Take to the skies and underground in the highly-anticipated sequel to Breath of the Wild. Are the gameplay and open world adventures in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) worth your money? Read our review to find out!
TotK Review and Score Explanation
TotK Score Explanation
| Overall | Though it’s the first-ever $69.99 Zelda game Nintendo has ever released, Tears of the Kingdom is an absolute joy to play. Its multi-layered open world, innovative gameplay, and hours upon hours of content will have you coming back for more. |
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| Story | The main story is straightforward, but TotK really shines in its side content and many, many lore details about all the characters you encounter in Hyrule. How you experience this tale and how it develops is completely up to you. |
| Gameplay | Nintendo has taken the standard foundation that BotW had laid down in 2017 and expanded upon it greatly. Now Link has many options to fight his enemies, traverse Hyrule, and solve puzzles, all of which encourage creativity on the part of the player. |
| Visuals | Tears of the Kingdom has similar graphics to 2017’s Breath of the Wild, but TotK’s art style manages to mask the age of its graphics. The aesthetic suits the game quite well, and contributes to its timelessness. |
| Audio | TotK uses a good number of tracks from BotW on top of its own music, so the quality is still there. The game knows when to sound scary, when to sound silly, and when to sound compelling with its variety of instruments ranging from pianos to violins to guitars. |
| Value for Money | Though priced higher at $69.99, Tears of the Kingdom gives players an experience worth every penny. Aside from the main story, the meat of the game is in its hours upon hours of side content and puzzles, which are sure to keep people satisfied before wanting more. |
TotK Review: The Perfect Follow-Up
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the perfect follow-up to the formula established by Nintendo with 2017’s Breath of the Wild. The devs have taken what made that game work, tweaked them for Tears of the Kingdom, and threw in a bunch of new stuff for good measure.
Even if this is the first Zelda game to be priced at $69.99, the sheer amount of content you will get with it warrants the price. This is definitely one of the best games of the year, and maybe even one of the best of the early 2020s.
TotK Full Game Review
Pros of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
| Things The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Got Right |
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 Vibrant Open World Leads to Emergent Gameplay Loads Upon Loads of Side Content Timeless Art Style and Sound Direction Great Gameplay that Expands Upon Foundation Set By BotW |
Vibrant Open World Leads to Emergent Gameplay
One of the most striking moments in Tears of the Kingdom, for me, is not clearing one of the main dungeons or a boss battle, but running into a yellow magic man who threw lightning at me, and how I destroyed all of my weapons trying to take him down.
You see, TotK is littered with these little encounters - be it an NPC, an enemy, a piece of treasure, or a weapon that will throw you into an official or unofficial side quest. Whether you’re on your main quest or just exploring Hyrule, you’ll always run into something fun to do. The best part is that it’s presented in such a natural way.
You can walk out of one village, then run into a traveling merchant, or a fashionista on the hunt for a famous criminal’s outfits, or Captain Hoz and his Monster Control Crew, and find yourself on another quest yet again. There’s a free-range element to it that reminds me a lot of Elden Ring. So much so that TotK could very well be an easier version of that game - an open-world adventure where you’re truly free to go and do anything you want.
Loads Upon Loads of Side Content
Hyrule is a big place, and there are a lot of people that happen to need Link’s help. There’s a newspaper that needs a new writer to investigate Princess Zelda’s disappearance, there’s a Rito who wants to grow stronger and needs your help to do so, and a girl is hauling stuffed seals across Hyrule who needs you to gather the ones that have fallen off your wagon.
That’s just the stuff I ran into, not the stuff I actually went out of my way to look for.
The side content is where TotK shines because there’s just so much stuff to do. Explore the Depths, explore Hyrule, explore the sky, explore caves, get all the Skyview Towers/Lightroots, get all the Korok Seeds, complete all the Shrines, and complete the Hyrule Compendium, to name a few.
Even the game’s systems are worth spending some time on. With the Ultrahand ability, I made horse wagons and cars, and with the Fuse Ability, I made a skateboard out of a minecart and a shield. Other players online are also finding ways to play around with the game’s systems, and you will too.
Timeless Art Style and Sound Direction
TotK’s graphics are little different from the graphics we’ve seen with BotW way back in 2017. Despite this, the graphics have aged well because of the art style - a softer look that’s a cross between the realism of Twilight Princess and the anime-esque visuals of Skyward Sword.
Hyrule’s wide expanses still look as breathtaking as before, and the Sky Islands invoke a sense of wonder, as well as a question of how to reach the other islands. The render distance is good enough that the illusion isn’t broken when you get too far from the sights of Hyrule. Do you see that place? Most likely you’ll be able to get up to it.
Meanwhile, the game retains a similar sound suite to what BotW had. Peaceful pianos and lutes and wind instruments when you’re just up and about your day, doing your exploration. But when you get into any kind of action, the music pumps up with drums and horns, making you feel how tense the situation really is.
Plus, the English voice acting in the game is pretty good. Sure, there are times when Princess Zelda sounds like she’s phoning it in, but at the same time, you realize that’s just how the character speaks. The voices are of good quality, overall.
Great Gameplay that Expands Upon Foundation Set By BotW
Breath of the Wild set the foundation for the gameplay of many other open-world RPGs. In it, you could explore a fully-realized landscape at your leisure and discover hidden puzzle caves that contain powerful upgrades. Dynamic events, such as monster encounters, would trigger when you enter certain areas. Along the way, you collected abilities that unlocked new areas on the map for you to explore. It’s a solid system, but it seems Nintendo has outdone itself yet again and expanded on them.
Let’s start with the abilities that Link now has for this game: Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, and Recall.
Ultrahand lets Link move different objects and stick them together.
Meanwhile, Fuse lets him stick different weapons together instead.
Ascend allows him to phase through ceilings and come out the other end, making climbing up certain structures a breeze.
As for Recall, it's the ability to rewind time. Useful for making rocks that fell from the sky go back up again, or hurl projectiles back at your enemies.
You can use these abilities as advertised, but you can think out of the box and use them for other purposes. For example, I was fighting a walking rock being used by Bokoblins as a fort. Suddenly, another rock fell from the sky. I went up to it, used Recall to make it fly into the sky again, and jumped off to land on top of the walking rock and destroy its heart.
The ways you can traverse and interact with the world around you are so plentiful that you run the risk of being overwhelmed. But TotK won’t push you to interact with it; you can interact with it at your own pace, and get lost in the forests of Hyrule. Ride a horse? Why not make a vehicle? Tired of using your paraglider? Get a Zonai Bird Glider out and fly through the air, or fly out of a Skyview Tower.
It’s this expanded freedom of choice that makes Tears of the Kingdom stand out so much. It’s amazing how Nintendo took a look at BotW, ask themselves how they could iterate on it further, and do so with aplomb.
Cons of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
| Things That The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Can Improve |
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Main Story Could’ve Been Longer |
Main Story Could’ve Been Longer
I said earlier that the side content is where TotK shines, because that’s the meatiest part of the story. As for the Main Quest, though, it’s straightforward and all right. But that’s it. Don’t get me wrong – the main quest is really jam-packed with dungeons and different encounters. But at the same time, you’ll notice that it’s just as long as the original BotW. It leaves me wishing that they would have expanded the main quest somewhat.
That’s why I don't recommend players rush finishing Tears of the Kingdom. Enjoy the game at your own pace. Princess Zelda won’t be going anywhere, I assure you.
TotK Story Plot
After beating Calamity Ganon in the last game, Link and Princess Zelda are yet on another adventure. It is said that deep under Hyrule Castle emanates a "gloom" that makes all people who come into contact with it sick. Link and Zelda go down the castle to investigate, and they find strange hieroglyphics detailing the Zonai people - descendants of gods that come from the sky, and the lineage of Hyrule’s first king, Rauru.
When Link and Zelda delve deeper into the ruins, they find an ancient mummy that has been sealed by a mysterious glowing arm. However, this seal is suddenly broken, and the mummy releases Gloom everywhere, decaying both Link’s arm and Master Sword. Suddenly, a chasm opens, and Princess Zelda falls in while Link is saved by the mysterious arm from earlier. Meanwhile, Hyrule Castle begins floating into the sky, with the evil Gloom flowing at its base…
In this new installment of the Zelda series, players will get to not only battle an ancient evil, but experience Hyrule in three layers: the Sky, the Land of Hyrule itself, and underground. Link has access to a bunch of new abilities, as well as vehicles that will let him switch between these three areas. Find the secrets behind the so-called Upheaval, the Zonai civilization, and where Princess Zelda had possibly gone and save Hyrule from ruin.
Who Should Play The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is Recommended if You Enjoy:
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Skyrim
• Elden Ring and other open world video games
Tears of the Kingdom is an open world masterpiece, so fans of the previous BotW would no doubt love TotK's gameplay and exploration. Fans of other open world games like those in The Elder Scrolls series or Elden Ring would also get their money's worth if they give TotK a try. Even if you're not a Zelda fan, you're doing yourself a massive disservice by not playing this game.
Is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Worth It?
TLoZ: TotK is Definitely Worth Your Money
For $69.99, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is definitely worth your money if you’re an owner of a Nintendo Switch. Chock full of content spanning three different world spaces, you will spend hours playing this game to unlock its many secrets. Definitely not a game you’d want to miss.
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 Buy The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Amazon
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How The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Matches Up to Recently-Released Games
| Games That Came Out Recently | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
 Darkest Dungeon 2 |
Tears of the Kingdom is a much freer and more open experience compared to Darkest Dungeon 2. Couple this with the lighter and more epic tone, TotK is much more accessible to casual gamers compared to Darkest Dungeon 2. | Darkest Dungeon 2's worldbuilding and aesthetic is much more mature compared to Tears of the Kingdom, and some players may prefer that more over TotK's tone. |
 Redfall |
Tears of the Kingdom runs well on its home console with barely any performance issues. | Redfall is a multiplayer FPS, while TotK doesn't have any multiplayer support. |
 The Lord of the Rings: Gollum |
Tears of the Kingdom is a more open and action-focused experience compared to Gollum, and its story may be more appealing to fantasy fans. | Gollum is set in the Lord of the Rings universe, so fans of that series will naturally gravitate toward that game. |
How The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Matches Up to Similar Games
| Games Similar to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild |
Though Breath of the Wild has great mechanics already, TotK has improved on it in more ways than one, with the introduction of two new world spaces, new abilities, and new gadgets Link can use to fight in and traverse Hyrule. | Both games are great in their own right, and we suggest that Nintendo Switch owners should get them both to have the full experience. |
 Genshin Impact |
Tears of the Kingdom is much freer than Genshin Impact in terms of the scale of the map, the number of world spaces, and the options for travel and creativity. | Genshin Impact has multiple characters to choose from, while TotK only has you playing as Link. |
 Elden Ring |
Exploration and combat are easier in Tears of the Kingdom compared to Elden Ring, and the game is easier to play for casual players. | Elden Ring however is a more brutal, harder experience that’s structured similarly to the BotW-era Zelda games. We suggest you try Elden Ring out once you’ve had your fill of both BotW and TotK. You’ll be surprised at how similar they are to Elden Ring and a few other From Software games. |
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Player Reviews
Metacritic
On Metacritic's user reviews, various users have said that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a great game, though not deserving of the near-perfect scores it gets. They cite the reuse of assets from Breath of the Wild, a thin narrative, and a feeling that the game is more of an expansion of BotW rather than an actual sequel to it.
On the r/Games review thread for Tears of the Kingdom on Reddit, users have also praised the game for its smooth gameplay and graphics. However, several users have said that not much has changed between Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild, while also saying that its plot was less complex compared to BotW.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Frequently Asked Questions
What to do in TotK?
Well, when you’re starting your playthrough of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, one of the first things you ought to fiddle with is the game’s settings, especially with minimap orientation, the look of the HUD, and camera controls.
Is TotK the best Zelda game?
The answer to a question like this will always be subjective. But, going by lists of the best Zelda games of all time made by sites like Nintendo Life and IGN, it’s definitely one of the best in the series.
Why is TotK $70?
In an interview with the Associated Press, Nintendo USA Head Doug Bowser said The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s $69.99 price reflected what he called "the type of experience that fans can expect when it comes to playing this particular game."
Is there a post-game in TotK?
Though the game does not have a "New Game Plus" mode yet, you can continue playing TotK even after you’re done with the main plot. Once you finish the main game and reload your save, you will be shown a completion rate on the side of your screen. If you want to get that up to 100%, then you’ll have to complete all the Shrines, visit all named locations in Hyrule, and collect every Korok Seed.
Is TotK a sequel to Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity?
No, it’s a sequel to Breath of the Wild. But Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a (sort-of) prequel to Breath of the Wild, detailing the events of the Calamity 100 years ago. If you want to understand more about Breath of the Wild’s story, we recommend you check Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity out.
TotK Review Video
TotK Trailer
Game8 Reviews
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Product Information
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| Title | THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TEARS OF THE KINGDOM |
|---|---|
| Release Date | May 12, 2023 |
| Developer | Nintendo |
| Supported Platforms | Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Action RPG |
| Number of Players | 1 |
| ESRB Rating | Everyone 10+ |
| Official Website | https://www.zelda.com/tears-of-the-kingdom/ |
