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. Trolly
    Jun 13, 2023
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. It is very innovative and the sense of freedom and adventure you get from playing it is somehow bigger than Breath of the wild, even though it's almost the same world map. It performs very well, even on a 2017 hardware and has a breathtaking artistic direction. It runs at a constant 30 fps and very rarely drops to 25. Tears of the Kingdom legitimately makesThis game is a masterpiece. It is very innovative and the sense of freedom and adventure you get from playing it is somehow bigger than Breath of the wild, even though it's almost the same world map. It performs very well, even on a 2017 hardware and has a breathtaking artistic direction. It runs at a constant 30 fps and very rarely drops to 25. Tears of the Kingdom legitimately makes Breath of the wild look like a first draft even though it was considered to be one of the most revolutionary video games ! The story of this game changes the Zelda timeline in it's way it is very well written and has some amazing plot twists. The legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is by far one the best games i have ever played in my life and that is why I think i deserves the solid 10/10 i gave it.… Expand
  2. Wadd1de
    Jun 13, 2023
    10
    "The Legend of Zalda: Tears of the Kingdom" is an enthralling game that takes players on an epic journey filled with adventure, mystery, and heartfelt emotions. As a fan of the franchise, I was eagerly anticipating this latest installment, and it certainly did not disappoint.

    First and foremost, the game's graphics are absolutely stunning. The attention to detail in the sprawling    "The Legend of Zalda: Tears of the Kingdom" is an enthralling game that takes players on an epic journey filled with adventure, mystery, and heartfelt emotions. As a fan of the franchise, I was eagerly anticipating this latest installment, and it certainly did not disappoint.

    First and foremost, the game's graphics are absolutely stunning. The attention to detail in the sprawling landscapes, intricate character designs, and vibrant colors brings the world of Zalda to life in a breathtaking manner. Each location is beautifully crafted, inviting players to explore and uncover its secrets. The seamless transitions between different areas further enhance the immersive experience.

    The gameplay mechanics in "Tears of the Kingdom" are both familiar and innovative. The controls are responsive, making combat and exploration fluid and enjoyable. The game introduces new abilities and puzzles that challenge players to think creatively and strategically. The variety of quests and side missions keeps the gameplay engaging, offering a sense of progression and discovery.

    One aspect that truly stands out is the captivating storyline. "Tears of the Kingdom" weaves a tale of heroism, sacrifice, and redemption. The characters are well-developed, each with their own motivations and backstories, which adds depth and emotional investment to the narrative. The game successfully elicits a range of emotions, from moments of triumph and joy to instances of heart-wrenching sadness.

    However, despite its many strengths, "Tears of the Kingdom" does have a few minor shortcomings. Occasionally, the pacing feels uneven, with certain sections dragging on or lacking in substantial content. Additionally, while the game's world is vast and filled with wonders, some players might find it overwhelming or daunting to navigate without sufficient guidance.

    Nevertheless, "The Legend of Zalda: Tears of the Kingdom" is an outstanding addition to the franchise. Its stunning visuals, engaging gameplay, and captivating storyline make it a must-play for fans of the series and newcomers alike. The game's few shortcomings do little to diminish the overall experience, as its strengths overshadow any minor flaws.

    In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend "The Legend of Zalda: Tears of the Kingdom" to anyone seeking an unforgettable gaming adventure. Embark on this epic journey, wield your sword, and prepare to be immersed in a world that will leave you captivated from beginning to end.    … Expand
  3. Etdumas1
    Jun 13, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. -->Negative 1. This is botw 1.1

    2. The combat are kinda repetitive 3. Fps drop

    --> Positive

    1.This game put to shame almost every other AA title. The game is not buggy it has been release when it was polish and done (yeah i know it shouldnt be a point but most AA game are released unfinished or they are rushed)

    2. Amazing soundttacj

    3.The only open world i think off that have all climate on earth (hand crafted map fudge your ai whit no talent) 4.Ambiance sound are spot on ( it is dynamic whit the weather / time of the day)

    5.The side quest dosent feel repetitive unlike all the other open world I have played

    6.Every corner of the map are worth to see

    7.The art style of the game is awsome yes i played game whit better graphics(my pc > next gen console) but they were less breathtaking.

    8.The physics of the game are well made and intuitive


    -->Conclusion This game is near perfect ( perfection dosent exist) there is some minor flaws to me the worst point is the combat, but it is clearly in my top 10 games ever played probably in my top 3. Dont listen to the haters who never played the game: they are just jealous that a outdated system like the switch has a game that anihilate everything their powerfull machine can legaly run.    … Expand
  4. ivixer1
    Jun 13, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. muy buen juego , pero no deja de ser un especie de DLC del primero y hay muchísimo que se recicla , las mecánicas nuevas están bien como crear cosas nuevas al igual que en minecraft usando la imaginación, no es algo original ya que hay muchos juegos que usan mecánicas parecidas al igual como lo fue en su primer juego, como lo fue usar la gravedad. El juego va a 30 fps en pleno 2023, y el hardware no es excusa para esto. Es muy bello el juego en temas artísticos , pero cuando lo ves bien decae muchisimo. La musica un lujo como siempre, el mundo esta bastante vacio y los NPC son genericos y siguen sin hablar solo suspira y es incomodo ya. Nada un lujo el juego y un merecido 8.5… Expand
  5. drefiekmusic
    Jun 13, 2023
    6
    As a big fan of the Zelda universe I have to say I am almost as equally disappointed in TOTK as I was for BOTW.

    Open world is good for certain franchises but for Zelda it just doesn’t work for me. Not sure what the Zonai devices were about, I hardly used them outside of the shrines. Fusing devices together didn’t work properly half the time and my frame rate dropped to about 2FPS at    As a big fan of the Zelda universe I have to say I am almost as equally disappointed in TOTK as I was for BOTW.

    Open world is good for certain franchises but for Zelda it just doesn’t work for me.

    Not sure what the Zonai devices were about, I hardly used them outside of the shrines. Fusing devices together didn’t work properly half the time and my frame rate dropped to about 2FPS at times…

    A slight improvement on BOTW simply due to the unique and individual bosses. The return of seeing the word ‘Temple’ on my screen made me quite happy too. But the dungeons were divine beast rip-offs.

    I just want a good old fashioned traditional linear Zelda game again.    … Expand
  6. Isteffy
    Jun 13, 2023
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. The abilities and how they function together is nothing short of genius. You can go online and see an endless amount of creative machines and contraptions that people have built. Exploration is a blast and there is something in every corner. The main negative point of this game is the jenky combat and targeting system which sadly was not improved from BOTW. WereThis game is a masterpiece. The abilities and how they function together is nothing short of genius. You can go online and see an endless amount of creative machines and contraptions that people have built. Exploration is a blast and there is something in every corner. The main negative point of this game is the jenky combat and targeting system which sadly was not improved from BOTW. Were this game not a genre defining masterpiece, i would dock a point from the score but I havent had so much fun in a game since Elden Ring.… Expand
  7. RockOwl
    Jun 13, 2023
    7
    With about 350 hours and have completed everything but the Koroks (screw trying to get 1,000 of those pieces of crap) I can say that Tears of the Kingdom is at a 7/10 for me. Lower than you thought huh?

    Unfortunately the game follows the same beats that BotW did by starting you off on losing all your hearts, having to grind you way back up, have a dead king help you on the tutorial    With about 350 hours and have completed everything but the Koroks (screw trying to get 1,000 of those pieces of crap) I can say that Tears of the Kingdom is at a 7/10 for me. Lower than you thought huh?

    Unfortunately the game follows the same beats that BotW did by starting you off on losing all your hearts, having to grind you way back up, have a dead king help you on the tutorial island, have to get 4 orbs to get another heart, then you finally get the paraglider after a few hours.

    The story is a bit too similar to Ocarina of Time where Rauru allows Ganondorf to get too close and in the end it backfires on him as Ganondorf becomes powerful and nearly wipes out the kingdom.
    The ancient past wasn't fully explored since Link is stuck in the present while Zelda got sent to the past.

    The gameplay feels too similar to BotW (other than the new Zonai devices and Fuse) you still swing the weapons all the same. Some armors have the same item set bonuses which makes them feel redundant.
    Maybe if they brought back the fighting techniques like in Twilight Princess, as well as they could've let Rauru's spirit stay with Link so we could have a companion this time around so it wasn't so lonely. Considering Link's new arm belonged to Rauru so why not?

    The side quests can have some disappointing rewards, like all you get is medals for finding all the lightroots which do nothing or the Wells in which you get a snow globe which you can't even place in your house.

    While the Depths was a new interesting area, the Sky Islands weren't as great since most of them had the same layout and there wasn't enough of them to make it worthwhile considering how much they were showed off in the trailers. Nintendo could've made the sky islands into a way to tell us more about how the Zonai used to live and what not.
    The Surface of Hyrule feels too similar, not enough felt changed enough to consider the game improved, the only areas that felt changed are Karkariko villages with the Ring ruins, Hateno just got hit with a dumb mushroom fashion craze, Lurelin was destroyed by pirates but you can rebuild that back up, at least Tarry Town looks like their expanding their living area down below. There wasn't any new towns/villages added to the game. If it is believed to be at least 5 years since the previous games I feel like there should've been more stuff rebuilt before the Upheaval began.

    There are many good differences as well, the new temples feel great (except for the Water temple, that felt to simple and boring) though their puzzles could've been better. The new bosses are all different from one another unlike the boring as hell Blight ganons, the new weapon system of giving certain types of weapons their own little perks like how the Gerudo weapons give more power but little in durability and the Royal Guard weapon improve Flurry Rush makes them more appealing for dodge combos. That should become a main feature. Some of the new armors are great such as the Glide armor that provides the ability to prevent fall damage or the Depths set which just looks cool, but that's about it for the good things I have to say.

    In any case the game doesn't feel like it's worth the $70 dollars I paid for, I hope the next game will have a more compelling story and maybe allow Zelda to stay with us this time.    … Expand
  8. crazyboi
    Jun 13, 2023
    10
    It is a game for the creative people, you can do a lot of things in the game.
    You always have more than 1 route to solve the puzzles, which is super fun.
  9. mmrwizard
    Jun 12, 2023
    10
    Very great game, let me experience the fun of childhood, I can feel pure happiness in the game
  10. Aleaurine
    Jun 12, 2023
    10
    It is a game that does not bore you and has created a way of playing in which you must find how to solve each "puzzle" and you can do it your way.
  11. fournew
    Jun 12, 2023
    10
    Don't judge by appearance. It's a completely different game from BOTW. It gives the same fun as mixing Minecraft + Elden Ring + God of war.
  12. neovulcan
    Jun 12, 2023
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game and certainly got my money's worth. A little disappointed that after all the BOTW experience and feedback, they didn't exclusively make positive design decisions. Relic abilities (Ascend/Fuse/Ultrahand/etc) were all appropriate and made for some rather excellent gameplay. The freedom to create led to many great scenarios. Base combat was on par with BOTW, and it was nice having both Depths and Sky to explore as well. The unnecessarily compartmented in darkness Depths led to some frustrating banging around in the dark. There's only so many dead ends you want to find before it stops being fun.

    Proving Grounds shrines might've been the highlight of the game for me. The base mechanics are brilliant, and you have to revisit them with your wits rather than your inventory. While I didn't complete all the Master Sword challenges in BOTW, I was looking forward to a similar set of challenges with all the new practice here. Sadly didn't find it, nor a set of island objectives on wits alone. While it's probably the same size, Hyrule Castle felt incredibly small compared to BOTW, probably because the castle is no longer this ominous near-impenetrable thing.

    Final dungeon, final fight, and grand reveal felt very rushed. All those princess sightings were Ganon leading us on...to make us stronger? And the Demon King was Ganon the whole time...the same Ganon Zelda should've recognized from BOTW? Is BOTW retconned for this? I'm sure I'll find strategy guides that show how brilliance could solve the final dungeon, but I wound up just tanking it. Seems the speedrunners found it quite skippable as well.

    Sages were a nice concept that needed more refinement. Gaining a power per temple is great. Having them help in random encounters is great. Spontaneously triggering Goro or Tulin when I'm trying to pick up loot then either blowing up the barrel next to me or blowing my loot off the cliff? Not cool. If I could auto-dismiss Goro unless battle music is playing, that would be great. If I could auto-dismiss Tulin unless battle music isn't playing and I'm at least 10m above ground, that would be great. If Riju could stick close so I could keep the lightning arrows coming, rather than charging as far away from me as possible, that would be great. If we could give Mineru the same attack ethic as even the weaker enemies like moblins or whatever, that would be great. I didn't give her two cannons to have a wide open flank. Also, the cutscenes were terrible. Once Link knows about the Imprisoning War, why doesn't he just fill in the remaining sage candidates? What purpose does maintaining that secret serve, save for making us watch another cutscene explaining it?

    The game is really carried by core mechanics. It will always be fun to find a group of enemies before they find me, and decide an angle of attack, maybe bow first? Zonai device? Sword and shield? Spear? MuddleBud was quite fun as well. Sneakstrike was obtainable, but not excessively so, which gave it value when achieved.

    I'm glad I played this, but have full faith and confidence we'll see a better one sometime in the next three to ten years.    … Expand
  13. TownBig
    Jun 12, 2023
    10
    I was scared going into this game that I was just gonna play a BOTW DLC, but how mistaken I was! This game brings back all the great feelings I had in BOTW, feelings I never thought I'd ever have again. The bosses in this game are some of the best ever, especially the final boss. Each ability in this game is fun and has its uses across all of Hyrule. The Depths, which I thought I'd neverI was scared going into this game that I was just gonna play a BOTW DLC, but how mistaken I was! This game brings back all the great feelings I had in BOTW, feelings I never thought I'd ever have again. The bosses in this game are some of the best ever, especially the final boss. Each ability in this game is fun and has its uses across all of Hyrule. The Depths, which I thought I'd never go down to, was mixed wonderfully into the story, and became something that was to be scared of, but have fun exploring it. The sky islands wasn't pushed upon you like I thought it might, and was utilized very well. Although the reviews say differently, I thought this was better or at least on par with Breath of the Wild!… Expand
  14. ericculler
    Jun 12, 2023
    8
    [English / Portuguese] review:
    The game is huge and takes advantage of everything delivered in BOTW, improved in comparison to the previous one, but let's face it, we are in 2023 paying $70 on a game where the frame rate is really bad at some parts of it, especially when you are using some skills. In Zora's domain boss fight it drops really hard. Other necessary improvement is that you    [English / Portuguese] review:
    The game is huge and takes advantage of everything delivered in BOTW, improved in comparison to the previous one, but let's face it, we are in 2023 paying $70 on a game where the frame rate is really bad at some parts of it, especially when you are using some skills. In Zora's domain boss fight it drops really hard. Other necessary improvement is that you need to READ basically everything all the time like we always did in all Zelda's games, there is no considerable evolution in that sense, there is no voices at all, also the English dub during cutscenes is something that could be better. So I would never give maximum score to the game. BUT these are the only improvement points in the game and it is still considered a masterpiece. 8/10.

    [PT-BR]
    O jogo é enorme e aproveita tudo que é entregue no BOTW, melhorou em relação ao anterior, mas convenhamos, estamos em 2023 pagando $70 em um jogo onde o frame rate é muito ruim em algumas partes dele, principalmente quando você está usando algumas habilidades. Na luta contra o chefe do domínio de Zora, cai muito forte. Outra melhoria necessária é que você precisa LER basicamente tudo o tempo todo como sempre fizemos em todos os jogos de Zelda, não há uma evolução considerável nesse sentido, não há vozes, também a dublagem em inglês durante as cenas é algo que poderia ser melhorar. Então eu nunca daria nota máxima para o jogo. MAS esses são os únicos pontos de melhoria do jogo e ainda é considerado uma obra-prima. 8/10.    … Expand
  15. Maherjnb
    Jun 12, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is so beautiful after I played it I felt like I’m in heaven you can make cars, planes and more, even weapons can be more powerful by sticking a rock on your weapon.… Expand
  16. petriAND
    Jun 12, 2023
    7
    Gameplay - 8.5/10
    Story - 5.5/10
    Visuals - 7/10
    Sound design/OST - 8.5/10
    Acting/cinematics - 6.5/10
    Fun - 8.5/10
    -----------------------------------------
    7.4
  17. shadowjuan
    Jun 12, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game makes Breath of the Wild, one of the best games in History, look like a pre-alpha version. Bigger, better, and funnier!… Expand
  18. TobiasComplains
    Jun 12, 2023
    4
    Absolute snooze fest and a glorified walking simulator.

    Removed all the fun glitches so it takes forever to get anywhere and nothing ever happens in the overworld when running around
  19. Icansmell
    Jun 12, 2023
    10
    made a metacritc account just for rating this goated game no reason needed to doubt buying or not just buy it
  20. undertal
    Jun 12, 2023
    10
    At first glance it seems like BOTW dlc, but the longer you play the more you how wrong this statement is. TOTK is the best gaming experience I got. Exploring amazes me even after 50+ hours. I think is great that they build on the top of previous game in order to refine this masterpiece
  21. Maximo1_2giorni
    May 21, 2023
    10
    Questo non è un videogioco è un capolavoro vi rendete conto che la Nintendo è riuscita a creare un gioco con una nuova meccanica di gameplay e una mappa basta più o meno come quella di Elden Rong in 17gb poi i videogiocatori si lamentano dei cali di frame ma vi rendete conto che assurdità solo perché ogni tanto il gioco scatta quando si utilizzano le nuove meccaniche e invece non pensano aQuesto non è un videogioco è un capolavoro vi rendete conto che la Nintendo è riuscita a creare un gioco con una nuova meccanica di gameplay e una mappa basta più o meno come quella di Elden Rong in 17gb poi i videogiocatori si lamentano dei cali di frame ma vi rendete conto che assurdità solo perché ogni tanto il gioco scatta quando si utilizzano le nuove meccaniche e invece non pensano a tutti i difetti di Elden ring ora io non vado contro Eld ring perché è un gioco che ho chiamato e mi piace ma una persona non si può lamentare di una cosa e fare finta di un altra la Nintendo a portato un nuova meccanica (gia vista in altri giochi ma non molto famosi come Zelda) che stravolgerà il mondo videoludico e questa cosa è un bene poi in oltre la storia è sempre avvincente anche se ripetitiva. Quindi Zelda è un brutto videogioco no è un capolavoro videoludico… Expand
  22. Gamesbaby
    Jun 12, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Just buy it already.It’s an incredible game,great **** everything.This game makes the masterpiece that was breath of the wild look like a tech demo.This is one of the greatest games I have ever played,so just play it.Please.… Expand
  23. raddddd
    Jun 11, 2023
    10
    The best game of this year, I have played over 200 hours during two weeks, and Ican't wait to play the dlc.
  24. sc-074
    Jun 11, 2023
    10
    It's the best game I've ever seen. a lot of details diverse Choose to play many routes, many sets, many quests, the map is very wide. Overall great.
  25. Cesarantony
    Jun 11, 2023
    10
    If i had to choose one word for this game would be "freedom", its so much better then bowt, everything grow just to let us in a new vision of hyrule, there are more enemies so watch your step in the biggest game that i allready played, nice work nintendo i hope you win the GOTY Award
  26. Alexrgreen
    Jun 11, 2023
    10
    This game is better than breath of the wild in every way outside of the companions
  27. Jossade
    Jun 11, 2023
    10
    One of the best Games I have ever played. Full of things to discover an do. I can't say how much fun I have with this game!
  28. marioodys89
    Jun 11, 2023
    10
    This... this is one of the best games i played in my entire life. I'm literally addicted to it.
  29. natera
    Jun 11, 2023
    6
    This game is nothing more than the original Breath of the Wild with a "plus sized" DLC added to it.

    The DLC largely made of the ultrahand mechanic that allows you to build various contraptions in the game world. This mechanic is cumbersome and honestly a chore to use. It seems that Nintendo designed Ultrahand "with streamers in mind", as the mechanic allows the player to build seemingly    This game is nothing more than the original Breath of the Wild with a "plus sized" DLC added to it.

    The DLC largely made of the ultrahand mechanic that allows you to build various contraptions in the game world. This mechanic is cumbersome and honestly a chore to use. It seems that Nintendo designed Ultrahand "with streamers in mind", as the mechanic allows the player to build seemingly stupid, albeit, funny contraptions.

    Other than that, much of the game is literally a copy and paste of Breath of the Wild.    … Expand
  30. Hsinger9
    Jun 11, 2023
    10
    Just an exceptional follow up to an outstanding game that breath of the wild was.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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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