- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Date: May 12, 2023
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May 26, 2023Breath of the Wild’s concept was described by Nintendo as “creating a game through multiplication”, but after playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, its predecessor almost feels like a prototype. Not only are the amount of possibilities that Tears of the Kingdom’s level of multiplication offers so much more diverse, its field was designed to put those into practice to a much greater extent. Never before was the vast land of Hyrule packed with this amount of well-designed gameplay. Without a doubt, this is the best game in the series.
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May 26, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is a masterpiece on all fronts. A consummate masterstroke of game design and worldbuilding, unrepentant in its pursuit of player freedom, well-deserving of a place among the greatest games of all time.
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May 24, 2023What does perfection really mean in a video game? Only a masterpiece can generate that series of questions and a debate around it. That ambitious experience that, in its search, goes for everything and beyond. For me, without a doubt, that represents a 10.
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May 24, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is a remarkable sequel. Not only does it improve on every single aspect of Breath of the Wild, but it expands the characters, locations, and setting in new and exciting ways. It provides the most ridiculous toolset imaginable that at every turn has left me astonished at what I’m able to achieve.
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May 23, 2023It’s top shelf. Handily among the very best of the generation, and a decent case could be made for putting it pretty high in the list of all-timers. Unless you really didn’t care for Breath of the Wild, I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t buy this. It’s dozens of hours of high-quality entertainment for most, and hundreds of hours of fun for some. An outstanding toy. A fantastic piece of art. Great in all the ways the previous game was, but somehow pushes the boat out even further in immensely satisfying ways. A genuine must-have for Switch owners, and a great reason to pick up a Switch if you somehow haven’t already.
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May 23, 2023After the release of Breath of the Wild back in 2017, the hype for the sequel was so extraordinarily high that many expected that Nintendo might fail to deliver; but those people were brutally proven wrong by the release of Tears of the Kingdom. At this point, Tears of the Kingdom is not just a video game; it's more of a benchmark or platform for other developers to look at and get inspiration and then probably fail to come even close to it.
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May 22, 2023We all know that Breath of the Wild was an unparalleled game with no match at that time. But, Tears of the Kingdom shows an exceptional experience that make BOTW feel like a prologue for a grander sequel. I was even frustrated from the fact that I had to rush the entire game in order to write the review.
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May 22, 2023There is really nothing else that needs to be said about this game. It's Eiji Aonuma's greatest achievement as a video game creator, and it is probably one of the best games Nintendo has ever put out. It makes even the wonderfully crafted Breath of the Wild seem like an unfinished project compared to it. If you love gaming - you have to try this game in any way shape or form.
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May 19, 2023Breath of the Wild laid the groundwork for what is possible in a Zelda game, and then Tears of the Kingdom took all of that, broke the rules, and added more to that equation. It’s a game that can be experienced at any pace and is the magnum opus, if not the swan song, of an aging console that proves it can still make masterpieces.
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May 19, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is an impossible feat. It manages to one-up perhaps the most influential game of a generation, masterfully surpassing it in areas I never thought possible. This is undoubtedly the most impressive title on Switch, and one that will be talked about for a very long time to come.
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May 19, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an absolutely massive adventure, just like its predecessor Breath of the Wild. However, it isn’t as though we’re retreading familiar paths or going through an expansion of the existing game. Rather, it does feel entirely new, with its new creative elements adding more freedom while still offering a bit more structure when it comes to visiting Temples and following its story. The technical elements and execution mean that it could be welcoming to all audiences and gameplay styles, and it’s a prime example of what sorts of heights the Nintendo Switch can hit.
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May 18, 2023Tears of the Kingdom refines and improves everything that was so great about Breath of the Wild, while adding a ludicrously complex, satisfying, and fun construction mechanic that radically expands what the player is capable of. The Legend of Zelda is one of the greatest franchises in gaming history and this is its best entry to date, automatically cementing it as one of the greatest games of all time.
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Edge MagazineMay 18, 2023But these rare lows are a fair trade for some of the most stratospheric highs we've experienced in a videogame since, well, its predecessor. In reimagining Hyrule and reshuffling the tools you'll use to explore and to save it, Nintendo may not have quite reinvented the wheel. But this kingdom provides a wondrous space in which to consider how you just might. [Issue#385, p.98]
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May 16, 2023Tears of the Kingdom ups the ante on its predecessor, and follows up on one of the greatest games ever made by exceeding it in every possible regard to a thorough, comprehensive degree.
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May 15, 2023Thanks to the addition of the Ultrahand ability, Tears of the Kingdom becomes a kind of all-round friend to every kind of gamer. Those who want to can create, puzzle, cook, unwind and enjoy the scenery. But just as well experience adventures, fight and encounter pretty tough challenges that will take even the most seasoned gamer quite a while. It is highly exceptional for a single game to personify the desiderata of all these personas.
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May 15, 2023I wouldn't say The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the kingdom is a perfect game, but it's definitely a game that puts fun first from start to finish. It does have some imperfections, but they don't detract from its outstanding multi-dimensional gameplay and innovative design concepts that set the industry standard.
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May 14, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom accomplishes that incredibly difficult task of following up a critically acclaimed game. It hooks, teases and surprises at every turn. Another essential game for the Nintendo Switch and chapter in the ever-expanding Hylian story.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom takes the magic of Breath of the Wild and makes it bigger, sillier, and much more fun. It’s an excellent time, packed to the brim with beauty and joy, and there’s nothing like it on the Switch.
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May 11, 2023Know this, at the very least: I get the sense that this is it. This is now the The Legend of Zelda blueprint, and from here on out, we live in this version of Hyrule, and we couldn’t be happier about that. This is both a true sequel and a hoisted flagpole on what this series is and where it’s going into the future…
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May 11, 2023It doesn't quite deliver the punch of its predecessor, and right now I'm having a hard time imagining that there's anything more to come out of *this* Hyrule than we got with Tears of the Kingdom. With any luck, we'll find out later this decade. Until then - see those mountains over there? It's never been easier or more fun to try to reach them.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a masterpiece of a sequel that instantly joins the ranks of the best Zelda games of all time.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom doesn't reinvent the wheel, it makes you the inventor of the wheel. This sandbox to mess around in will yield new discoveries for years to come. In Tears of the Kingdom you are actually continuously impressed. If not from the unparalleled game world and puzzles, then it is from your own inventiveness.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom will overawe you with its scale and its imagination. It will demand your creativity and ingenuity in a way that few games would dare demand. It pays tribute to the things that have made this series so timeless, while also innovating so relentlessly that it will be the better part of a decade before any game is able to follow in its wake. Nearly four decades after The Legend of Zelda series made its debut, its latest instalment is a breathtaking high-point for the Zelda franchise, for Nintendo and for video games.
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May 11, 2023It makes my heart happy to tell you that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best video games of all time, just as Breath of the Wild was in 2017 and will continue to be. The mastery that the Japanese company shows with this product makes even today's super AAAs feel like bland and empty experiences that aren't worth it. On the one hand, I'm worried about the crater that this game is going to leave and how everything we touch afterward feels tasteless, but at the same time, I'm glad that even with dozens of hours on me, I still feel like I'm There is still a lot to discover and experience, especially now that everyone will be able to fully enter. And yes, there is a clear Game of the Year winner. The discussion and contention is over.
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May 11, 2023I’m sorely tempted to review the 20th instalment in Nintendo Co. Ltd.’s 35-year-old Legend of Zelda franchise by simply giving it a perfect score and issuing a few words along the lines of “just go play this absolute gem of a game.” To give away more robs potential players of the joy of discovering its countless wonders for themselves.
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May 11, 2023The greatest legend that Nintendo has ever told, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a shining beacon of wondrous brilliance in an enviably storied franchise. Nintendo’s playful creativity and ability to surprise its players seemingly know no bounds, and it is a testament to the team’s hard work that a sequel can outpace its predecessor in such miraculous ways. I cannot sing the game’s praises enough, and this is a rare occasion where simply writing about it won’t ever do the experience that awaits you enough justice. Where the series goes next from here is anyone’s guess, but, when I didn’t think that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild could be surpassed, it’s clear that Nintendo is more than capable of achieving the impossible.
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May 11, 2023Developing a sequel that's at least on par with a game that's widely considered to be one of the greatest of all time is no easy task. That being said, Nintendo has managed to not only meet my expectations, but exceed them far beyond what I ever could have imagined. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom recaptures the magic we felt while playing Breath of the Wild for the first time, taking what we loved about it to exciting new heights by switching up some of the mechanics. It's a perfect blend of freshness and familiarity, while still being accessible to newcomers. As long as you can look past the occasional framerate issues, Tears of the Kingdom is simply a masterpiece, making it a must have for every Switch owner young and old. Now if you'll excuse me, I have hundreds more Korok seeds to go find across Hyrule.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is a sequel that knows how to present new things and adds more lore to the incredible universe of Zelda. Islands with a sense of freedom, exciting game, and twists from start to finish will make you play for countless hours in this game and its immensity.
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May 11, 2023Ultimately, the lore isn’t the main attraction, and isn’t the reason the Zelda series has endured for almost half a century. What’s more compelling is the game’s nod to the collective story of how human imagination pushes us through our toughest challenges, and sometimes sends us soaring to heights unseen.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a masterpiece that not only equals what came before, it does everything in its power to surpass it. Even as it presents endless possibilities for me to indulge in and push my creative potential, it all comes back to the intimate gravestones or superfluous conversations that bring its world to life. Fading memorials and lone flowers cement the loss this vision of Hyrule has felt, and my unpredictable path is determined to piece it all back together.
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May 11, 2023I feel as if I will never finish this game. Every time I think I’ve got a handle on it, it reveals a new expanse. I haven’t even mentioned the depths, the particularly dangerous pitch-black underground world that exists below Hyrule. (Man, I do not like it down there.) I am walking around looking at all the clutter in my house and imagining ways that I could fuse it together. I invite my kids on to the sofa with me to watch Link’s adventures, and we all scream as I’m pursued by a terrifyingly fast gloop-monster made of grasping hands. In an airport recently, surrounded by bored people staring at their phones, I was so absorbed in a labyrinth I’d found at the edge of the map that I nearly missed my boarding call.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the perfect sequel and the best game of the Nintendo Switch generation.
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May 11, 2023Overcoming Breath of the Wild’s exceptional quality was never going to be an easy feat, but The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has achieved a small miracle. There is more creativity and choice than ever before, which will undoubtedly have a long-lasting influence on both the series and the wider gaming industry. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is not so much a tearful goodbye from its historic past, but a fresh new beginning – one that embraces the building blocks set down by its predecessor, and transforms them to further push this beloved action-adventure series ever forward.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is indeed the masterclass we were waiting for. A game of incredible generosity that buries, once again, all the competition. Often copied, never equaled, the formula of Breath of the Wild is here improved by new features that offer even more freedom to the player. Rare are the games capable of stimulating and captivating so many players for dozens and dozens of hours. Hyrule is beautiful and holds more secrets than ever before, which even the most hardcore fans will enjoy discovering. Often epic, constantly fascinating, Tears of the Kingdom is likely to divide on a few points. The most intransigent gamers will be able to criticize it for not doing enough to distinguish itself from the previous game. But what's the point when you've already reached the top and are literally flying over the world ?
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an unfathomable follow-up, expanding a world that already felt full beyond expectation and raising the bar ever higher into the clouds.
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May 11, 2023Is Zelda Tears of the Kingdom the most important game in the past 10 years? My answer is: Yes, it is. It's a game that we definitely cannot define with a bunch of words, since they wouldn't ever do it justice.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is easily the greatest open world game ever made, and may well be Nintendo’s finest achievement.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom finds a way to improve upon its predecessor in almost every way, remixing the format and forcing you to rewire your brain in genius ways to solve devilish puzzles, take on challenging bosses, and explore a dense, captivating open world absolutely chock-full of distractions and secrets. Like Breath of the Wild before it, Tears of the Kingdom is an incredible accomplishment in video games that is set to stay in our collective conscience for the next several years and beyond, and it's completely deserving of that honour.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the most unique and creative games I have ever played. There is a lot to do and the world design is a perfect symbiosis between using Link’s abilities and your own smarts to reach your goals. One of the best games ever on Nintendo Switch and a must-buy.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a worthy successor to Breath of the Wild and is easily a Game of the Year contender. Not only will you fall in love with the world of Hyrule all over again, this game feels much more like a traditional Zelda game while retaining all of the charm and beauty of Breath of the Wild.
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May 11, 2023The real kicker that helps separate Tears from Breath of the Wild is its power set. I felt like I was in control at all times, and had the ability to create my own path. For a series known for sequence-breaking, that's not just a perk; it's a strong argument for why Tears of the Kingdom will be talked about for years on end.
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May 11, 2023In its open world, narrative, combat, and traversal, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom proves itself to be a triumph, a game that will be remembered not only as a phenomenal sandbox experience but an outstanding achievement as a game.
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May 11, 2023Breath of the Wild reinvented The Legend of Zelda. Tears of the Kingdom reimagines it once more, as a somehow more ambitious, freeform and creative game, with even greater highs – literally and figuratively. It’s a staggeringly eye-opening game that expertly cultivates the joy of exploration, discovery and believing in your own abilities.
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May 11, 2023Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a canvas for your own creativity, a book to write your own stories, a world to create your own legends. It gives you back as much as you put into it, and beckons you to soar, burrow, engineer, solve, adventure, and explore.
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May 11, 2023Tears Of The Kingdom effortlessly dances between the epic and the ridiculous - and every single moment in this vast, gorgeous playground will be completely unique to each player. I don’t know how, but Nintendo managed to follow a straight-up masterpiece with something bigger, better, and smarter. I genuinely feel bad for every other video game that has to be released in 2023.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the 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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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom appears to be the ultimate open-world title that builds on the strong foundation of its predecessor, introducing significant innovations and even better design, completely redefining the legendary Zelda into a game that anyone can easily understand, fall in love with, and have fun for hundreds of hours.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom uses the formula proposed by its predecessor to build a proposal that improves each of its sections. The result is a game that not only looks one of the most influential titles of the last 10 years in the face, but, as if it were looking for the sky that populates its illustrations, it has managed to rise above it.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom handily exceeds the sky-high expectations surrounding it. It’s an instant classic — and a testament to the unmatched ingenuity of Nintendo’s game design.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the largest and most ambitious game from Nintendo. A masterpiece that presents us with a vast and dense world, expanding in every direction, and continually impressing the player, even after dozens of hours have passed. If Tears of the Kingdom is not the ultimate Zelda, it is the closest thing to it.
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May 11, 2023An excellent sequel and one of the best Zelda games ever made. A follow-up that builds upon and refines the achievements of the original, while adding many new and equally innovative ideas of its own.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom starts from the foundation of the saga and aims for the sky: here, the tradition meets a freedom that's out of reach for modern video games, offering literally infinite ways to interact with a kingdom that is alive and full of content. It's a game which constantly answers any demand from the player and never stops providing new prompts. The return of dungeons, the world that rests hidden beneath the surface, and the floating archipelagos are great additions, but ultimately it's the gameplay - which doesn't know comparatives - to set a new standard.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is much more than the sequel to Breath of the Wild. It is a perfect adventure game, with innovative mechanics, an exciting story and secrets around every corner. With this installment, the world of Hyrule is much larger than ever before, both in density and vertical exploration. In every little detail, you can feel all the work and care that Nintendo has put into this game over the years, because it is simply magical. Undoubtedly, we are facing the best Nintendo Switch game, and we don't think any other will be able to top it. A true masterpiece.
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May 11, 2023It’s impossible to talk about everything that makes The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom so incredible, and making many of those discoveries yourselves is part of the magic. It’s also impossible to overstate just how much there is to do in Hyrule this time around. Much like its predecessor, this is your playground for the next however many years to come, with a little sprinkling of that older Zelda fairy dust mixed into Breath of the Wild’s formula. It’s a glorious, triumphant sequel to one of the best video games of all time; absolute unfiltered bliss to lose yourself in for hundreds of hours. We can’t wait to see what the world will do with the game.
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May 11, 2023A unique experience in video games and a colossal expansion of what we knew in Breath of the Wild, with some moments that will leave you speechless and make you lose yourself in its world without even realizing it.
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May 11, 2023A masterfully crafted journey that encourages exploration and experimentation while guiding you on an epic adventure. The perfect next step for the beloved Zelda franchise.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom builds upon Breath of the Wild's robust systems to offer an experience that eclipses the original in practically every way. Not only that, but it works incredibly hard to restore some of the things lapsed players might've missed from the traditional Zelda experience, and it pays off in droves. While the novelty of its design will never be as impactful as Breath of the Wild's debut, Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best Zelda experiences you'll ever have.
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May 11, 2023While built around the framework of its predecessor, Tears of the Kingdom cleverly recontextualizes the world and systems of this iteration of Hyrule. Through that it is fresh, thrilling, and one of the best games in recent memory. It's also every bit as ground-breaking as its predecessor.
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May 11, 2023Anyone worried that there would be some fatal flaw that came to ruin what seemed to be a can't-miss Switch launch can now rest easy. Tears of the Kingdom is a monumental achievement, and it's going to be talked about relentlessly for years to come.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is one of the most creative, satisfying and rewarding games we've ever played, all within a familiar Hyrule.
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May 11, 2023I felt like a hero at every moment, whether I was saving the princess or exploring hidden passageways or helping rediscover the lost recipe for that aforementioned cheese. But I felt like a hero not because the game told me I was but because it showed me. It showed me that my wacky ideas for building silly motorcars were clever and fun. It showed me that with a bit of bravery I could beat a swarm of enemies with nothing but sticks and stones. It showed me that I could dive off a flying island into the unknown and find my way.
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May 11, 2023Superior to its predecessor in every way, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the true definition of an open world game. 'Open' not only for you to explore, but also for you to unmake and rebuild, only limited in ways that are hard to fathom. It is a monumental triumph of a media that's constantly reinventing itself, but rarely in such large strides.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t stray too far away from the hugely successful template of Breath of the Wild. But by reinforcing its predecessor’s strength for experimentation with the new building mechanics, while also telling an engaging story and opening up new locations to explore, this is a perfect sequel to the greatest game to ever grace the Nintendo Switch.
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May 11, 2023A sequel that reinvents, improves and expands one of the most important masterpieces in the gaming industry to become the best adventure ever made.
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May 11, 2023Although it takes place on the same map as Breath of the Wild (with a few key changes owing to the time-skip and Upheaval, of course), Tears of the Kingdom feels different enough from its predecessor thanks to the new powers and mechanics to stand all on its own. It’s a massive open world that feels dense and exciting without getting clogged up with icon fatigue, since so much of the play is based around physics interactions with the core mechanics, rather than rigid systems.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom reinterprets Breath of the Wild for the better. Instead of removing all the aches and pains of that game, it completes the circle by adding gameplay-based solutions to annoyances and encourages you to let your imagination run free. Easily one of the very best games on Nintendo Switch.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is Nintendo's most grandiose game ever. It's now the best Zelda game ever crafted, and again one of the best games of all time. The two titles will go down in history as one of the best back-to-back releases in any media of all time.
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May 19, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is almost the raw ideal of video games. It's a giant exciting open world, and you're given a huge amount of tools and puzzles to use in that world. It takes everything that was great about Breath of the Wild and improves upon it. It even takes some of the previous negatives (like weapon durability) and turns them into new strengths. The only weak part in the game is that the story isn't any great shakes, but even that's more of a minor annoyance than a serious complaint. Tears of the Kingdom is destined to be a modern classic, and it's an absolute joy to play. Unless you disliked the Breath of the Wild formula, Tears of the Kingdom is a must-play for any Switch owner.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom manages to surpass the perfection previously achieved by Breath of the Wild, an incredible achievement. I am very happy for the other software houses, who will now be able to spend a carefree summer, saving themselves endless work sessions in an attempt to create a contender for the game title of the year: right now, the current generation of game designers lacks unfortunately that spark with which to create a product capable of approaching the genius of Tears of the Kingdom.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom brings together the power of adventure, the wisdom of freedom and the courage of creativity, without forgetting what makes The Legend of Zelda so special: the epic moments and the ability to thrill. They were right when they said the title was a spoiler: we've shed tears of joy.
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May 11, 2023Video game sequels are often iterative on what came before them. It looks a little better, plays a little smoother, retains important mechanics while introducing new ones, and continues the story. Tears of the Kingdom checks most of these boxes, but getting rid of the Runes from the first game and giving players new ones to use in exploring a familiar but undeniably new world is ingenious. Nearly every encounter, whether puzzle, traversal, or combat, must be reconsidered. It makes you think in new ways. I didn’t get the same goosebumps exploring Hyrule as I did in the past, but I did experience new emotions both on a granular level from solving individual puzzles and on a larger scale by going back to one of my favorite video game locations. They say you can never go home again, but I adored returning to Hyrule with all new tools.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is what happens when a triple A studio with a triple A budget can take its time to develop a game, focusing on polish and gameplay instead of graphics. The result is so powerful that it puts to shame many contemporary games. This is a masterpiece.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom quickly does away with worries that Breath of the Wild's Hyrule won't be as fun to explore a second time. Sky Islands, changes to the landscape and much more make this journey every bit as exciting as the previous adventure. Criticisms of Breath of the Wild have been taken to heart where possible, leading to unique dungeons, among other things. Small performance blemishes and occasionally annoying companion AI can't stop this game from being absolutely essential.
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May 19, 2023Tears of the Kingdom captures and improves upon everything it's predecessor was. The sky was they limit and they certainly reached it.
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May 29, 2023You can bet we'll see Tears of the Kingdom at the top of every "best games" list for the next few centuries.
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May 22, 2023A 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.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom manages to offer you another unforgettable adventure with its new features and layered map structure. Even after spending hours in the game, it's exciting to find new details to discover.
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May 11, 2023Breath of the Wild is one of the best Nintendo games ever made, and Tears of the Kingdom improves on the formula in just about every way. Yes, there's a sense of déjà vu with Hyrule's existing map, but the wow factor of the first game is regularly matched as you venture into the new areas.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's truly open world, player’s freedom and openness to experiment make it a true showstopper. Since Breath of the Wild, there was no open world game that made me so happy. But if you don’t share my love for the previous game, you have nothing to look for here.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a new masterpiece that makes Breath of the Wild, one of the best games of all time, look like a draft. By following in the footsteps of its predecessor, it is no longer a “revolution” of course, but it completes the player experience in an epic dimension that has no equal. The feeling of freedom, the feeling of living your own adventure without constraint, these are the great strengths of a game with an absolutely exceptional lifespan. Tears of the Kingdom is discovered over time, little by little, so much so that it will still have things to reveal to us for years to come. It is a jewel of absolute purity and definitely, adventure with a capital A.
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May 11, 2023One of the best adventure games ever made. A playful and artistic titan, who gulps down the hours in a single bite, in a sumptuous banquet of possibilities, creativity, imagination. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom may not have the disruptive impact that Breath of the Wild had because it grows from its roots, given the direct sequel nature. However, it bears new fruit. He possesses - and it is a great conquest - the courage to implement another type of revolution, enlarging, refining and ennobling every virtue of his predecessor. The legacy of the first Link epic on Nintendo Switch is still felt, both for better and for worse. With the legacy of a glorious past, Tears of the Kingdom builds a magnificent present, and opens wide the horizons for the future of the series. In fact, it has the power to stay connected to memory. Like a memory. Beyond the time.
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May 11, 2023Nintendo made the seemingly impossible true: Tears of the Kingdom is even better than its fantastic predecessor. There is more freedom in the world, more variety between sky and underground and especially in combat. All four new main abilities enrich the adventure, in particular concerning puzzles, exploring or giving dye player much room for being creative to find different solutions. There are some minor details that are not perfect. But overall Tears of the Kingdom is close to perfection and just a masterpiece you need to play.
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May 11, 2023Some will say that this Zelda Tears of the Kingdom looks more like DLC++ than the real sequel to Breath of the Wild, and they won't be completely wrong; at least in the first 10/12 hours of play. But by opening its world to the sky, the game changes perspective, opens up new horizons and the open world becomes even more exhilarating to explore. Yes, Tears of the Kingdom will not revolutionize video games like Breath of the Wild did 6 years ago, but it reinforces its gaming possibilities in the most solid way, and above all offers a new way to rediscover its open world. Tears of the Kingdom is to Breath of the Wild what Majora's Mask was to Ocarina of Time, a complementary but above all essential adventure.
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May 11, 2023They did it! Six years after the kick in the pants that was Breath of the Wild, Nintendo is back with a second installment that will widen the gap with the competition in terms of open-world. If there are still many ways to improve and there are even a few small disappointments along the way, we are indeed in the presence of an exceptional title, with undeniable gameplay qualities and a total freedom of exploration, which is still far too rare in 2023. A masterpiece, quite simply.
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May 11, 2023The game has all the necessary qualities to be a great, massive, intelligent, and creative gaming experience that surpasses Breath of the Wild. However, it lacks a "wow factor" and feels like an improved version of its predecessor rather than a completely new experience. Despite its higher quality, the game relies too much on its predecessor, and the main world map is essentially the same.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has enough arguments to be a great game, not just a simple sequel. Link's new abilities change how players enjoy the franchise, and even the world feels much more open than in Breath of the Wild. The downside is that, at various times, the scenarios feel empty and add little to the adventure. Sometimes the shrines are more challenging to solve, the boss battles are memorable and exciting, and the game invites you to be brave at all times because now, the goal to save the day is more meaningful.
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May 11, 2023Quotation forthcoming.
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May 11, 2023Gigantic open world adventure, packed with tasks and secrets, but lacking the novel magic of its predecessor.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an awesome and unforgettable adventure and I'm happy to say that the Zelda series is still killing it in 2023. With that being said; please, Nintendo: we really need to experience a brand new Hyrule in the next Zelda game.
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May 28, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is Nintendo's full realization of the vision Breath of the Wild started, trumping it in every area.
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May 25, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom leaps forward on what was offered in 2017’s Breath of the Wild, filling out the world’s sandbox with innovative new tools and abilities, letting you approach challenges in inventive new ways.
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May 18, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a love letter to Breath of the Wild in the best kind of way and is well deserving of anyone’s adventuring spirit.
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May 11, 2023Perhaps its dungeons aren't as good as the best ones in Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword, while the sage avatars aren't the most elegant solution, and it could feel a bit too familiar if you don't take advantage of the range of new possibilities. However, all the new features make this a better driven adventure, one that is more diverse, entertaining, and with a whole lot of ingenious ideas that could very well come from the mind of a crazy inventor like Robbie. Even if it doesn't break the mold like its predecessor, you won't find any other game like this.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom builds on its strengths, offering an unmatched adventure with expanded content and improved systems, while still retaining some of its predecessor's flaws. Definitely, don't miss out on this redefined adventure.
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May 11, 2023Overall, Tears of the Kingdom is a genuine improvement and evolution over Breath of the Wild. While I still think the Link’s Awakening remake has been the best Zelda game on the Switch thus far, Tears of the Kingdom comes very close to that. The story is also a lot more poignant than many of the other games in the series and consequently Tears of the Kingdom feels a lot more considered. So get ready to go back to Hyrule, because it’s all very new again and entirely massive with it.
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May 11, 2023Outstanding, outrageously big action-adventure that builds on the strengths of its predecessor and puts playful freedom above everything else. It offers a good mix of the familiar and the fresh and just barely misses the perfect rating.
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May 11, 2023It’s bigger, richer, more story-driven, it’s simply better than Breath of the Wild. It would be a 10/10 game if it wasn’t for the technical issues caused by the aging Nintendo Switch. You simply must play the new Zelda anyway, though.
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May 11, 2023So long as you’re willing to meticulously survey Hyrule like an archaeologist digging for fossils, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an engrossing sequel full of mysteries to solve and experiments to conduct. It’s a digital laboratory that I imagine will still be producing unbelievable discoveries 10 years from now.
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May 11, 2023The sheer scale and scope of it ought to be a reminder to the games industry that creativity doesn’t need the most powerful hardware, and the playful approach to gameplay makes this a rare open world game that’s a pleasure to explore and rewarding to immerse yourself within. I hope Nintendo understands that this can’t be the Zelda formula forevermore, and the next one will be an all-new and transformative experience again, but I also don’t begrudge the company the desire to take a second crack at what made Breath of the Wild so special to so many people.
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May 11, 2023Though almost intimidatingly big at times, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom manages to keep focus and provide a rich, robust experience that builds on what came before.
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May 11, 2023We had to wait 6 years for it, but it will be rewarded. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is bigger, better, more fun, more varied and more exciting than its predecessor. The game features gorgeous music, huge variety in gameplay and creative new abilities that open up many new possibilities. In terms of performance, the age of the handheld does begin to take its toll, for example, the performance is not optimal. In addition, the dungeons are not that special, but that is the only thing to note about an otherwise sublime game. In short: everyone who owns a Nintendo Switch must buy this game.
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May 11, 2023As if it was really in doubt, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is another sublime entry in this series. It's not as thoroughly refreshing as Breath of the Wild was six years ago, but as a direct sequel, it takes the same world and manages to transform it with a new over and under world, while Link’s powerful new abilities foster ever-more creative play, and a new epic tragedy unfolds before you. As we head into the Nintendo Switch's twilight years, this is practically essential.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sticks closely to the blueprint established by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but it’s a richer, more rewarding game in most ways that count, offering a more intricate world, versatile suite of abilities, epic story, and satisfying dungeons. The familiarity of this Hyrule and a handful of frustrating sections keep Tears of the Kingdom from feeling quite as surprising and magical as its predecessor, but make no mistake, the wait has been worth it. While it probably behooves Nintendo to carve out an entirely new Legend next, Link’s latest should fill most fans’ heart meters nicely in the meantime.
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May 26, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom improves and expands upon its fantastic predecessor in several ways. Link's new abilities provide significant, and excellent, changes to the core gameplay. Even the narrative offers an interesting backstory the land of Hyrule, while also giving Zelda time to shine. It's one of the best titles that the Nintendo Switch has to offer.
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May 11, 2023Fun, extensive open-world adventure with clever puzzle chambers and a lot of focus on building plus crafting - if you already know Breath of the Wild, you will lose some of the fun of discovery.
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May 19, 2023Still grandiose, still offering a range of possibilities that are still astonishing, TOTK is "still" Zelda. With its rough edges, its moments of grace and its ability to always distract, the experience is just diminished by recalcitrant controls and a lack of identity. The discovery remains, the effectiveness is diminished.
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May 17, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the long-awaited sequel to Breath of the Wild and marks some pluses like changes to Link's new abilities and the large-scale open world. The game has many playable possibilities with the combination of our powers in which the sky is the limit. However, it is more of the same with a different name and the graphic section is not that great.
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May 16, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a thrilling, intricate journey that thrives on its imaginative and adventurous gameplay. Even with the reused map, limited compelling story beats, and unmemorable characters, the unprecedented player freedom and addictive systems pick up the slack. The return of actual dungeons was most welcomed, and the attention to delivering a genuine Zelda adventure can be found in almost every moment of this experience...Depending on how you received Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom might rejuvenate your urge for adventure to the point where you could likely skip this first entry entirely and find enjoyment here. The new systems, conveniences, and lack of map familiarity will likely make it far more effective from a pure gameplay standpoint. Still, it’s great to see this series continue to innovate and provide a lasting experience for fans.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom plays it safe, which is a shame for the follow-up to the least safe Zelda in decades. Still, it’s hard to complain too much about getting more of one of the all-time greats, and there are enough tweaks to make it feel worth playing all over again.
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May 11, 2023A worthy The Legend of Zelda game, Tears of the Kingdom is an adventure that spans across time, good and evil and tells an exciting story of light and darkness, yet still manages to fall victim of mechanisms old and new that deprive it of the refreshing addition to the series its predecessor was. Despite this, it’s still a title that is here to stay.
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May 11, 2023The perfect sequel exists in Tears of the Kingdom and is scattered throughout Hyrule. It can be found in the vast improvements to the mechanics introduced in Breath of the Wild, the narrative expansion, the attention given to certain characters, and the increased participation they have in the story and combat. It gets lost, however, in an unnecessarily prolonged stay, with new game mechanics taking center stage at the expense of exploration and challenging puzzles. The feeling of being in front of a DLC, with dozens of hours, with repetition of ideas and assets, is therefore inevitable.
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May 11, 2023It's no secret The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was made because Nintendo had a lot of additional content and mechanics they didn't manage to fit in the previous game. What we get in the sequel is a direct continuation of the story on a familiar map, but the new skills and interactions save us from the feeling that "we're playing the same thing.
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May 11, 2023A terrific Breath of the Wild follow-up with some brilliant new systems, amazing views and more dungeon-type spaces, plus a slightly deadening emphasis on gathering resources.
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May 11, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is more of an advancement, rather than an evolution. This may still be the same world of Hyrule, but its playground of puzzles and creativity is tough to beat, with exhilarating boss fights and worthwhile side-missions making it a joy to behold. While the controls take some getting used to and the Depths feel a chore to explore, the sky islands help make one of the best open worlds in a video game even better.
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May 23, 2023Great game for fans, but not so much to anyone else.
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May 21, 2023The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is indeed a game with two faces - one welcoming and the other viciously hostile. While it features a wealth of content, brilliant innovation, and genuine incentives to play with its toys, the spectre of its predecessor’s pernicious encroachment on fun is dispiriting in its ubiquity. The neat new tricks this sequel pulls simply aren’t enough to make Hyrule’s realm of brittle weapons, slippery surfaces, and tedious chores any more welcoming.
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May 16, 2023For the right kind of player, someone who just wishes to explore and live in a gorgeously designed fantasy setting, this game will offer countless hours of enjoyment. However, if you are like me and when you are presented with a quest to undertake you simply wish to follow that quest in a way that feels fluid and rewarding, this game has some huge hurdles to overcome.
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May 11, 2023If you’ve yet to step foot into the open world of Hyrule, Tears of the Kingdom is the best way to experience it, with just enough new ground to keep things interesting. But if you didn’t gel with the 2017 release, the story alone might not be worth the second attempt.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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May 28, 2023Breath of the Wild is one of the best video games ever. Tears of the kingdom is even better. [Recommended]
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May 11, 2023Nintendo had the envious task of following up on the greatest game ever made, and rather than consider an entirely new destination it made us savour the journey all over again. As a result, the deja vu never quite fully goes away, but Tears feels like one of the most daring sequels ever made. A game that is better than the original – even more so if you’ve never touched the original. If you have, it helps that Hyrule remains one of the most cohesive and exciting open worlds ever designed. That we get the opportunity to go back, and with such an extensive, expansive and exciting set of new tools at our disposal, cannot be understated.
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May 11, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is an amazing reminder of Nintendo's excellence in immersive design. Nintendo now has a real-life theme park in Super Nintendo World, but here is a tremendous, living, breathing, meticulously crafted world waiting to reveal its hidden stories and secrets. I feel like I've been granted an infinite ticket to Nintendo's Everlasting Gaming Gobstopper Part 2.
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May 19, 2023Tears of the Kingdom is pushing the Switch’s limits in both good and bad ways, so hopefully future patches can shore things up and/or whatever console comes next is backwards compatible with a 60 fps mode for the game. That said, Tears of the Kingdom is a gorgeous game with a wonderful art style that’s able to convey the beautiful, pastoral hills of Central Hyrule, the serene yet sad calm of the sky islands, and the dark, oppressive gloom of the Depths at the same time. It’s incredibly impressive that you’re able to seamlessly dive from the sky, through a canyon, and into the Depths with no loading screens. I did encounter a single loading hitch for about two seconds when sky diving at full speed into Kakariko Village, but everything else is perfectly smooth. Just remember to pull out your paraglider before you hit the ground. I’ve put dozens of hours into Tears of the Kingdom, and I still feel like I’m just getting started.
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May 11, 2023These are moments where I’m gently reminded that true player freedom is, of course, a fallacy. Nintendo created this world, and I inhabit it. Weeks, months, or years from now, I may affect it in ways its creators didn’t intend, but still — I will be using the tools they provided. The brilliance of Tears of the Kingdom lies in how well it imparts the fantasy of player freedom. Sure, Nintendo shakes me out of the daydream every now and then, and in those moments, I see flashes of its old rigid self. But no matter: At some point, I’ll fully escape its watchful gaze. [Polygon Recommends]
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May 11, 2023When the first gameplay showcase for Tears was released, I wrote that the game, because of its sheer depth, was going to ruin lives. I still feel confident in that assessment, so clear your social calendars. But if you’re like me and were hoping for this game to, like Breath of the Wild, inspire a sorely needed feeling of wonder in our increasingly grim world, then the kingdom won’t be the only one shedding tears.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 4,778 out of 5724
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Mixed: 349 out of 5724
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Negative: 597 out of 5724
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May 13, 2023The perfect game, loads of mechanics and incredible creativity Definitely the game of the year
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May 13, 2023
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May 13, 2023