** This review contains mild spoilers for “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.” **

When Nintendo announced the launch of downloadable content for their prized video game, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” many fans were stoked for the opportunity to add more content to a game that already contained over 100 hours of top-notch gaming. 

According to Metacritic, “Breath of the Wild” is one of the highest-rated video games of all time, earning a score of 97/100.

Nintendo originally set out to make more downloadable content for the Nintendo Switch’s debut game. While they certainly tried, they overshot the amount of content they needed. 

Nintendo’s newest game, “Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” came from exceeding the scope of a planned DLC for “Breath of the Wild,” instead developing an entirely new sequel game to the 2017 masterpiece. 

Originally scheduled for a 2022 release, “Tears of the Kingdom” was delayed until May 12, 2023. I was the first to pick up a copy of the game at my local GameStop, and — after putting in roughly 50 hours of gameplay — I can surely say that it was well worth the wait. 

How should one follow a masterpiece? The answer is simple in the case of “Tears of the Kingdom”: by outclassing it in every way. When I think of sequels that outshine their predecessor, a few things come to mind like “The Godfather Part II,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and probably “Lord of the Rings.” 

Similarly to these iconic sequels, “Tears of the Kingdom” followed up “Breath of the Wild” and made it even better.

Continuing with the open-world theme, a staple in gaming franchises recently, “Tears of the Kingdom” follows Link and Zelda after they vanquished Calamity Ganon and saved Hyrule from the evil malice that wreaked havoc in “Breath of the Wild.”

“Tears of the Kingdom” begins with the two heroes examining the depths of Hyrule Castle and learning of the history of Hyrule and the Demon King. 

This dates back to the origin story of the franchise, “Skyward Sword” — my favorite Zelda game before last week — which concludes with the pair finding a mummified creature, the imprisoned Demon King Ganondorf.

After a lengthy cutscene, Link’s Master Sword is swallowed by “Gloom,” and the heroic swordsman nearly dies before the screen flashes while Zelda falls into a pit. Link is unable to save her.

The interesting part of the game begins with a meeting between Link and the first Hyrulian King; the king tells the fabled hero his role and what must be done to save Hyrule from certain destruction.

Much like he did in “Breath of the Wild,” Link receives a device with a map and multiple tools that will help on the adventure through Hyrule. Puzzles are back, and “Blessings of Light” are back, both staples of the predecessor game.

The story and gameplay are far deeper in the sequel. The sky is a large component of the game, along with a new concept called “the depths,” a dark and horrifying area that is not intended for people that dislike the horror genre.

After I completed the tasks in the sky, I followed along with the story. I played through the main quests, learned of Zelda’s whereabouts and met several characters who are crucial to the quest of stopping the Demon King Ganondorf from destroying Hyrule.

The return of Ganondorf intrigued many fans, and it was perfectly executed. 

As the end approached, I felt genuine fear when I heard the Demon King’s voice. The game instructed me that it was time to face off with the final boss, so I nervously made my way to the castle.

Not many video games provide a difficult final boss, but “Tears of the Kingdom” certainly did. The final fight with Ganondorf was the most difficult battle I’ve ever experienced in a video game. The emotions and intensity of the battle slam players with a stellar soundtrack and extreme difficulty.

Despite having beaten the main story, I am not even close to being satisfied with the progress I made. There is plenty more to do: over 150 side adventures and side quests, plenty of exploring to do and collecting those annoying Koroks.

This game was beyond incredible and one of the greatest video games I’ve ever played. It has the ability to tell stories that inflict strong emotional responses. The game receives a 10/10 from me, but I’d give it an even higher score if I could.

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