The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Review (Switch)

excellent
key review info
  • Game: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
  • Platform: Switch
  • Show system requirements
  • Reviewed on:
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom key art

One of the most anticipated Switch games of the last several years, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, didn’t disappoint fans of the series. This is one of those games that you can get addicted to even if you haven’t played any of the previous Zelda titles. The only issue with Tears of the Kingdom is that it’s a full sandbox experience, so if you’re the kind of player that likes to be guided throughout the entire game, you’ll probably bounce off the new Zelda game after a few hours.

The latest entry in the Zelda series has an intriguing opening that shows both Zelda and Link exploring the passageways beneath Hyrule castle. Major discoveries related to the history of the kingdom are unraveled during the cutscene, which has big implications on how the story unfolds. It’s also one of the not so many parts of the game that’s fully voice acted. If there’s one thing that would make Tear of the Kingdom better is probably more voice acting.

The culmination of the opening sequence sends Zelda and Link into different places, so the immediate goal is to reunite the two. The tutorial zone you’re dropped into makes a good job of teaching players the ropes, be it newcomers to the series or veterans. You’re given so much freedom from the beginning of the game that I found myself spending too much time in the starting area trying to explore everything.

Tears of the Kingdom is unlike any other game in that everywhere you go, there’s something to discover: a puzzle, an encounter to fight, a chest to loot, a new ability to unlock, or something useful to loot. It’s a double-edged sword, as many players tend to lose track of what they have to do to progress the story and open up new zones and new powers.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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This time around, Link will be exploring dozens of islands in the air in his search to find Zelda. Many of these islands house mysterious temples where Link can gain new powers that will help him solve puzzles that basically have taken over the franchise.

The latest entry in the Zelda series focuses on the past of the Hyrule kingdom and the remnants of the Zonai civilization, which seem to be Zelda’s ancestors. Newcomers to the series will find the plot and structure of Tears of the Kingdom a bit confusing, but more often than not I found myself lost in the exploration part instead of trying to advance the story.

Tears of the Kingdom improves on every aspect of Breath of the Wild, and that includes adding new powers. Although Magnesis and Rune abilities have been removed in the latest entry, new abilities like Recall and Ultrahand more than make up for it. Both allow players to do amazing things like building vehicles, boats or rewind objects back along their former trajectories.

The game gives players all the tools needed to solve the abundant puzzles without having to find the correct solution. Tears of the Kingdom challenges the creativity of its players like no other game has done before. Puzzles don’t have certain solutions, so players are free to use their imagination and the tools they have to solve them. For example, you can build a bigger bridge to get you over a puddle of water, instead of making a boat.

Things become even crazier with the Recall power, which can sometimes send Link to areas that he wouldn’t be otherwise able to reach. It requires just a little bit of thinking, good targeting and coordination. These are just some of the things that I personally come across, but the possibilities are endless in Tears of the Kingdom.

Many of the systems in Breath of the Wild have been retained in the sequel. I wasn’t in love with the weapons durability mechanic in the previous game, which makes a comeback in Tears of the Kingdom. However, there’s a lot of room for experimentation this time around, as you can attach various objects to your weapons to add different effects to your attacks.

Combat is definitely not the game’s strongest point, but it’s serviceable enough. Although some boss fights might be frustrating, this usually happens if you didn’t find the easy way to beat them. Yes, in Tears of the Kingdom, each boss is a puzzle in itself. Some can be easily downed by simply using one of the abilities Link gains at the beginning of the game, while others require more elaborate preparation.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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The Good

  • New powers are the perfect tools for solving puzzles
  • Challenges players’ creativity
  • Offers the perfect sandbox experience
  • Clever puzzles that have multiple solutions
  • Strong narrative

The Bad

  • Lacks any accessibility options
  • Minor performance issues

Conclusion

Tears of the Kingdom is without a doubt the best Zelda game to date. Although it offers a pure sandbox experience, the world is bustling with secrets to discover, treasure to loot, and puzzles to solve. It’s one of the few games that encourages exploration and rewards those who do it in full. It only takes a few hours to learn that there’s something new and exciting to discover just around the corner.

Even though it’s clearly one of Nintendo’s masterpieces, Tears of the Kingdom is not without fault. The occasional stutters are annoying and the fact that the game lacks any accessibility options is unacceptable. Despite the fact that the visuals are above average, it’s pretty clear that the game is held back by the hardware.

That being said, Tears of the Kingdom offers an amazing sandbox experience. A true masterpiece by today’s standards, the newest Zelda game is a technological wonder considering it’s been made to run on a rather outdated console. This is a must-play even if you haven’t played a Zelda game before, but you might not enjoy it if you’re not into sandbox experiences.

Review key was provided by CD Media.

story 9
gameplay 10
concept 10
graphics 8
audio 9
multiplayer 0
final rating 9.5
Editor's review
excellent
 
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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom screenshots (29 Images)

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom key art
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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