Breath of the Wild set a new standard for video games back in 2017. There were so many games that tried to copy some concept of Breath of the Wild to capture the feel that this game had. When they announced Tears of the Kingdom, the developers had some big shoes to fill to find some way they could do better than what they had already done. They succeeded and then some. The new additions made in this sequel game were more than most people could imagine. This game feels nostalgic for the first time I played Breath of the Wild and like something completely new altogether. At the time of writing this I can say it is without a doubt the best game I have ever played.
Story: 9/10
Tears of the Kingdom does a lot of environmental storytelling which is a great way to subtly learn about the world without slowing down the gameplay. I would say that the game's indirect storytelling is where it shines, but almost all of the game's cutscenes are epic and filled with emotion.
Score: 10/10
The music, as with every Zelda game, is iconic and so many of the scores really have a lasting effect on you. I even go back and listen to the songs on YouTube. This is one of the best musical scores I have ever heard.
Characters/Character Development:9/10
If you played Breath of the Wild, seeing so many characters return for the sequel is a joyous time but for the most part many of the characters just serve their purpose. However, seeing Zelda go on a magnificent journey and grow stronger because of it was magnificently done in such a way that leaves you feeling so excited to see what happens next.
Graphics: 9.5/10
While this game isn't the most stunning piece of realistic graphics I've ever seen, Tears of the Kingdom marvels in its art style. Looking out at the scenery feels so beautiful and calming all at the same time. If you can't take my word for it, just look at all the other games that have a similar art style, clearly just trying to copy this era of Zelda in any way they can.
Gameplay: 10/10
The amount of freedom you have in Tears of the Kingdom is amazing. Building and exploring feel like they have no limit and using creativity is almost always extremely rewarding. Making a crazy device that can get you high up in the air and exploring a sky island feels like a achievement you are often rewarded for. This may the best world i’ve ever been able to play through in a video game.
Difficulty: 6.5/10 (0 being the easiest, 10 being the hardest).
At the beginning of the game, gameplay can be quite difficult since you only have a few hearts and not much armor. I love this because it really gives you the feeling of just being a regular person until you start to collect weapons, armor, and more hearts. Even as you progress and grow in the game there is always tougher enemies and challenges to defeat so the game always gives you something to work toward.
Fun: 10/10
This game never stops amazing me! With such a vast open world and tons to see and do, I always wanted to make sure I checked out as much of the map as I could just to make sure I didn't miss anything. This world of Hyrule has so much to offer and although I played for 150 hours I feel like I could have easily played for 200 more without a feeling of things getting stale or boring.
Recommended for-
- Zelda fans
- Switch owners
- Anyone