It’s been over two years sinceThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomcame out on the Nintendo Switch and, despite its almost universally high praise from critics, it still feels like a letdown. After the brand-new era of Hyrule thatBreath of the Wildbrought fans to in 2017,it was almost impossible to overcome expectations. Rather than radically change what madeBOTWso successful,TOTKopted to bring players back to the same world.
While there were entirely unique additions to Hyrule and its people,TOTKmostly retreads the same ground asBOTW.Tears of the Kingdomis a good game, but its inability to stray too far from its predecessor held it back. In keeping so close to the first game,TOTKended up more like a massively expanded DLC than anything else.
TOTK Just Isn’t As Good As BOTW Or Other Zelda Games
A Sequel That Retreads What The Original Did
Tears of the Kingdommay be a good game, butit will never be as iconic asBreath of the Wild. WhileTears of the Kingdomserviceably followed up onBOTW, it didn’t provide anything surprising or revolutionary toThe Legend of Zeldaas a series. Back in 2017,BOTWintroduced a fresh version of Hyrule, entirely free for players to roam, with new weapon systems, creative mini dungeons, and a tragic story that spans over a century. These changes were never seen in aZeldagame before, so its impact on the series can’t be overstated.
TOTKsimply expanded on whatBOTWbegan with new (and mostly empty) skies and subterranean areas. Unfortunately,Tears of the Kingdomwill always live in the shadow ofBreath of the Wild. The new version of Hyrule was far too iconic to reinvent so soon, butreturning to it right away in a sequel does feel like retreading familiar ground.
Even the story, with the return of a more classic form of Ganon, doesn’t live up toBOTW. The setup created byBOTW, with a centuries-long clash between the forces of Hyrule and a bestial version of Ganon, didn’t lend itself well to a sequel.The two different Ganon variants feel disconnected, which doesn’t helpTears of the Kingdomas a direct follow-up. Taking place in thesame Hyrule only a few yearsafter the end ofBOTWleaves makes managing the connection awkward, especially whenZeldatypically re-invents the legend with almost every entry.
TOTK Followed BOTW Too Much & Lost Its Originality
This Version Of Hyrule Has Already Been Discovered
Hyrule is mostly the same inTears of the Kingdom, though small sections are differentdue to its citizens rebuilding their kingdom after Link and Zelda’s climactic battle against Calamity Ganon. While there are entirely new sections of the map to explore – the skies and the depths – Hyrule no longer evokes the sense of wonder that came from exploring it inBOTW.
InBreath of the Wild, players are introduced to a newly awakened Link, who steps out of his cave into a sweeping landscape shot of Hyrule. After a short stint stuck on a plateau,players are set loose to explore anywhere they want without restrictions. They could take on the game from any angle and in any order they chose, all while discovering the nooks and crannies of Hyrule for the first time.Tears of the Kingdomwas put in the uncomfortable position of taking place directly afterBOTW, which meant Hyrule needed to be more or less the same.
Mechanically,TOTKis largely the same asBOTW, with a few extra abilities to aid new puzzles. Being able to teleport through solid objects andglue things together to create simple machinesis fun, but they feelmore like DLC features forBOTWthan the new focus of an entirely different game. The core mechanics ofBOTWare unchanged, which makesTOTKfeel far less original when playing both games.
BOTW Is Simply Too Iconic
Without the shadow ofBreath of the WildoverTears of the Kingdom, it’s a brilliant game. Opportunities like exploring the new layers of Hyrule and building any sort of machine one can imagine make it a thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience. WithBreath of the Wildas its predecessor, however,Tears of the Kingdomwas always going to be disappointing to some degree. Nothing will ever recapture the experienceBOTWbrought to players, especially when it comes to exploring Hyrule for the first time.
Tears of the Kingdomis a solid game, andit brings some new innovationsto theLegend of Zeldaseries, but not in the same wayBreath of the Wilddid. It was a tough act to follow, andTOTKdeserves every bit of praise it got at release, but after a few years, it’s clear thatTears of the Kingdomdidn’t have the same dramatic impact on gaming asBreath of the Wild.
