The threat of extreme cold and heat seems to be making a return in Tears of the Kingdom – there’s a scene in the trailer that shows dressed-down Link shivering in a freezing landscape – so likely wearable items will continue to play an important strategic role in gameplay.
As one of Breath of the Wild ‘s most popular side characters, it’s not surprising to see the return of Prince Sidon. Perhaps more surprising, though, is what seems to be his new role in gameplay, as TOTK ‘s last trailer shows him fighting an enemy alongside Link as a companion character – a major expansion on his relatively minor role helping against the Divine Beast Vah Rutah in BOTW . Keen-eyed viewers may also be able to spot a crown on his head, as well as a mysterious “tear” on the back of his hand, suggesting that he may have a significant role to play in TOTK ‘s st
Part of me wants to believe that it’s a past iteration of Link or a version of Ganon from before darkness corrupted him. Zelda is also seen with shorter hair and wielding the Sheikah Slate in new character art, convincing me further that she is not only saved by Link’s new power, but comes to play a far more prominent role in the full adventure. Whatever evil they face, she is convinced it can’t be stopped, but is now far more than a passive bystander holding off evil as her companion does all the work. Both characters are given more agency here, which should allow Tears of the Kingdom to breach narrative boundaries this series has never toyed with before.
Our heroes spent so long saving Hyrule only to plunge it into turmoil a second time, and their relationship will soon be tested through tough decisions and sacrifices we are yet to see unfold. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and the limbs forced to adopt ancient powers to overcome unknown evil. The hopeful melancholy this land boasted in previous years has been torn away, replaced by an intense apocalyptic veneer that it will likely be our duty to wipe away. Zelda is a damsel in distress no more, and Link is no longer an untouchable hero who can hold the entire world on his shoulders. Tears of the Kingdom must confront these changing circumstances, and judging from everything we’ve seen, it likely will.
Link has apparently picked up a new hobby in Tears of the Kingdom: skydiving. With the addition of atmospheric land masses, Tears of the Kingdom also lets you travel via gliding in ways its predecessor didn’t.
My key takeaway is the bravery Nintendo has shown when it comes to expanding upon Breath of the Wild with a sequel that not only takes place in the same world, but questions its history and the characters within it we’ve already come to know and love. No longer confined by tragic flashbacks and environmental storytelling, Link and Zeldatearsofthekingdomfans.Com Zelda now occupy the present day and will make choices lined with immense and immediate consequences. We are set to learn so much about them and likely come to view them as different people by the time it’s all over. Not just in this game, but how these two iconic characters have been portrayed throughout history.
On the subject of the floating islands, we’ve seen footage in past trailers for Tears of the Kingdom that shows Link reversing the trajectory of falling debris, presumably leading back up to these sky islands. Large portions of the islands have also been spotted around Hyrule, crash-landed into the surf
The final moments of the new trailer has Zelda asking an unknown entity to lend Link their power, followed immediately by a shot of the Hero of Time reaching out for the Princess as the ground beneath her gives way and she falls into oblivion. This particular sequence likely takes place in the opening hours beneath the ruins of Hyrule Castle, with Link and Zelda seeking out the remains of Calamity Ganon following his defeat. Nintendo has not been shy about showing his decaying corpse, radiating mythical dark energy as its hollow eye sockets lock onto whatever poor soul it encounters. And yet his role remains a mystery.
While that’s intriguing in and of itself, you can actually spot a chunk of this debris that seems to be plummeting to the ground near the end of this gameplay trailer, leaving a trail of green energy behind it. We know that parts of these islands have fallen before, but could they be actively breaking apart even as you play the game? We’ll have to get our hands on Tears of the Kingdom when it releases to find
For fans that aren’t too concerned about the gameplay or story of the highly-anticipated Breath of the Wild sequel being a let-down, the release of Tears of the Kingdom can’t come soon enough. As a result, long and protracted delays could cause the biggest backlash from fans of all, ultimately even potentially tarnishing the release when it does eventually come. With the May release date still standing though, there’s reason to be optimis
Though there hasn’t been any explicit indication that Zelda: TOTK will re-introduce any of the elements that have defined the Zelda series over the years which Breath of the Wild omitted, some fans are expecting it to do just that. In fact, Redditor Nova604 admits that they’re ” afraid they won’t give us the hookshot” in Tears of the Kingd
