“BOTW crawled so TOTK could RUN! Tears Of The Kingdom is BOTW- But Better... "
HOW I PLAYED: I played The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom on the OG Nintendo Switch. I pre ordered the game as a digital download from the Nintendo eShop. I also exclusively played in docked mode with a Switch Pro controller.
STORY — 19/20
INTRO
This game is the Evil Dead II to Evil Dead, Zelda version. Tears Of The Kingdom has a much better story and everything compared to BOTW, making the latter feel obsolete in almost every way. The story is simple but delivered exceptionally well.
CUTSCENES
The cutscenes are beautifully crafted, adding depth and emotion to the narrative. Each one is a visual treat that enhances the overall storytelling.
WORLD BUILDING
The world-building is immersive and richly detailed, offering a more profound connection to the lore and environment. However, some repetitive elements from BOTW are still present.
OVERALL STORY
Overall, the story is a significant improvement over BOTW, with better character development and a more engaging plot. It’s a compelling journey from start to finish.
GRAPHICS — 13/15
CHARACTER MODELS
Considering the hardware limitations, the character models look fantastic. The level of detail and artistic design are commendable.
ENVIRONMENTS
The environments are beautifully rendered, though they can't compare to the capabilities of PS5 or PC. For a 2017 handheld console, the game looks incredible and improves on BOTW in subtle ways.
SPECIAL FX
The special effects are top-notch, with improved FX and subtle detail enhancements that make the game visually stunning.
AUDIO — 14/15
AMBIENCE
The ambience in TOTK is captivating, with a darker tone in some of the music that I loved. The OST has its warm moments and its downright chilling moments, creating a perfect blend.
BOSS MUSIC
The boss music is engaging and fits well with the battles, though it could use a bit more variety to stand out.
SOUND DESIGN
The sound design is excellent, with well-balanced audio that enhances the gameplay experience. The variety of sounds keeps the player immersed in the game world.
PERFORMANCE — 9/10
FRAME RATE
This game was never supposed to run at 60fps, so I won’t dock it for that. With a day 1 patch, the game maintains a consistent 30fps and receives regular updates to ensure stability. But I did dock a point because when using the UltraHand ability you do see frame dips below 30fps. This was documented by Digital Foundry in their performance review video.
STABILITY
The game is remarkably stable, with no significant issues or missing features. It released complete and has been getting updates even right after launch.
GAMEPLAY — 37/40
CONTROLS
The controls are intuitive and responsive, allowing for a seamless gaming experience. The new mechanics work and feel great.
MECHANICS
Ultra Hand and Ascend allow for insane creativity and are amazing new game mechanics. The game is 100% pure gameplay, letting players approach tasks in their own way. There is some crazy stuff you can do when you mix all of these new mechanics together. But Nintendo definitely took the time to make sure that these features weren't 100% broken... but they still kinda are!
PACING
The pacing is perfect, with no wasted time on long-distance running. The traversal options are vast, including building vehicles and fast travel. Riding a horse has become 100% obsolete as you can easily get the Zonai parts to create a versatile air speeder.
UI/UE
The user interface is clean and user-friendly, providing all necessary information without clutter. The experience is smooth and enjoyable.
BOSS QUALITY
The boss battles are a huge improvement in TOTK and well-designed, providing a satisfying challenge that feels rewarding. Each of the primary dungeon bosses are creative and all have their own "puzzle" for defeat. I was very impressed with the boss diversity in TOTK vs BOTW.
ENEMY VARIETY
There is a good variety of enemies, all of the enemies from BOTW are here which is kind of a letdown but there are some new enemy types to help keep things fresh. I did feel like there was enough variety for me to not mind the copy and paste.
GAMEPLAY VARIETY
The gameplay offers immense variety, allowing players to turn the game into their own unique experience. This level of freedom is rare and highly enjoyable. You can spend hours crafting insanely creative machines with batteries and Zonai parts. Or you can go around doing NPC side quests, or even try to complete every single shrine or find every Korok seed.
REPLAYABILITY
The game’s endless possibilities and creative mechanics ensure high replayability, making it a game you can return to again and again.
BONUS — 0/4
I wouldn't be lying if I said it wasn't a little disappointing that a modern Nintendo game has basically 0 accessibility options. I hope in the future it becomes standard for Nintendo games to have minimum features like remappable controls, color blind options and maybe some audio descriptions. Fingers crossed for the future!
OVERALL — 92/100
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom is almost a perfect game and my highest-rated game since starting these reviews. BOTW crawled so TOTK could RUN! Tears Of The Kingdom is BOTW- But Better... There is basically ZERO reason to ever play BOTW ever again. While it has minor gripes similar to BOTW, such as the abundance of shrines and Korok seeds, the game excels in every other aspect. It's a must-play for any Zelda fan or gaming enthusiast.
TLDR: 92/100 (INCREDIBLE) The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom surpasses BOTW in every way, offering a compelling story, stunning visuals, and unmatched gameplay freedom. It's a nearly perfect game that sets a new standard for open-world adventures.
PICK UP The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom HERE:
Nintendo Switch: https://amzn.to/4d5pyoR
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