If you’re thinking about picking up “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” now that the spring semester is over, be sure to clear your schedule. Once this game is picked up, it is nearly impossible to put down. If there was one word I had to use to describe “Tears of the Kingdom,” it would be innovative.
Imagine everything you liked about “Breath of the Wild”. The unique powers, the freedom, the vast, open world packed with content. “Tears of the Kingdom” has every bit of this and more, all while dialing it up to 100.
Without spoilers, Hyrule is bigger than it’s ever been, and is packed with new locations and features at every step along your journey. After 20 hours of playing, I’ve only finished one of the numerous temples and dungeons this game has to offer. Every time you go somewhere, something new is bound to distract you and send you spiraling down a rabbit hole of side quests and adventure.
This isn’t even mentioning the new abilities, which are easily the highlight of the game. I’ve never played a game with mechanics as innovative as these. Now, you can use your powers to traverse Hyrule in ways you could only dream of in the past. You can build contraptions, fuse weapons and objects and rewind time to make your own creations. The game has no rules in how you approach your obstacles; you can use the tools you’re given in any way imaginable.
“There’s no way this’ll work,” is always followed by a delighted, “that actually worked.”
One flaw “Breath of the Wild” had was its empty, boring dungeons. “Tears of the Kingdom” makes up for this tenfold with some delightfully elaborate and fun dungeons. Perhaps not on the same level as “Ocarina of Time,” but they are great fun regardless. There is a much stronger story as well, with plenty of mysteries and lore to keep you invested in the main quest all the way through.
Many of the issues “Tears of the Kingdom” has, primarily comes down to the player. If you aren’t willing to get creative to try and overcome the bumps in the road, this game can feel a bit frustrating. However, every failed contraption and experiment leads to a successful one that gives you a boost of dopamine like no other.
All in all, “Tears of the Kingdom” is a revolutionary masterpiece that is sure to change the landscape of gaming just as much, if not more, than “Breath of the Wild” ever did. With a massive, sprawling world full of content, thrilling gameplay with more depth than you could possibly imagine, and wonderfully designed dungeons, this game is the culmination of the “Legend of Zelda” franchise and more.