2017's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a genre defining experience. It took the fundamental philosophy of open world games and cracked open the tried-and-tested format to give the player more freedom and agency over what they do, and how they do it. It wonderfully conjured a sense of curiosity and eagerness to learn more about Hyrule, but didn't go the typical route of bombarding gamers with endless side quest pop-ups and overt hints to more things to do. It was up to Link to figure it all out, so when The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom came around, the monumental task that Nintendo had was to improve on a truly revolutionary idea.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom improved on what came before in a number of ways. The story is stronger, the world has more layers (literally), and the music is both atmospheric and iconic. The biggest change to the progression, however, are the Zonai devices, which allow the player to build virtually anything their heart desires, making traversing the land feel all the more rewarding. It's not all perfect, however; the simplicity and tranquility of Hyrule is gone, and the need to be creative all the time can get exhausting quickly.
The Zonai Devices Make Tears of the Kingdom Limitless
With the plethora of new items that can be found scattered around the world or at Zonai Device Dispensers, Link has most forms of propulsion at his fingertips. From simple carts made from four wheels and a wood panel to big, elaborate contraptions that can take down a Flame Gleeok with ease, the Zonai devices are limited only by the player's imagination. They adhere to the fundamental philosophy that the game constantly pushes: that player freedom and user-generated fun is the best way to successfully deploy an open-world.
Breath of the Wild was always going to be a tough act to follow. While the Sky Islands and The Depths do well to differentiate TotK from other Zelda games, the Zonai technology is the biggest new inclusion, and drastically changes how players have to approach any situation. It allowed Tears of the Kingdom to expand and improve in a way that was natural, but also revolutionary, ensuring that the game is forever replayable and never lacks any content, as so much of the quality relies on the player to have a good understanding of its systems.
Zelda’s Open World Wilderness Has Lost is Charm
However, while the limitations to the Zonai technology are few, they do have a tendency to get in the way of the charm that Breath of the Wild had in abundance. It was a masterful game partially because it never gave Link too much power, and made sure that the land couldn't be conquered without a fight. The Zonai devices give Link more sway over his environment, and the speed in which he can travel through the world now means that players are more likely than ever to miss out on Hyrule's details.
The added issue with the Zonai influence is that players who aren't as interested in making new things are largely left out. It can be frustrating for those who struggle to design Zonai machines, and given that the world is almost as vertical as it is horizontal, there are regular situations that require at least a moderate understanding of how to use the Zonai devices. It can't be ignored, and people who are looking for a similar experience to Breath of the Wild could be left disappointed becauseTears of the Kingdom puts the fun out of their reach.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available for Nintendo Switch.
