascinating and diverse story

Tears of the Kingdom offers many new features, not only in graphics and gameplay, but also in story. The events take place immediately after Breath of the Wild, but it’s not just a sequel, not least because the story is much deeper and darker than the previous one. In the game, Link not only has to fight Ganon, but also faces a new enemy who has caused the Upheaval. Upheaval is an event that has changed both Hyrule and the skies.

There are also many secrets about Link’s past, the fate of Zelda and the history of Hyrule. There are a host of interesting characters with their own personalities and motivations, and plenty of moments of drama and humour. The story is not linear, but evolves depending on the player’s choices. In principle, several possible endings (obviously, we have not yet experienced more) affect the world’s fate.

Sometimes annoying, other times funny bugs

However, the game is not without its bugs and quirks, which can sometimes be confusing and sometimes funny. For example, the flying islands in the game sometimes disappear or pass over each other, making exploration and navigation difficult. Another bug that several users have experienced is the game crashing in certain situations, such as when Link uses a special ability or fights an enemy. The game’s producer, Eiji Aonuma, acknowledged these problems and promised that fixes would be released soon. However, the game doesn’t just have negative bugs, but also some that can be fun to play. For example, the glitch where Link shoots himself with a bow while standing on a flying island, triggering an endless flight. Or the bug where Link gets trapped under the ground while petting an animal and can’t get out. These bugs don’t significantly affect the gameplay experience but are worth knowing about.

One of the most interesting new features of the game is the Ultrahand ability, which allows Link to glue and move different objects together. With this ability, Link can create his own vehicles, such as cars, boats or flying structures. But controlling Ultrahand is not as easy as you might think. You can not only grab and release objects, but also move them away and closer. You can also rotate them vertically and horizontally. This means that you have to use many buttons at once, and it is often difficult to accurately adjust the position and orientation of objects. Using the Ultrahand therefore takes practice and doesn’t always work how you want it to. Sometimes our vehicles can fall apart or malfunction. It is therefore important to test them thoroughly before use.

A masterpiece

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a standout title in almost every way. It opens up a vast and beautiful world in which there is so much to do and see. There’s exciting and varied gameplay, with Link’s new abilities at your disposal. You’ll also be captivated by a compelling and engaging storyline, in which Link must save both Hyrule and Zelda.

It’s clear that this game is once again a true Nintendo work of art, a must-have for all Zelda fans, but not only for them, but for anyone who likes action-adventure or open-world titles. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom may now be the “swan song” of the Nintendo Switch console (at least in terms of exploiting its technical potential) but with this game, the big N has shown why it’s still worth playing.

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Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Nintendo

Style: Action-adventure, open-world

Release: May 12, 2023.