The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom |OT|

I don't understand Nintendo they makes crud for kids for years and then they hits us with this. I needs to take a break from this game it's affecting my marriage. Gonna hafta put a mortgage on my place if I Iose my job.

I'm in the beginning area still.The finicky ultra hand stuff is already starting to grate on me. I dropped shit off the cliff already trying to cross areas. I hope I can get better at it.
The more you plays the betters at the controls you get. The controls are perfect they just take dozens hours to master and get abilities.
 
I hope this is not the last of the Zelda games for the Switch. I really wish that Twilight Princess HD, and Wind Waker HD were on the Switch. make the Nintendo Switch the ultimate source for Zelda games.
My memory seems off but I kept thinking we were getting a Twilight Princess HD remaster Q4 2022. But here we are...

Anyway, it begins...
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My experience with this is similar to BOTW. It took me quite a while to get into that game and start liking it. Before you learn all the skills and get the lay of the land I actually found it pretty insufferable for a while. Very tedious and grindy. I'm feeling the same here, but I expect to eventually start liking it once I get into the swing of it.
 
The intro seemed like it was done by an amateur team. Zelda with bad robot like animations and then going hey Link! To point things out as soon as you pass them in an annoying way. It lasted only a few minutes, but it seemed so low production.
 
Just finished the third Shrine. Initial thoughts:

1. How anyone can call this game ugly is beyond belief. Its noticeably prettier than BOTW and the odd framerate drop is not enough to significantly impact enjoyment. It really is a Ghibli cartoon come to life..esp those cave bubble blowing things.

2. This game is so much deeper than BOTW. I had a tear of joy in me eye when I played with fuse and ultrahand, just thinking about all the fun discoveries, creative uniquenesses and experiments to come.

3. It's also a very different animal than BOTw. That is all about desolate exploration and discovery with systems to aid you. TOTK seems to be a deep systems and puzzle fest which is all about experimentation and creativity. I guess I'm saying I don't think ToTk makes BOTW obsolete- they're evoking and generating v. separate experiences. Where they are the same is in that feeling especially at the beginning that you're tiny, clumsy and vulnerable in such a huge and daunting world. Seeing that feeling evolve as you grow in strength and experience is probably THE most satisfying gameplay progession imaginable. Much more so than getting the demon blades in God of War(as a comparison).

4. Yet my one criticism of TOTk is how it reuses assets unnecessarily. The Shrine, new location and object sounds are identical. And the shrine animations look liie they started in BOTW's engine. I would have much preferred them to be evolved so that everything feels fresh and I'm not receiving the message "you're replaying BOTW " when everything else is saying " Dorothy this aint BOTWKansas anymore". Another criticism is the autosave function which can be unforgiving. You kill a monster and you die right after and the game says " do it again you incompetent".


5. Enemy variety? Sorted. I'm only on the first island and already the enemy variety enhancement is obvious- with clear nods to old school Zelda bosses- love it. Weapon degradation? Sorted. Now when a weapon breaks you think " hmm what should I try fusing now?" Rather than "I'm keeping this for a special occasion...no way I'm wasting it on a moblin."

6. Controls are fiddly but completely masterable....any reviewer making a fuss about this should seriously consider a career change. QoL improvements over BOTW are great: quick access shortcuts, recipe book etc.

7. I also don't get the people who moan that they hardly use certain abilities. I'm not far enough along to be sure, but I'm 99% this is like complaining tetris is too hard when fast dropping every single tetrimino. You can change the experience if you so choose. That's its magic.

8. The intro was nice and modern . But it wasn't as superlative as some folk claimed. I got much more emotional discovering just how deep, nuanced and fun the new systems are than the title reveal.

9. Love the Zonai ...supercool cats literally.

I'm soo excited to play more. I'll update this post as I go along but so far I'm creaming me knickers...
 
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(Negative)
Just made it to Hyrule. Not feeling it as a whole package so far. Granted, "tutorial island" was probably heavy-handed on how and when they wanted you to use the new tools, but it felt like 5 minutes of busywork to do things that I figured out in my head in 3 seconds. Combat isn't improved at all over BotW, and combining weapons feels cheap to me, but I'll hold off until I see later game combination possibilities. A rock on the end of a sword isn't exactly screaming "whoah so cool." I am just not a fan of open ended gameplay like the game is trying to push really hard. I prefer expertly crafted and presented puzzles and situations.

(Positive)
I do like the combining things to arrows though, that's a noticeable improvement over BotW's handful of arrow types. It's intuitive and quick to use, and is a good reason to care about consumables and enemy drops. Gyro aim still feels great to use for fine tune aiming. The Rise up through floors power feels like something out of a classic Zelda and creates some fun puzzle situations. Kinda reminds me of how you could turn 2D in ALBW. Time reverse also seems like it can be fun to use.

I'm not saying the game is great or that the game sucks, but thus far I would not say it deserves the universal praise it's gotten. I'm sure my opinion will change as time goes on.
 
Just finished the third Shrine. Initial thoughts:

1. How anyone can call this game ugly is beyond belief. Its noticeably prettier than BOTW and the odd framerate drop is not enough to significantly impact enjoyment. It really is a Ghibli cartoon come to life..esp those cave bubble blowing things.

2. This game is so much deeper than BOTW. I had a tear of joy in me eye when I played with fuse and ultrahand, just thinking about all the fun discoveries, creative uniquenesses and experiments to come.

3. It's also a very different animal than BOTw. That is all about desolate exploration and discovery with systems to aid you. TOTK seems to be a deep systems and puzzle fest which is all about experimentation and creativity. I guess I'm saying I don't think ToTk makes BOTW obsolete- they're evoking and generating v. separate experiences. Where they are the same is in that feeling especially at the beginning that you're tiny, clumsy and vulnerable in such a huge and daunting world. Seeing that feeling evolve as you grow in strength and experience is probably THE most satisfying gameplay progession imaginable. Much more so than getting the demon blades in God of War(as a comparison).

4. Yet my one criticism of TOTk is how it reuses assets unnecessarily. The Shrine, new location and object sounds are identical. And the shrine animations look liie they started in BOTW's engine. I would have much preferred them to be evolved so that everything feels fresh and I'm not receiving the message "you're replaying BOTW " when everything else is saying " Dorothy this aint BOTWKansas anymore". Another criticism is the autosave function which can be unforgiving. You kill a monster and you die right after and the game says " do it again you incompetent".


5. Enemy variety? Sorted. I'm only on the first island and already the enemy variety enhancement is obvious- with clear nods to old school Zelda bosses- love it. Weapon degradation? Sorted. Now when a weapon breaks you think " hmm what should I try fusing now?" Rather than "I'm keeping this for a special occasion...no way I'm wasting it on a moblin."

6. Controls are fiddly but completely masterable....any reviewer making a fuss about this should seriously consider a career change. QoL improvements over BOTW are great: quick access shortcuts, recipe book etc.

7. I also don't get the people who moan that they hardly use certain abilities. I'm not far enough along to be sure, but I'm 99% this is like complaining tetris is too hard when fast dropping every single tetrimino. You can change the experience if you so choose. That's its magic.

8. The intro was nice and modern . But it wasn't as superlative as some folk claimed. I got much more emotional discovering just how deep, nuanced and fun the new systems are than the title reveal.

9. Love the Zonai ...supercool cats literally.

I'm soo excited to play more. I'll update this post as I go along but so far I'm creaming me knickers...
You are still early haven't seen anything yet best game ever
 
So, slight spoiler-ish question for the very beginning of the game.

After the intro sequence with Zelda, after you wake up naked, you open a door by activating a mechanism with your new arm; said mechanism also activates some rotating parts with what looks like platforms on the wall to your left. I spent 10-15 minutes trying to get on those platforms but quickly gave up, didn't look like you could climb the things anyway, but it definitely looked like there was an opening on the balcony where they lead. Was there anything to do there? Or will I be able to get back?
 
So, slight spoiler-ish question for the very beginning of the game.

After the intro sequence with Zelda, after you wake up naked, you open a door by activating a mechanism with your new arm; said mechanism also activates some rotating parts with what looks like platforms on the wall to your left. I spent 10-15 minutes trying to get on those platforms but quickly gave up, didn't look like you could climb the things anyway, but it definitely looked like there was an opening on the balcony where they lead. Was there anything to do there? Or will I be able to get back?
Just keep playing, you'll be back there eventually with something to interact with that stuff.
 
I finally made it to Hyrule, this game has everything I dreamed of when comes to follow up to BotW, in my opinion it deserves all the praise it got.
 
Boy that trek back from the third shrine to the Temple of Time huh?

The designers sure padded that shit out. Not complaining, it was decent design forcing the player to use what they've learned and all, but eeesh did it feel like padding.
 
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Does TOTK still have the annoying thing where each shrine has the same intro and outro that you try to mash buttons to skip with little success?
 
Boy that trek back from the third shrine to the Temple of Time huh?

The designers sure padded that shit out. Not complaining, it was decent design forcing the player to use what they've learned and all, but eeesh did it feel like padding.
The third shrine to the Temple of Time?
Don't you just fly back?
 
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Got bored of it quickly. Pretty much finished the first shrine and called it. I have absolutely no desire to build things. I found the abilities dreadful to use in BOTW and it seems like the focus on them is much greater now.
 
Unfortunately yea.
Nice to know that Nintendo still hates convenient UI. It baffles me that after the millions of hours put into this game round the world and knowing the millions that will go into TOTK, not a single dev thought "Maybe this will get old after the first 50, let's give people the option to skip". If they did and a manager shot it down, may that person forever be delayed by the most mundane repetition until his dying day.
 
iirc there is a platform nearby the shrine you get to with the ascend ability. It has planes you can just ride back to the shrine lol.
I found that from the 4th shrine, but from the 3rd I also walked all the way back. 3rd shrine was the one in the snow area with the cold effect. Did I miss a glider there?

*edit*

whoopsie daisy!
1aqvdavdckza1.jpg


Duck Hunt Laughing GIF
 
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Bit of a hot take but going to the 3rd shrine and then having to get back to the Temple of time kinda sucks and not intuitive at all
 
Bit of a hot take but going to the 3rd shrine and then having to get back to the Temple of time kinda sucks and not intuitive at all
Boy that trek back from the third shrine to the Temple of Time huh?

The designers sure padded that shit out. Not complaining, it was decent design forcing the player to use what they've learned and all, but eeesh did it feel like padding.

lol if you can I sure as hell didn't figure that out. I trekked back like a man. A sullen, frustrated man
It kind of depends on what order you did the shrines in. It feels like the snow mountain one is meant to be the last one you do, since there's convenient birds nearby you can use Ultrahand on and fly straight to the Temple of Time.
 
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It kind of depends on what order you did the shrines in. It feels like the snow mountain one is meant to be the last one you do, since there's convenient birds nearby you can use.
What birds? That was the last one I did, I made my way back down but it was definitely not the intended way
 
4 hours in, the game is already better than botw, the presentation actually made me give a fuck about what was happening and ganon's awake was cool.

I only have 2 negative things to say, fsr looks pretty bad on a 4k oled, half the time the image is smeared in shit, i know it was necessary to maintain 30 fps but it is almost as disturbing as the slowdowns because it ruin the iq so much, it is probably less noticeable on portable mode.
Like other people said, when the game is not smeared in shit, it actually looks and run a bit better than botw.

And the other is, why nintendo still use this dumbass lock on method instead of the classic "push once to lock camera and flick the stick to change target" , right now if you wanna change target you have to left the button and press again in the hope that the game lock on the enemy you want and not the wrong one, if they are all close it's really frustrating, it would be much simpler to select the target with the right stick... and why if i want jump on X i need to put run on fucking triangle...who the fuck use triangle to run?? It is so fucking unintuitive...and if you switch the buttons in the options, now you have jump on triangle...

The game would feel much better with these 2 little changes (and a dedicated roll button but i give up on this one long ago).
 
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So, slight spoiler-ish question for the very beginning of the game.

After the intro sequence with Zelda, after you wake up naked, you open a door by activating a mechanism with your new arm; said mechanism also activates some rotating parts with what looks like platforms on the wall to your left. I spent 10-15 minutes trying to get on those platforms but quickly gave up, didn't look like you could climb the things anyway, but it definitely looked like there was an opening on the balcony where they lead. Was there anything to do there? Or will I be able to get back?
In good time. In good time. You will understand soon enough.
 
So, slight spoiler-ish question for the very beginning of the game.

After the intro sequence with Zelda, after you wake up naked, you open a door by activating a mechanism with your new arm; said mechanism also activates some rotating parts with what looks like platforms on the wall to your left. I spent 10-15 minutes trying to get on those platforms but quickly gave up, didn't look like you could climb the things anyway, but it definitely looked like there was an opening on the balcony where they lead. Was there anything to do there? Or will I be able to get back?
Lol are you me?
 
The part for the fourth shrine kind of makes me feel like this was designed by a new crew for Nintendo. It was not intuitive and even felt sloppy. After looking at it a bit I figured it out, but man I can't imagine kids and casuals getting this without having to youtube it.
 
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Anyone who's played games nearly all their lives and they are an old nerd like me.

This is video games!

Creative intelligent design with a craftsmanship that is unmatched.

All day, all day I played this game without an ounce if boredom. When I went to make a cuppa I'd just leave link stood there in a safe place and listen to the wind and small instrumental flourishes....

This feels like a world.

Total escapism.

No one does it like nintendo!

❤️
 
I tried to resist but ended up buying and initiating the download before heading to work. To everyone with a Samsung TV make sure you get use out of the Game Motion Plus feature. It was designed for games like this.
Neat, will remember this when I've finished Gotham Knights. Started the first five minutes and was instantly in love with the world again, so breathtaking just falling down and seeing the title fade in.
 
Anyone who's played games nearly all their lives and they are an old nerd like me.

This is video games!

Creative intelligent design with a craftsmanship that is unmatched.

All day, all day I played this game without an ounce if boredom. When I went to make a cuppa I'd just leave link stood there in a safe place and listen to the wind and small instrumental flourishes....

This feels like a world.

Total escapism.

No one does it like nintendo!

❤️
I agree, it is a lived in living world. I felt like this with Ghost of Tsushima and Gravity Rush too, but to each his own.

This is why I would love Nintendo to have the most powerful game console around, I think they would put it to good use.
 
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This is a fascinating question.

I'd absolutely say that people should play whatever way they want and let the cards fall where they may. There is nothing more satisfying than being out in the map exploring, and stumbling onto some weird event or area, and suddenly a quest pops up, and then you notice it - "MAIN Quest", and you're like.... what?!?

But on the other hand, everyone should do the first few quests at the first settlement to unlock the Camera. I didn't know that, and played half the game without it. It should be better signposted, as the camera and compendium are key features. Secondly, after about 10 hours I'd almost suggest looking up how to get the Autobuild feature as it's absolutely integral to saving time once building items loses its novelty. However it does kind of bring you to a place that would be better off found on your own. But playing 40+ hours without Autobuild was rough. Once you get it you use it constantly.
Is the glider in the first area?
 
I found that from the 4th shrine, but from the 3rd I also walked all the way back. 3rd shrine was the one in the snow area with the cold effect. Did I miss a glider there?

*edit*

whoopsie daisy!
1aqvdavdckza1.jpg


Duck Hunt Laughing GIF
Yes, the snow area. There is a gacha machine and stuff there.
 
Well the 3rd Shrine in the cold was kinda fun to get to, I ended up making a kinda log ladder to scale the icy wall so I could climb up the snowy bit, I love this
I did it first...

Just climbed up a side bit. And this is one reason I love this new Zelda that started with BotW.
 
I changed jump in settings to B, and then on the switch controller mapping made it so R changes with B. Now run is with R, jump with B, feels way more natural
Can you explain better? I'm not familiar with switch ui and nintendo button nomenclature.
 
I did it first...

Just climbed up a side bit. And this is one reason I love this new Zelda that started with BotW.
Getting up there was great fun, there is a ice wall Link cannot scale but there was a snowy bit he can, so I made a "log wall" out of 3 trees stacked on top of each other and climbed that to the snowy wall, no idea how to get up there normally but it worked!
 
Ohhh the dangers are everywhere... I was jumping around, flurry rushing, swinging my sword like crazy, fighting off a group of baddies, when I accidentally swung at a bomb flower nested next to a bush. BOOM goes the dynamite! Igniting some fire fruit as well... Everyone died, including Link. Hell wishes it has so much heat and fire. It was beautiful.
 
This is a fascinating question.

I'd absolutely say that people should play whatever way they want and let the cards fall where they may. There is nothing more satisfying than being out in the map exploring, and stumbling onto some weird event or area, and suddenly a quest pops up, and then you notice it - "MAIN Quest", and you're like.... what?!?

But on the other hand, everyone should do the first few quests at the first settlement to unlock the Camera. I didn't know that, and played half the game without it. It should be better signposted, as the camera and compendium are key features. Secondly, after about 10 hours I'd almost suggest looking up how to get the Autobuild feature as it's absolutely integral to saving time once building items loses its novelty. However it does kind of bring you to a place that would be better off found on your own. But playing 40+ hours without Autobuild was rough. Once you get it you use it constantly.
Why is the camera so useful?

In botw i never used the compendium because food was literally everywhere and my inventory was always full chocke so i never needed to farm for specific stuff (i think it was used for something like that right?)

I can't remember if the compendium had another use, i never used it after the tutorial i think.

Is the camera more useful now? (Consider that i never use cameras in any game that has one unless is related to upgrades like in bioshock)
 
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Did the intro and now Im back on solid ground. The graphics dont bother me too much, It is impressive considering the tech. But Im not really feeling it, Ive never been one for building stuff and placing/rotating objects is cumbersome imo. I know, I just need to get the hang of it but if I can avoid it I will do so.
 
Im all out of ingredients and healing items and wood to burn and I'm kinda stuck in the middle of nowhere and I can only make it so far before I die. If I have to restart I'm going to be pissed.
How can you be out of ingredients, the first area is full choke of apple's trees, mushrooms and peppers.

Just explore dude, you are gonna find something.
 
It kind of depends on what order you did the shrines in. It feels like the snow mountain one is meant to be the last one you do, since there's convenient birds nearby you can use Ultrahand on and fly straight to the Temple of Time.
This...I started heading to the mountain one after the first one and stopped myself. I had just passed the means to get to the other Shrine using ultrahand and thought " if I ignore the game's cues, getting to these(or back) will be more of a pain than it should be"...looks like I was right.
 
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You get it during that shrine.

Neat mechanic, but ruined by ridiculous weapon durability.

You didn't even read what they said. The weapon DURABILITY is SHIT. That's not debatable. Even with fusing it's still bad/annoying.

If you're keen to explore and play with the fuse mechanic you need weapons to break so you can continue playing around creating new and different fuse combinations. WEAPON DURABILITY RULES NOW!

If you think you should be playing Nintendo's answer to God of War and that you should have two super powerful weapons that only get stronger over time and the challenge is constantly toughening enemies and combat combos then yeah WEAPON DURABILITY IS SHIT.

(Pssst this aint Nintendo's GOW)
 
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