The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was released just over a month ago, taking the gaming industry by storm. The title's robust creation system has captivated fans both old and new alike, leading gamers to spend countless hours exploring beyond the game's main questline. However, Tears of the Kingdom's Main Quests also featured a variety of unique gameplay additions, which helped to elevate certain story beats surrounding its Sages. One Gerudo Town story beat took an especially novel approach, as it introduced strategy-focused gameplay that could be nowhere else. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom could've used more segments like this one, with one side-quest type providing the perfect case for adaptation.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to 2017's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which, at the time, many believed to be among the best games ever made. Prior to release, the majority of details surrounding Tears of the Kingdom were kept under wraps, aside from its ultrahand abilities and addition of sky islands to its re-used map of Hyrule. Upon release, Tears of the Kingdom quickly made the case to be placed above its predecessor on the "all-time great" lists, thanks to a robust creation system, spectacular story, and the reveal of a third complete map below the surface of Hyrule. As it stands, Tears of the Kingdom is a heavy contender for Game of the Year, and fans haven't even finished discovering its secrets.
Tears of the Kingdom's Gerudo Town Hides One of Its Most Refreshing Gameplay Segments
The first group of Tears of the Kingdom's Main Quests task Link with recruiting Breath of the Wild's New Champions to become Sages, with those for recruiting Riju taking place in Gerudo Town and the surrounding desert. The Gerudo Region is under attack from a powerful new enemy, accompanied by a vicious sandstorm that has engulfed its desert. During one segment, Link must mount a defense from within Gerudo Town, with the help of its warriors and limited resources. Once preparations are made, Tears of the Kingdom delivers one of its most unique mission objectives, tasking Link with juggling hives and their spawned enemies, Gerudo reinforcements, and defensive structures, all while ensuring Riju survives the encounter.
Gerudo Town's Main Quest sees Tears of the Kingdom's Gibdos spawn around the city gates, with hives appearing at all major entrances. This enemy is unique, as it requires a lightning strike to break its defenses, after which Link can defeat it. Players are tasked with destroying each hive, and repelling the resulting Gibdos, while routinely checking the town's center. Every Gibdo that makes it passed Gerudo defenses will rush towards Riju, requiring Link to stop them before she is overwhelmed. Once the onslaught is repelled, players can move on to the Lightning Temple's precursor objectives.
Other Quests Could've Featured Strategy Defense Gameplay
Gerudo Town's defense segment featured a format of gameplay that could've fit perfectly into various side quests, with the Bring Peace to Hyrule questline providing the perfect case of adaptation. The quests see Link accompany various groups of civilians, led by Captain Hoz, as they free settlements across Hyrule's regions. While the assaults a pretty straightforward, they could have greatly benefited from a second phase with a flipped script. Upon clearing a base or settlement, the groups could have been tasked with defending it from reinforcements, while protecting the Captain.
Tears of the Kingdom is full of difficult challenges. While the Gerudo Town defense segment wasn't particularly grueling, its application to additional quest lines could have provided a refreshing change of pace, naturally upping the difficulty for recurring objectives. It's possible that Tears of the Kingdom fans could see defense strategy elements pop up in the future, as the title could potentially follow Breath of the Wild's lead, releasing extra-challenging DLC content. Until then, Tears of the Kingdom continues to provide fans with countless hours of exploration, with some mysteries likely still hidden in the shadows.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.
