When the first trailer for the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom dropped all the way back in 2019; I was thrilled. A darker, underground-heavy sequel to Breath of the Wild looked like a perfect sequel. Then time passed, and we got more trailers and info. Suddenly, the focus was on the sky, and it appeared that the game would exist in the same overworld as it's' predecessor with just a few changes and additions. My excitement waned a little, but I was at least willing to give it a go. Having finally played and beaten the game, any fears of redundancy or a lack of new content were proven wrong. Yes, there are similarities to Breath of the Wild; it is a direct sequel, more so than at almost any point in the past. But the overworld has changed a lot, and there are not only sky islands to explore, but also a massive underground area. The friendships you made in Breath of the Wild show their value here, as returning characters work with you in a slowly rebuilding Hyrule to defeat a "new" (but actually ancient) threat. Rather than the isolation of the wild, you are surrounded by allies in the developing kingdom, and it makes for a satisfying continuation of the storyline. The gameplay has a lot of fun new features, and the difficulty feels upped this time. And, of course, the story is deeper, with some surprising twists and turns that kept me engaged. While I hope the next game is a complete departure to keep things interesting, I must say that my early misgivings on this one seem silly in hindsight. Once again, Nintendo has proven that The Legend of Zelda is still capable of wowing us with nearly perfect adventures. Highly recommended!
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
(2023 Video Game)
Pleasantly Surprising
30 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers