The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 136 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Game Cover
Tears of Kingdom could end up being one of the best games ever made, with unparalleled exploration that offers freedom and creativity on a scale never before seen.
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In "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" for Nintendo Switch, players embark on an epic adventure across Hyrule's landscapes and floating islands in the sky as they decide their own path. Following "Breath of the Wild," Link's new abilities must be harnessed to combat malevolent forces threatening the kingdom. This sequel encourages imagination and exploration, with players fighting against darkness in a vast world.

  • Nintendo Switch
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 136 reviews
story16 positive mentions
monetization3 negative mentions
  • Stunning graphics and immersive world design that brings Hyrule to life, encouraging exploration and discovery.
  • Captivating storytelling with well-developed characters and emotional depth, enhancing player engagement.
  • Innovative gameplay mechanics that balance accessibility and complexity, offering a variety of challenges and creative solutions.
  • Some players find the game mechanics limiting and frustrating, particularly regarding weapon durability and inventory management.
  • The game can feel too similar to its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, leading to mixed feelings about originality.
  • Initial difficulty spikes and slow progression can be off-putting for new players, making the early game feel challenging.
  • story32 mentions

    The story of "Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" is widely praised for its emotional depth, captivating narrative, and immersive world-building, which expands significantly on the foundations laid by "Breath of the Wild." Players appreciate the unique quests and character development, although some note that certain story elements feel similar to its predecessor. Overall, the game delivers a rich and engaging experience that keeps players invested in the journey to save Hyrule.

    • “Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an absolute masterpiece that combines breathtaking visuals, captivating storytelling, and immersive gameplay to deliver an unforgettable gaming experience.”
    • “The storyline in Tears of the Kingdom is gripping and emotionally resonant.”
    • “With Tears of the Kingdom, they made the world so much more immersive with new storylines, quests, and NPC interactions.”
    • “Story is a bit worse.”
    • “But if you're here for a captivating story and a myriad of dungeons and what have you as a typical Zelda fan usually is, it's not really worth it.”
    • “There are some story elements I would have added or changed, but I'm not disappointed with the story as it is.”
  • gameplay19 mentions

    The gameplay of "Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" is praised for its polished and intuitive mechanics, offering a rich blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat that enhances the open-world experience. While the new crafting mechanics may present a learning curve, the game successfully expands upon its predecessor with innovative features and a vast world that encourages diverse play styles. Overall, players find the gameplay immersive and engaging, contributing to an unforgettable gaming experience.

    • “What sets Tears of the Kingdom apart is its gameplay mechanics, which strike the perfect balance between accessibility and depth.”
    • “The gameplay mechanics are polished and intuitive, offering a perfect blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and epic battles.”
    • “It expands the open-world formula of Breath of the Wild with new features, mechanics, and surprises that will keep you hooked for hours.”
    • “Honestly, I cannot think of anything overwhelmingly negative about this game besides how limiting some of the game mechanics are, but that is more of a system issue than a game issue.”
    • “I will admit it definitely takes a while to get used to the new mechanics.”
    • “The new crafting mechanics have a learning curve (especially if you played a lot of Breath of the Wild), and there is so much to do it's difficult to focus on one task.”
  • graphics11 mentions

    The graphics in "Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" are widely praised for their stunning quality and meticulous attention to detail, creating immersive environments that enhance the overall gaming experience. While some players note that the visuals are similar to its predecessor, "Breath of the Wild," they still feel fresh and engaging, contributing to the game's status as a masterpiece. Overall, the combination of great graphics and captivating storytelling has left a lasting impression on players.

    • “The graphics are nothing short of stunning, with each environment meticulously crafted to perfection.”
    • “The graphics in Tears of the Kingdom are stunning.”
    • “Excellent graphics, awesome game!”
    • “I continually get upset over how little Nintendo puts into graphics, but my gosh did they make this an incredibly fun game.”
    • “With each new game, we looked forward to new adventures and better graphics.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Tears of the Kingdom" is highlighted by its gripping storyline and emotionally resonant themes, particularly during the final boss fight, which adds to the overall satisfaction. Players find the narrative to be both captivating and evocative, centered around a compelling mystery that enhances the emotional experience.

    • “The storyline in Tears of the Kingdom is gripping and emotionally resonant.”
    • “The main story was emotional, and the final boss fight was incredibly satisfying.”
    • “An emotionally evocative story that revolves around a central, captivating mystery.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The game's humor is noted for its seamless integration with emotional elements, enhancing the overall immersive experience. However, some players feel that the humor caters primarily to a younger audience, suggesting it may not resonate with all fans of the franchise.

    • “The game seamlessly blends moments of humor, heartache, and heroism, creating a truly immersive experience that tugs at your heartstrings.”
    • “Good game, you just need the mind of a 12-year-old Minecraft/Gmod player to make it funny and enjoyable.”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised as a masterpiece, effectively enhancing the emotional depth of the gameplay and narrative. Players appreciate the fresh musical elements alongside new mechanics, highlighting the game's evolution from a DLC to a standalone title.

    • “The musical score is a masterpiece in its own right, evoking a range of emotions that perfectly complement the gameplay and story.”
    • “The music is wonderful, and the new mechanics are really fun. I can see why this game started as a DLC and was decided to be its own game.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted as expansive and intricately crafted, particularly in comparison to previous titles in the series. While the lush landscapes and detailed character designs enhance the experience, the limited voice acting may detract from fully realizing the characters' depth.

    • “The story is the most expansive of any other Zelda title, focusing heavily on character development, much like Breath of the Wild.”
    • “From lush landscapes to intricate character designs, every detail is beautifully crafted, bringing the world of Hyrule to life.”
    • “The character arcs are deeply engaging, allowing players to form a strong connection with each character as they evolve throughout the game.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “While the story is expansive, the limited voice acting detracts from the character development experience.”
    • “I expected more from the character arcs; they seem underdeveloped compared to other titles in the series.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report a stable experience with no glitches encountered, and the presence of quality guides for quests and shrines enhances gameplay. However, there is a suggestion to prioritize official methods over shortcuts or unofficial tactics.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
    • “I've experienced consistent performance throughout my playtime.”
    • “No glitches so far.”
    • “Guides are naturally present for all quests, shrines, etc., and are of decent quality, though perhaps sticking with the official way rather than shortcuts, glitches, or similar 'unofficial' ways to play.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Users appreciate that the monetization model does not rely heavily on ads from gaming companies, which enhances the overall experience.

    • “I thought it would be filled with ads from gaming companies before I received my product, but that wasn't the case!”
    • “The monetization model feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Users generally feel that "Tears of the Kingdom" (TotK) lacks significant replayability, with many expressing that they are unlikely to start a new game from scratch, especially in comparison to "Breath of the Wild" (BotW).

    • “The last thing I'll say is I don't think 'Tears of the Kingdom' has a lot of replay value, meaning I won't start a new game from scratch like I have with 'Breath of the Wild'.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization is generally solid, though players report experiencing occasional, brief performance hitches.

    • “There are occasional, very brief performance hitches that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
    • “The game suffers from inconsistent frame rates, making it hard to enjoy the action.”
    • “I frequently encounter long loading times that really break the immersion.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

96% average critic score

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