Despite the open-world genre being fairly saturated, occasionally a game's high quality is such that it can differentiate itself from the rest. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the most recent example of this, with Nintendo successfully building on the award-winning formula established in Zelda: Breath of the Wild to create an arguably more well-rounded offering. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom manages to reinvigorate the first game's map by introducing a couple of new areas, as well as Link's game-changing new abilities that allow for a degree of freedom rarely seen before in the genre.

A large part of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's critical and commercial success was based on the game creating a real sense of isolation and discovery. Traversing across Hyrule's huge map is an arduous task, with its terrain varying from huge mountain vistas to deep, water-filled caverns. Adding in the impact that the change in temperature has on the player gave the game a sense of realism, despite its colorful art style. Tears of the Kingdom could have used the same map of Hyrule again, tweaking and adding details to freshen it up. Instead, players are treated to a Hyrule that is brimming with life and much more densely populated than before, and they are given two new maps to explore: the skies above Hyrule, and the treacherous area below it, known as the Depths.

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Open World of Hyrule is Familiar But Fresh

Tears of the Kingdom tasks Link with returning to recognizable areas from the first game, such as Zora's Domain and Death Mountain, but the game is careful to ensure that each of them is noticeably different from previous versions. By changing the structural layout, or adding a new gameplay element to the area such as the fierce sandstorm enveloping Gerudo Town, Tears of the Kingdom is able to keep Hyrule fresh.

The skies above Hyrule are now littered with large, ancient floating structures that Link is able to explore, provided he has the necessary tools to make the journey. Players can access these areas using a number of methods, including piloting Zonai devices, some of which are more useful than others, or using Link's time-altering Recall ability to literally rewind some of the rocks that crash down to Earth. The layout of these structures provides a welcome change of approach, with more precise platforming usually required to avoid Link plummeting back down to the ground.

All over Tears of the Kingdom's Hyrule, a harmful substance known as Gloom has created large, ominously pitch-black holes in the Earth. Those feeling brave enough are able to dive into these holes and explore the Depths below, which are full of mystery and discovery. Traversing the Depths feels vastly different from anything else, as the continued darkness ensures the player must manage resources carefully, never knowing what's around the corner. Should the player be inclined, they are quite literally able to dive off one of the floating structures in the sky, all the way to the bottom of the Depths without encountering a single loading screen, showcasing both the game's impressive technical performance and the map's incredible variety.

Breath of the Wild's success meant that hopes were extremely high for its sequel from the moment it was announced. That Tears of the Kingdom managed to exceed those lofty expectations was a remarkable feat in itself, and it leaves many fans of the franchise dreaming of what's next. With rumors swirling of the Nintendo Switch 2, a follow-up to the Nintendo Switch, a third entry in this series could well take place on a brand-new platform, enabling Nintendo to push the boundaries of expectation even further.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available exclusively for Nintendo Switch.

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