So the Legend of Zelda has had an extensive history of producing some incredible games; however, Tears of the Kingdom somehow finds a way to elevate not only the entertainment value of the game but the overall series to a new height far greater than the achievements it’s had in the past. As always the game stars Link who is on a quest to find Zelda who went missing during an exploration that led to the awakening of Ganondorf. However, the Master Sword was destroyed and Link’s power from Breath of the Wild was diminished. Now Link has to somehow face his greatest foe.

The story is actually really good in this game which is something I honestly never expected to say in a mainline Legend of Zelda game. The series has a history of pretty minimal storytelling with a focus on gameplay. Even Breath of the Wild which ventured into new avenues for the series had very little story; however, Tears of the Kingdom introduces new elements to the series. Here we get to see the history of the first King and Queen of Hyrule which provides an amazing insight as to how Ganondorf came into power. We get to see Zelda do a lot more than ever before and it was really cool seeing her take independent action and aiding Link in his quest even in the precarious situation she finds herself in.

The gameplay is on a whole new level in this game. It functions very much like Breath of the Wild which was already really good but this game introduces some new powers which change everything. You now have the power to fuse items together to not just your weapons but to each other to create pretty much anything you can imagine. The game gives you total creative freedom to create anything you want and frankly, I could play an entire game where all you had was a wide open space and plenty of these new contraptions to fuse. It also means you have a wide array of options to choose from when finding solutions to problems or just getting from place to place.

I remember seeing an article where it was confirmed the game was technically ready a year ago but more time was taken to get the game physics right and I am so glad that was the case. Everything in this game runs so smoothly and the visuals are incredible. It’s one of the most polished and well-made gaming experiences I’ve had in a while.

Plus there is no shortage of things to do in this game. You have a huge number of Shrines, quests, and locations to see and experience. On top of that, you have two areas new to explore. One is an area entirely in the sky in random places all over the map and the other is located deep underground called the depths a dangerous area but one that really helps in expanding on the items you can make that I discussed earlier. I’ve played this game for over a week and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of what all you can do in it.

Overall if you liked Breath of the Wild then this is the game for you. There is plenty to do in this game that will keep you busy for a long, long time and the way it’s executed far surpasses any game in the series. There is a lore-heavy story that is well told, the gameplay has virtually no limit and it’s just an incredible experience from start to finish. The Legend of Zelda series has always been one I enjoyed but it’s never quite made it to my list of favorites but with this game, I really feel like it’s a contender for one of my favorite franchises. Especially if it continues in this direction.