Legend of Zelda fans, rejoice! That’s right, Tears of the Kingdom’s reviews have finally gone live and, as to be expected, they’re incredibly positive. Much like 2017’s Breath of the Wild, are we looking at another bonafide masterpiece from Nintendo? It sure looks like it.
For a broad view of what the press are saying about Link’s latest open-world adventure, we thought we’d gather together a bunch of the top critics’ reviews for your reading pleasure over your morning cup of joe. So, without further delay, let’s find out how critics are taking to Tears of the Kingdom.
Destructoid — 10/10
“The real kicker that helps separate Tears from Breath of the Wild is its power set. I felt like I was in control at all times, and had the ability to create my own path. For a series known for sequence-breaking, that’s not just a perk; it’s a strong argument for why Tears of the Kingdom will be talked about for years on end.” — Chris Carter [Full review]
IGN — 10/10
“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an unfathomable follow-up, expanding a world that already felt full beyond expectation and raising the bar ever higher into the clouds.” — Tom Marks [Full review]
Nintendo Life — 10/10
“It’s impossible to talk about everything that makes The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom so incredible, and making many of those discoveries yourselves is part of the magic. It’s also impossible to overstate just how much there is to do in Hyrule this time around. Much like its predecessor, this is your playground for the next however many years to come, with a little sprinkling of that older Zelda fairy dust mixed into Breath of the Wild’s formula. It’s a glorious, triumphant sequel to one of the best video games of all time; absolute unfiltered bliss to lose yourself in for hundreds of hours. We can’t wait to see what the world will do with the game.” — Alana Hagues [Full review]
God is a Geek — 10/10
“Tears of the Kingdom could end up being one of the best games ever made, with unparalleled exploration that offers freedom and creativity on a scale never before seen.” — Adam Cook [Full review]
Inverse — 10/10
“Tears of the Kingdom handily exceeds the sky-high expectations surrounding it. It’s an instant classic — and a testament to the unmatched ingenuity of Nintendo’s game design.” — Hayes Madsen [Full review]
Game Informer — 98/100
“Video game sequels are often iterative on what came before them. It looks a little better, plays a little smoother, retains important mechanics while introducing new ones, and continues the story. Tears of the Kingdom checks most of these boxes, but getting rid of the Runes from the first game and giving players new ones to use in exploring a familiar but undeniably new world is ingenious. Nearly every encounter, whether puzzle, traversal, or combat, must be reconsidered. It makes you think in new ways. I didn’t get the same goosebumps exploring Hyrule as I did in the past, but I did experience new emotions both on a granular level from solving individual puzzles and on a larger scale by going back to one of my favorite video game locations. They say you can never go home again, but I adored returning to Hyrule with all new tools.” — Kyle Hilliard [Full review]
Gamesradar — 9/10
“Tears of the Kingdom builds on what Breath of the Wild did previously – and with a platform like that to work on, the result can’t help but be fantastic. Though with the occasional hiccup in execution, the end result is a game as broad as it is deep, and something that comfortably justifies the six-year wait.” — Joel Franey [Full review]
Eurogamer — 8/10
“Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel, for all its changes, and Zelda tends not to go in for those: it used to wipe the slate clean each time, casting the last game’s baggage aside like so much surplus equipment, and setting out for the horizon. I’d like the next Zelda to do that again. But that’s a problem for tomorrow. All told, Tears of the Kingdom is an astonishing, quite literally top-to-bottom sequel, adding complexity and splendor to the Breath of the Wild formula without sacrificing its enchantment.” — Edwin Evans-Thirlwell [Full review]
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is scheduled to launch exclusively on May 12, 2023.
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