One of the biggest complaints about Breath of the Wild was that it didn’t include any compelling reasons to travel across its expansive world. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom looks like it’s promising to rectify that issue by introducing a variety of interesting side quests, many tie-in with returning characters and locations from Breath of the Wild. Fans should definitely be keeping an eye out for this upcoming title, as its release seems to be drawing ever closer.
The video briefly dips into the low-level combat of Breath of the Wild, highlighting some new systems that encourage emergent gameplay. Players will have a greater sense of control over their environment and be able to explore further than ever before. This encourages players to find treasures, solve puzzles, and make friends with monsters in order to build the strongest team possible for any given situation.
In contrast, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild features an open world where players can explore at their leisure. Featuring a more grounded and realistic environment, many objects in the game can be manipulated to grant Link new abilities. For example, cooking a steak on the ground near a volcano will cause it to cook quickly and provide food for hungry Link™.
Announced at E3 last year, Fuse is a tool that will let you weld items together, creating powerful new combinations. You’ll need to find materials and fuse them together in order to create the tools and weapons you need for your adventure, but the possibilities are endless. Ultra Hand is another new ability that lets players control objects with their minds. When fused with other abilities like Stasis and Magnesis, it’s possible to create almost anything you could imagine in this expansive world. Whether you are looking for an explosive barrel or a platform that can lift heavy objects, there is likely an Ultra Hand-enabled ability out there waiting for you.
There’s no such thing as a truly safe sword in Tears of the Kingdom, as Link’s flimsy weapons often prematurely explode after just a few taps against enemies. Fortunately, players can create their own weaponry from items found in the game world and hopefully find some that are more durable than his last supply of clubs and knives.
Perhaps Link’s most interesting new Fuse ability is the ability to combine disparate objects into makeshift weapons or tools. For example, using a branch and a boulder can create a makeshift hammer, while grabbing a long stick and combining it with a pitchfork creates an incredibly long pitchfork. These combos are less obvious, but nonetheless intriguing possibilities for crafting unique solutions to challenges.
The ability to createVehicles using the powers of Ultra Hand is sure to add some excitement and variety to the player’s experience. Not only will it give players the opportunity to explore new areas, but they will also be able to create vehicles that can help them traverse difficult obstacle courses or carry large payloads. With so many possibilities at their fingertips, it is sure to be a welcomed addition into The Legend of Zelda series.
Whereas Breath of the Wild emphasizes exploration and player freedom, setting players loose in the wide open world, Link’s sequel presents a more directed experience. Progress is no longer contingent upon finding shortcuts or arduous climbs to the top of mountains; Link can now simply swim his way up through any space with a ceiling. This sense of verticality not only embellishes player passage through landscapes but also provides an interesting new mechanic for traversing them—particularly as it relates to Skyloft, one of the game’s many sky islands. Finally, it provides players with another avenue for customization and experimentation. Whether swimming between towering structures or utilizing clever ducking techniques to sneak beneath high ceilings, Link’s newfound mobility will surely put his skills to the test as he explores Hyrule once again.
The upcoming video game Tears of the Kingdom promises to offer an even bigger scope of possibilities than Breath of the Wild, thanks to its environmental puzzle solving and clever interactions. Players will be able to explore a world filled with unique challenges and interactions that are sure to keep them entertained for hours on end.
