The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is already proving to be a strong contender for Game of the Year, receiving generally glowing praise from fans and critics alike. The acclaim for the game comes largely from the ways in which Nintendo has been able to iterate upon the successful formula of Zelda: Breath of the Wild while still making the experience feel fresh. However, the game has stirred some controversy among fans on social media as comparisons are being drawn between The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Arkane Studios' latest title Redfall.
Redfall was already caught up in some controversy when it released earlier this month due to its poor performance across both PC and Xbox Series X/S mixed with underwhelming gameplay and frustratingly simple enemy AI. This release left many fans disappointed due to the pedigree of popular games Arkane Studio has produced in the past, including the Dishonored series, 2017's Prey, and Deathloop. Shortly after its launch, some Redfall players were quick to point out that Tears of the Kingdom also suffers from the same 30 FPS frame rate as the Arkane title, yet did not receive the same criticism as Redfall for this shortcoming.
The Frame Rate Debate Between Redfall and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
One of the main criticisms of Redfall was its performance being locked to 30 FPS on PC as well as Xbox Series X/S. Many players pointed out that the hardware capabilities of the console should permit the game to achieve a higher frame rate. For many players, being able to run at a frame rate of 60 FPS in a first-person game is essential for the optimal experience, so the lack of an option for a higher frame rate soured many players' perceptions of the game at launch. While Bethesda has stated that an update for Redfall adding a 60 FPS Performance Mode will come at a later date, it might be too little too late for the game.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is now facing criticism from Redfall fans claiming it is hypocritical of reviewers to lampoon Redfall for its frame rate but not extend that same critique to the latest Zelda title. The frame rate for Tears of the Kingdom is locked at 30 FPS in both the Switch's handheld and TV modes, with some dips below 30 FPS at certain sections of the game. With how much value has been placed on a game's technical performance in recent years, some fans believe Redfall is being unfairly criticized for frame rate issues that plague even the most popular releases.
Zelda fans have responded by noting that the Switch's hardware is far inferior to that of the Xbox Series X/S and that there was never the expectation that Tears of the Kingdom would be able to achieve 60 FPS from the beginning. For a console that touted its impressive hardware specs as a selling point, these players claim it's worth criticizing titles that don't make use of the capabilities of the Xbox Series X to deliver the optimal experience. Redfall's launch on the console with superior hardware meant it had higher expectations for its technical performance than Tears of the Kingdom ever did.
In addition to running on inferior hardware, many are pointing towards other issues with Redfall that deserve criticism regardless of the game's frame rate. Some claim the game's lackluster combat, world design, and enemy AI only make the technical performance far more noticeable, whereas Zelda fans claim to be able to look past the game's frame rate limitations because the gameplay itself is so engaging. While it might be concerning that two games priced at $70 are experiencing these technical problems, it appears one's ability to look past these issues depends on their enjoyment of the core gameplay.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now for Nintendo Switch.
