The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

It's actually crazy that this game was even made. Quite possibly the greatest open world game ever made. It has some flaws for sure, but it has so many positives that i honestly don't care about the flaws. The world is absolutely filled with a bunch of stuff to do, to the point where it took me 50 hours just to get to the first dungeon because i kept getting distracted. They also casually just threw in an amazingly complex building system in to this, which instantly elevates this game to one of the greatest sandboxes ever made. The fact that they took a game that was already a masterpiece and just made it so much better in every way is so amazing. And from a technical standpoint it's insane how this game was even made, they fit 2 and a half big maps (with one of them arguably being the best open world map in gaming history), around 50,000 possible fusion combinations which i didn't even mention in this review, an amazingly complex building system into a game already known for its amazing physics that's well made and implemented, and the player the ability of pure freedom to almost break the game by having a million different ways to do things, into a 16.3 gb small cartridge for a very not powerful console from 2017 is just insanely impressive and impactful for the gaming industry. In my opinion, this is by far the greatest open world game of all time.

10 out of 10 - A Triumph Beyond Time and Sky

Overview:

Where Breath of the Wild shattered expectations and redefined the open-world genre, Tears of the Kingdom does the unthinkable - it elevates it. Literally and spiritually. This isn't a sequel that plays it safe. This is a bold, risky masterpiece that doubles down on exploration, expands the mythos, and gives players power, freedom, and tools so creative you could build a damn empire from scratch.

This game isn't just about saving Hyrule.

It's about reinventing how you interact with Hyrule.

Story & Scope:

The tone here is both ancient and urgent. An ominous force stirs beneath the surface - a hidden evil that feels deeply connected to Hyrule's long-lost past. The mystery runs deeper, the stakes are higher, and the emotional undercurrent? Heavier.

You're not just traversing land anymore.

You're flying through sky islands.

You're diving into depths that hide forgotten nightmares.

You're unlocking a timeline of legendary proportions.

And Zelda? She's no longer a passive figure. Her presence in this story - her choices - shape everything. You feel the weight of loss, legacy, and leadership all the way through.

Gameplay Innovation: Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, Recall

The abilities alone deserve their own throne: Ultrahand lets you build anything - gliders, mechs, traps, bridges - if you can dream it, you can build it. It's Minecraft meets MacGyver meets ancient Sheikah tech.

Fuse takes the combat sandbox to the next level. Slap a rock on a stick, a bomb on an arrow, or a ruby on your sword - now you're creating chaos, your way.

Ascend is a mind-blowing mechanic that flips traditional traversal on its head. Ceiling? More like shortcut.

Recall lets you reverse time on objects - part puzzle solver, part combat trick, part "wait, did I just do that?!" wizardry.

These powers don't just add spice.

They reshape how you think as a player.

World Design:

Hyrule is massive. But now, it's layered: Surface - Familiar but evolved, reshaped by upheaval. New towns, ruins, and mysteries everywhere.

Sky Islands - Ethereal, puzzle-filled paradises that test your creativity and timing.

The Depths - Vast, pitch-black, and terrifying. A forgotten underworld crawling with danger and discovery.

This isn't open-world fatigue. It's open-world finesse.

Combat & Gear:

Durability returns, but it matters less now - because your gear is yours to customize. The fuse system makes every encounter fresh. Enemy camps are no longer just trials - they're experiments. You approach each battle not just with weapons, but with ideas.

And yes - Link's moveset is as sharp and fluid as ever.

Bows, gliders, shields, slow-mo mid-air attacks - it's all here, all dialed in.

Tone & Presentation:

The soundtrack is haunting and gorgeous, often subdued until a piano or swell catches you off-guard and floors you. The visuals? Breathtaking. The skies feel endless. The lighting in the Depths is eerie and dreamlike. And the ancient iconography layered throughout? Pure worldbuilding bliss.

The tone is heavier, more mysterious. You're surrounded by echoes of a lost civilization and whispers of prophecy. And it all leads to one of the most cinematic, intense, and emotional conclusions the franchise has ever delivered.

(No spoilers - but the final act? Chills, brother. Chills.)

Why It's a 10:

Because this isn't just a game - it's a love letter to curiosity, innovation, and legacy.

It says: We trust you.

It says: Here's power. What will you do with it?

It says: Build, break, explore, fall, rise again.

Tears of the Kingdom challenges your imagination and rewards it with beauty, depth, and awe at every turn. It's not just a follow-up - it's a spiritual successor that closes the arc of Breath of the Wild with brilliance.

Final Thought:

Some games give you a sword and a path.

This one gives you a broken world and says, make it whole again - your way.

You don't just play Tears of the Kingdom.

You write your own legend inside it.

(I'll update my review as I play through the game). I love the sandbox elements of the game and the new abilities that Link has access to. They are much better than what we had in Botw because they interact and are integrated with world in a much more engaging and interesting way. I also love the new enemy variety and bosses. It is much more similar to what we would expect from a Zelda game. However, the dungeons are still not what I want from a Zelda game. And the game in general doesn't really feel like what I've grown to associate with Zelda. I know many people dislike linear games but I think a linear experience doesn't run the risk of ruining the experience for players who do things the "wrong" way. Additionally, the story and progression can be more potent and fun. I firmly believe that a linear experience is a more consistently powerful than an open world experience. I love the freedom but eventually since the story only ends when you want it to, by the time you finish the game it will have lost its appeal whereas a linear experience gets to end the game with a bang. My biggest issue though is still the dungeons. In older Zelda games you would slowly unlock parts of the dungeon making the whole process satisfying as you would go through the dungeon one door at a time. Then halfway through you would get a key item as a reward for a mini boss and would be forced to use the item as a sort of tutorial. As you went through the second half of the dungeon you would become more and more comfortable with the item and finally, as one last challenge you would be tested on your knowledge of the new item and the dungeon as a whole. It was a satisfying experience that left me hungry for more and excited for the next dungeon. That just isn't the case here. There's never the wonder of "what item am I getting here?" or "what cool puzzles will be featured?" It's just a slog to do dungeons. I love the game but I honestly wish that the dungeons were more linear. However, they are significantly better than Botw dungeons and are actually fun so that is a big step up. Additionally, and I don't know if I'm the only one who's noticed this, but the game looks noticeably better than Botw which was a high standard. The enemy variety is very refreshing after the repetitive enemies of Botw. The new bosses are also very appreciated. I remember heading into the depths and then getting jump scared by a giant Obsidian Frox that freaked me out. In general the exploration has gone up from a 9.5/10 in Botw to a very easy 11. Now every corner of the world is not just filled with things to find but meaningful and exciting things. I recently found the torse to the Twilight Princess set and let out an audible squeal of joy and excitement. Overall, I won't give the game a ten until I've finished it but it's getting there.

Definitely a great game I've played a lot of Zelda games and this is one of the best games I've played. I also really liked the game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It's hard to say which one is better. There are other good Zelda games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and the legend of zelda: ocarina of time the legend of zelda is without a doubt an excellent game series every game feels like an amazing adventure The game was really good, the animation, the battles and the plot, in my opinion, one of the best games released this year

the legend of zelda tears of the kingdom:(10/10)

I have spent over 120 hours playing this spectacular game. At first, I thought it was a bit overwhelming, but as I made my way through the map and unlocked this new world, I realized it was much more than just a simple DLC. It offers new stories, characters, and adventures. Don't pay attention to those people who say it's just a new DLC; for me, it's something new while still appreciating all the good things from the previous game! The gameplay mechanics are very different, which can make it seem complicated, but after playing it, you will once again immerse yourself in a fantasy world that only Nintendo can achieve!

Excellent game!