The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

 Switch
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 9840 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7,514 out of 9840
  2. Mixed: 734 out of 9840
  3. Negative: 1,592 out of 9840
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  1. Vlad_TM
    May 14, 2023
    10
    ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
    ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
    ❤️ ❤️ GOTY ❤️ ❤️
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  2. XxSohraabPlayzx
    May 14, 2023
    10
    Haven’t had this much fun with a video game in forever. Fantastic experience that makes the amazing Breath of the Wild feel only like a demo. 10/10
  3. Kenoic
    May 14, 2023
    10
    Adds so many new fun mechanics while taking everything great about the entire series and puts it all into one amazing game. Must play 10/10
  4. eSKAone
    May 13, 2023
    10
    Dude sickest game ever made. The Zelda devs are the Masters. Nintendo just rocks. But this is the most creative one, and it's also very big and very detailed and beautiful
  5. Krazyguy569
    May 15, 2023
    10
    Absolute masterpiece. The greatest game I have ever played.
    The maps and things to be discovered are incredible.
    Combat is fun and engaging. Building mechanics are very fun and make you feel stupid a LOT. You will get confused by this game. The controls are very complex and frustrating, but with time you'll master them. Expect to enjoy this game leisurely. Between constantly getting    Absolute masterpiece. The greatest game I have ever played.
    The maps and things to be discovered are incredible.
    Combat is fun and engaging.
    Building mechanics are very fun and make you feel stupid a LOT. You will get confused by this game.
    The controls are very complex and frustrating, but with time you'll master them.
    Expect to enjoy this game leisurely. Between constantly getting murdered, and the story, it's serene and chill, almost boring at times. But it's nice to catch your breath and just wander aimlessly sometimes.
    Loads of NPCs and text, which I love personally This game is extremely complicated and sometimes it expects you just "F around and find out", play and try things.
    It's also beautiful and I'm used to the sort of slow frame rate stuff, it doesn't bother me at all. I consider it deliberate for the most part but I recognize it frustrates some people.
    I have never had the game crash yet or severely glitch out but I may just be lucky, we'll see.    … Expand
  6. danielmmy
    Jun 2, 2023
    10
    All i can say is that somehow tears of the kingdom manager to surpass my previously favorite game botw.
  7. Afenger
    May 15, 2023
    10
    Não há muito o que dizer a respeito de TOTK, apenas elogiar a mente brilhante da equipe de desenvolvimento. O jogo nos transporta para um game com 3 planos de exploração, um mundo vasto e cheio de surpresas e agora com companheiros que nos acompanham na jornada, as construções aos montes deixa a imaginação florar sem limites. 2023 surgiu o goty e pela segunda vez Zelda merece o tal, eNão há muito o que dizer a respeito de TOTK, apenas elogiar a mente brilhante da equipe de desenvolvimento. O jogo nos transporta para um game com 3 planos de exploração, um mundo vasto e cheio de surpresas e agora com companheiros que nos acompanham na jornada, as construções aos montes deixa a imaginação florar sem limites. 2023 surgiu o goty e pela segunda vez Zelda merece o tal, e cravo aqui a média final será 97+.… Expand
  8. TebasvsHD
    May 14, 2023
    10
    Game of the Year :D, IDK why is getting review bombing, don't be like this :c
  9. OberiousLocke
    May 21, 2023
    10
    The best game to come out in recent memory as far as I'm concerned, bar none. They changed the world enough to make it interesting to explore again but not so much that it felt alien coming off of Breath of the Wild. The new mechanics are excellent and allow for crazy amounts of creativity when it comes to solving puzzles. Developers of open world games and games in general would do wellThe best game to come out in recent memory as far as I'm concerned, bar none. They changed the world enough to make it interesting to explore again but not so much that it felt alien coming off of Breath of the Wild. The new mechanics are excellent and allow for crazy amounts of creativity when it comes to solving puzzles. Developers of open world games and games in general would do well to take notes.… Expand
  10. pieguard
    Jul 10, 2023
    10
    I am about 150 hours in, and I can say this is a massive improvement on what breath of the wild brought to the gaming world. I still feel like there is so much content left to enjoy and I am excited to maybe put another 150 hours in. The new world layers feel great and fresh, and all serve their own purposes. All of the new skills feel fresh and fun to use, unlike BOTW where a few skills /I am about 150 hours in, and I can say this is a massive improvement on what breath of the wild brought to the gaming world. I still feel like there is so much content left to enjoy and I am excited to maybe put another 150 hours in. The new world layers feel great and fresh, and all serve their own purposes. All of the new skills feel fresh and fun to use, unlike BOTW where a few skills / powers were fun but others seemed tacked on and did not add much. I am sooo blown away by this game.… Expand
  11. Thunderbunny197
    Aug 29, 2023
    10
    THIS is how you make a sequel to already one of the best games there is. There's so much stuff to do. It single handedly upped the ante for open world games, even after Elden ring did so last year. The story is better then BoTW and there is an actual endboss now that is not a total pushover but a force to be reckoned with. It does everything BoTW did, but better with even more freedom.
  12. Hatered91
    May 27, 2023
    10
    One of the best games this year for sure. Open world is great with lots to do and game runs great.
  13. Gawillamon
    May 22, 2023
    10
    The most mind blowing game I've ever played. This game makes Breath of the Wild seem like child's play.
  14. enigma81
    Aug 11, 2023
    10
    Exceptional worldbuilding, gameplay that is easy to access but harder to master, masterful storytelling. Can safely recommend spending hours in this version of Hyrule. The storytelling and direction is also preferable to "Breath of the Wild" in that it helps you navigate the world to a larger part than before, even if you are also free to roam as before. The introduction of devices you canExceptional worldbuilding, gameplay that is easy to access but harder to master, masterful storytelling. Can safely recommend spending hours in this version of Hyrule. The storytelling and direction is also preferable to "Breath of the Wild" in that it helps you navigate the world to a larger part than before, even if you are also free to roam as before. The introduction of devices you can build is also another significant development from previous, that can aid you in exploring and fighting or become a full minigame in itself.… Expand
  15. TheCoffeeTalker
    May 14, 2023
    10
    This game takes everything about Breath of the Wild and makes it better. Improved mechanics, MUCH more enemy variety, more world to explore, the world feels more alive, etc. They also did a phenomenal job making the world run so smoothly, diving down from the sky to the surface gives me little to no performance issues. The new abilities give so many more opportunities for creativity, andThis game takes everything about Breath of the Wild and makes it better. Improved mechanics, MUCH more enemy variety, more world to explore, the world feels more alive, etc. They also did a phenomenal job making the world run so smoothly, diving down from the sky to the surface gives me little to no performance issues. The new abilities give so many more opportunities for creativity, and the various new mechanics help make the game feel new as well.… Expand
  16. Linknlogs227
    May 16, 2023
    10
    It is so deeply engaging and improves in every way the game that BOTW was. I couldn't recommend it more.
  17. WickKidda
    May 13, 2023
    10
    This is the most creative adventure game I've ever played. The depth of the gameplay and the feeling of accomplishment when you figure something out in your own custom way is unmatched. It truly makes you feel like you invented the solution to the puzzles yourself.

    The powers are better than BotW and each challenge you encounter perfectly forces you to learn how to use them on your own.    This is the most creative adventure game I've ever played. The depth of the gameplay and the feeling of accomplishment when you figure something out in your own custom way is unmatched. It truly makes you feel like you invented the solution to the puzzles yourself.

    The powers are better than BotW and each challenge you encounter perfectly forces you to learn how to use them on your own. There are more kinds of things to explore like caves and wells. There are some familiar items and enemies but also many new ones, especially in the sky and deep underground. The map is NOT the same! There are three maps! One for ground, one for sky, and one for deep underground where it's completely dark and all connected. The sky puzzles are amazing! The ground map has the same regions as BotW but they are different this time around. And the deep underground is done very well with the light sources that you can use to light the darkness.

    Many things have been upgraded and improved or expanded upon. I haven't had this much fun playing a game in... I don't know, because this game is such a unique feeling of creativity mixed with Nintendo's highest quality design, its like I'm playing the first of a new genre. I think this is my first metacritic review. I just had to stand up for how amazing this game really is. It kind of like Legos and everybody loves Legos. Don't listen to these miserable people, this game is a must play. Relax and have fun. A new kind of great open world game is here. :)    … Expand
  18. 9to10Gaming
    May 20, 2023
    10
    Does everything BotW did, only in better. More content, better shrines, more to explore, better dungeons, better story.

    Simply a 10/10 masterpiece
  19. Federx
    May 13, 2023
    10
    serious contender for best game ever made. they pretty much fixed anything about botw that needed fixing.
  20. YakusokuNoJi
    Jul 30, 2023
    10
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3qdPhUGrcE

    Here is my review. I won't make another one.
  21. xDelphos
    May 13, 2023
    10
    Switches technical limitations set aside, this is the best videogame of all times! Gameplay is only limited by your imagination in link's greatest adventure!
  22. mux
    Jun 9, 2023
    10
    I must admit that initially, I wasn’t a big fan of BOTW when it was released. I felt that it lacked variety and found the shrines to be rather dull. However, with Tears of the Kingdom (TOTK), those concerns are no longer applicable. TOTK addresses the issues I had with its predecessor and offers a wide array of diverse environments to explore. It has truly exceeded my expectations in manyI must admit that initially, I wasn’t a big fan of BOTW when it was released. I felt that it lacked variety and found the shrines to be rather dull. However, with Tears of the Kingdom (TOTK), those concerns are no longer applicable. TOTK addresses the issues I had with its predecessor and offers a wide array of diverse environments to explore. It has truly exceeded my expectations in many ways. The game essentially serves as a massive physics-based puzzle, which never fails to amaze me.

    The storyline is captivating, and the fusion system for weapons introduces a fascinating new twist that allows for fresh strategies. While the durability of the gear remains a minor drawback, the ability to forge your own weapons encourages continuous experimentation to optimize their effectiveness. Initially, I was hesitant about the construction and building elements, but Nintendo executed it exceptionally well, making it feel organic and inspiring. This unique aspect of the game adds to its overall appeal.

    Furthermore, TOTK pushes the boundaries of the Nintendo Switch’s capabilities, showcasing what can be achieved on what could be considered an outdated device. Sure, some frame-rate issues exist, but considering how amazing the game actually is, one can easily overlook them. I genuinely don’t understand the substantial amount of criticism this game receives. Although the world may seem partly familiar, everything feels refreshingly new and different. For me, TOTK is nothing short of a perfect 10. It not only stands as the pinnacle of the Zelda series but also has the potential to claim the top spot in my personal list of the greatest games of all time—although Elden Ring poses a formidable challenge. Nevertheless, in terms of originality, TOTK undoubtedly emerges as the victor.

    While the standards set by previous Zelda games, such as the iconic Ocarina of Time, are undoubtedly remarkable, this game goes above and beyond, completely revolutionizing the traditional Zelda formula. Once again, Nintendo showcases their unparalleled ability to deliver gaming experiences that are truly unique and exceptional.    … Expand
  23. gleidsondf
    May 14, 2023
    10
    Spectacular game, very beautiful and addictive. It guarantees dozens of hours of gameplay. Worth every penny! I recommend!
  24. dzbnkx
    Aug 3, 2023
    10
    Absolutely amazing game. When Breath of the Wild was released, many of us couldn't imagine bigger and better sandbox game. I thought that BotW was THE ULTIMATE sandbox, but now I know I was wrong.

    Breath of the Wild was kind of messiah of sandboxes. No one, ever before, made bigger and better sandbox. Tears of the Kingdom however, is not a messiah, but it's an innovator - it improves    Absolutely amazing game. When Breath of the Wild was released, many of us couldn't imagine bigger and better sandbox game. I thought that BotW was THE ULTIMATE sandbox, but now I know I was wrong.

    Breath of the Wild was kind of messiah of sandboxes. No one, ever before, made bigger and better sandbox. Tears of the Kingdom however, is not a messiah, but it's an innovator - it improves the mechanics and adds more.

    They say that surface map of Hyrule is the same as it was in Breath of the Wild, but when I'm traversing it, I don't know what to expect behind the corner, even when I spent almost 200hrs in the predecessor. You start in another place of the world, and some places which was relatively safe in BotW are dangerous in TotK and vice versa. On top of that, TotK adds sky islands and underground with their own resources. Underground seems pretty dangerous at first, but if you know how to traverse it, it can be pretty soothing experience with almost no background music and with particles in the air. If you are bored with the gameplay loop on the surface, or in the underground, you can seamlessly go somewhere else.

    Breath of the Wild was a game about loneliness. Our protagonist was asleep for 100 years and no one knew who he was. But Tears of the Kingdom is a game about relationships. Relationships you made in BotW. The story take place few years after the ending of BotW and you can see kids grew up, changes in the open world, etc.

    Nintendo made the game to be friendly to new players, so you can learn about the story from BotW in different places in Hyrule from different people. I still recommend playing BotW first, because of meeting new friends who are present in TotK, and some side quests changing the open world, in a way which we see now in TotK.
    However, there are some plot holes, like, where are the Divine Beasts? Why the sun and the moon are going backwards now?

    The soundtrack is very good and in my opinion is better than it was in BotW. Themes of the towns are pretty much the same, but themes in shrines, battle themes are new and feel fresh. And let's not forget about references to older Zelda titles in boss battle themes, and in other places too.

    Tears of the Kingdom is a great puzzle sandbox with the vast, open world. Basically all abilities you have are used to solving puzzles. There is no one proper way to solve the puzzles, you can solve it however you want and that's the most important part of this game. It gives the players a lot of satisfaction when they solve the puzzles in their own way, that's why the playthrough would be different for each of us. That was the case in BotW too, but with the abilities such as Ultrahand, or Fuse, the possibilities are endless.

    Physics engine is as good as it was in BotW - it's absolutely phenomenal. In TotK it spread its wings to the maximum with the new abilities.

    Ultrahand modifies how the player looks at things in Hyrule. Now, a tree is not just another tree, but you can connect trunks and make a raft, or a roof to make a fire when it rains, or you can climb high places, and there are a lot of things like that you can use to achieve your own goals.
    Fuse is the developers' answer to durability complains in BotW. Not only fusing something durable to a weapon increases its durability, or something powerful increases its attack power, but it also gives it its properties. For example, when you attach ice fruit to a weapon, it gives freezing attack to it. Again, you can try combining different things in your own, creative way.
    On top of that, there is Ascend which gives you the ability to float through ceilings, and which indeed sometimes feels like cheating (as the developers said in an interview), and Recall which rewinds time.

    The story was, like it was in BotW, written after they had got gameplay mechanics done. Nintendo had a tough task optimizing it that you can discover it in any order, so it's again in form of memories. However, I recommend discovering it in a "proper" order, as in shown in the Forgotten Temple (from left to right, it's not a spoiler as it's one of the first main quests). The story doesn't have a lot of time relatively to playthrough time, and it's clearly visible that the main point of this game is gameplay. However, you can dive into lore deeper if you want, youtubers make hours-long videos about lore in this game.

    The game works in 30 fps, sometimes more stable, sometimes less, sometimes framerate drops to 20-25 fps. But it wasn't a problem for me, for me hardware limitations were visible when something you built vanishes after you wander too far away from that, and it's usually not that far...

    But even with that said, Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best games of all time, and it's my top 1 favorite games at the moment.
    I give it a solid 10/10.

    + gameplay
    + music
    + mechanics / abilities
    + the ultimate sandbox
    + lore

    - plot holes
    - hardware limitations
    - controlling sages    … Expand
  25. GabrielMR
    May 14, 2023
    10
    Incredible how Nintendo keep pushing the bar to a higher level each and every time.
  26. Victikur
    May 17, 2023
    10
    El mejor juego que he jugado en toda mi vida.
    Llevo 30 años en esto de los videojuegos.
    Nunca me he encontrado ante algo así.
    Felicidades Nintendo .
  27. enterfusion
    May 13, 2023
    10
    What an banger! Nintendo did it once again, a game that truely supprise on every corner. Tears of the Kingdom is Breath of the Wild on steroides, more like that. It makes many points better than the predecessor. More Story-Driven-Gameplay, Dungeons, more Quality of Live features. And the exploration part is even more heavier than it was on Breath of the Wild. You now have the Sky aboveWhat an banger! Nintendo did it once again, a game that truely supprise on every corner. Tears of the Kingdom is Breath of the Wild on steroides, more like that. It makes many points better than the predecessor. More Story-Driven-Gameplay, Dungeons, more Quality of Live features. And the exploration part is even more heavier than it was on Breath of the Wild. You now have the Sky above Hyrule, the Ground and the Underground to explore, with tons of new things, that will attract your attention. The "ground" overworld itself is even changed enough not to bore experienced players of the predecessor.

    The build mechanic is very fresh and is very much used for puzzles and for exploration. The Fuze mechanic make the weapon break system no longer bad.

    Conclusion: If you even loved the predecessor, this game is a must have! If you missed story and dungeons in the predecessor its very likely that you maybe like this game. If you absolutely hate Open World games or the way that Zelda went with BotW you maybe shouldnt buy it.
    For me a 10/10, one of the best videogames Ive ever played.    … Expand
  28. SnowmanVIII
    Jun 27, 2023
    10
    10/10 because it's one of the best games I've ever played. But not quite perfect. People like Hestu and Bolson not remembering Link was an objectify dumb decision and the story is bare bones. But the gameplay was literally the best game ever made. So it gets 10/10
  29. weskergamer
    Jun 23, 2023
    10
    This game is definitely better than Breath of the wild. They improved in every little thing that i didn't like about BotW. I enjoyed the music this time and the story even though was still the same structure than botw, it was actually a little better but to be honest my main complain with this game is the continuity issues with the Zelda franchise. This game story looks like a retcon toThis game is definitely better than Breath of the wild. They improved in every little thing that i didn't like about BotW. I enjoyed the music this time and the story even though was still the same structure than botw, it was actually a little better but to be honest my main complain with this game is the continuity issues with the Zelda franchise. This game story looks like a retcon to me. The amount of side adventures, side quests, etc. of this game is amazing. IN my 200 hours gameplay, i never was bored, it felt so different but still so similar. And i actually like the new dungeons of the game, especially the lighting temple, that was one of the best dungeon in Zelda history. This game is really amazing, it's a masterpiece, and i can't wait to see how Nintendo is going to improve with it in the next game… Expand
  30. Shoguun
    May 15, 2023
    10
    BOTW was (and still is) great, but this sequel is even better at every point. Take care, the sandbox-feeling is huge and the story is flat and only on top. There are main- and side quests and hole new map-events, too - every corner is inviting us for surprises. One more thing: the new cooking-system is great.

    Love it, so far!
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Switch Game of 2023
1
#1 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 150 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 145 out of 150
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 150
  3. Negative: 0 out of 150
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Mar 18, 2024
    100
    I wasn't sure how Nintendo would find a way to top their work in Breath of the Wild back when it came out, but I feel they have here – with years of more polish applied and refined exploration. [Issue #66 – July/August 2023, p. 71]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 22, 2024
    100
    The good thing is that, thanks to the limited possibilities, the creators couldn't go crazy and swing for hundreds of game miles. Instead, they created what could be called Elden Ring in a travel pack. [Issue#328]
  3. Shacknews
    Dec 28, 2023
    100
    The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has lived up to the high expectations created by the success of Breath of the Wild with its exquisitely intertwined gameplay systems, outstanding music, and a legendary story culminating in a magnificent denouement. It's not every day that such a special video game like this comes around. Truly the stuff of legend.
    Read full review
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