The Game-Tea Podcast: Zar's Top 10 Games of 2023
Zar here! I’m the producer and one of the hosts for The Game-Tea Podcast. Your one stop podcast for video game news, reviews and banter! Come Get Some Game-Tea!
Okay, enough of the shameless plug. I want to start out by giving a HUGE thank you to Offshore Gamescast for inviting me back to write another top game list. I think this is my third or fourth year sharing my backlog and wow did I ever have a tough time narrowing down this year’s stellar release list. So many great games hit the shelves this year, some new, many remade, but all worth playing. I’m excited to see how different each list is this year. Admittedly, mine is not a “Game of the Year” list, but more a list of the games I had the most fun playing in 2023. Obviously, looking through the list, I didn’t get around to playing all of the Game of the Year nominees, but it’s kind of the best problem to have, too many good games, not enough time to play them all. Be sure to check out the bottom of this post for the Honorable Mentions that I haven’t gotten to play yet. And for all of you out there screaming at their screens because I didn’t include such-and-such game in the main list, I offer you this reply: “I’m working on it..”
10. The Oregon Trail (Remake)
If you were born before the year 2000, there’s a good chance you’ve had some experience with the original Oregon Trail. Released in 1971, and later produced by the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium in 1975, most children in the U.S. hit the trail after finishing some very tedious typing lessons. (Who feels old reminiscing about typing class?)
Released in 2022 on Steam (and later in 2023 on consoles), Gameloft has repacked the wagon and introduced an entire new generation to the joys of dysentery. What was a simple, mostly text based educational game for children has now been remade in a modern, more tasteful manner. No longer text based, this Trail is a roguelite full of tough decisions, hardships, and historic content that might teach you something along the way. Working with Native American scholars was crucial for Gameloft’s depiction of respectful representation for Indigenous Peoples at the time. Settle in Oregon, dynamite your way to California, out race the bitter winter as a village chief and his daughter, so many journeys await on the Oregon Trail!
9. Dead Space (Remake)
I almost didn’t include the remake to EA’s twisted masterpiece from 2008, simply due to the $70 price tag. But GamePass is a hell of a service, and a remake is always more fun when you don’t have to pay full price (or at all)! Price tag aside, the remake feels like the game EA wanted to produce all those years ago. Many aspects don’t stray far from their origins, yet every mechanic of this game provides new layers of depth. Isaac’s arsenal is familiar yet improved, and the Ishimura is not as you remember.
From the Plasma Cutter to the Contact Beam, Isaac packs his toolbox will all the original favorites. The same, power node fueled upgrade system persists here from the original. But the redesigned weapon skill trees provide some replay value while giving players a multitude of options to choose from when ripping enemies limb from limb. Each weapon also comes pre-loaded with alterative fire features adding a layer of strategy for players desiring to prepare for their impending doom. Twice the ways to tear, twice the fun!
The Ishimura, however, feels as familiar as wandering the halls of Steven King’s Rose Red. And much like the shifting house in King’s novel, Dead Space’s iconic planet cracker has also added several new rooms. Wandering through the endless halls, you can hear the groan of old metal throughout the ship and the screams echoing of those about to join the rest of the crew. The mix of graphics and sound engineering sets the scene for a memorable horror experience.
There’s a lot of emphasis on backtracking to complete the remake’s new side quests. And the many darkened hallways looping the ship’s underbelly together provides rewarding exploration as Isaac runs back and forth collecting logs that detail the crew’s fate. Dead Space’s immersive scare system works wonders when keeping anxious players on their toes. Feeling secure with your ammo reserves? Here comes a random horde of Necromorphs to chew through your inventory! Low on ammo, or not paying attention? A vent may burst as you turn a corner causing you to instinctually unload your last precious clip into the wall as you stand alone in the darkness. For fans of the series, or Marker initiates avid to get lost in a good survival horror game, I highly recommend picking up the Dead Space Remake! (…when the price is discounted OR through Gamepass.)
8. Ghostwire: Tokyo
Bethesda has had a stellar couple of years as far as game publishers are concerned. But one of their most recent, and underrated, IPs caught my attention this year. Ghostwire: Tokyo, launched for the PS5 March of 2022, but I’m an Xbox guy so I possessed this game when it launched for the Series X/S later in April of 2023.
Developed by Tango Gameworks, Ghostwire: Tokyo is a Buddy Cop comedy(ish), action/adventure game featuring an open world to explore. Set in a realistic recreation of Tokyo, all of the city’s residents have mysteriously vanished. Akito, a teenager on the brink of death is given a second chance when the spirt of a tenacious cop, named KK, possesses the youth, transporting both of them to a realm between life and death. Take control of Akito and stop a nasty plot to ritualistically sacrifice all of Tokyo’s inhabitants. (There’s something oddly poetic about controlling a character that’s being possessed and controlled by a spirit.)
Ghostwire emphasizes a more lighthearted horror experience. Don’t get me twisted, this game is still creepy. After all, the source material is Japanese Lore. But the implementation of classic tone one-liners while blasting away at demons that look like headless school children definitely keeps the mood light.
Beyond shredding Slender Man’s umbrella over and over again, players can expect many other common themes amongst similar open world titles such as Farcry. Themes such as clearing enemy strongholds to reveal more of the map, tracking down caches to level up your character, and of course a plethora of side quests to check off the list. Being an open world game, it does eventually get tedious. Especially given that this game could also be considered a collectathon with the hundreds of spirts players can track down and use for experience points. Me however, I tend to enjoy games that let me zone out, explore, and keep picking up pieces of candy like James Wood being led to a warehouse.
7. Hogwarts Legacy
Speaking of open world games, Hogwarts Legacy apparates onto this list at number seven. There’s no denying how divisive this game’s release was. Even before gamers got a glimpse of gameplay footage, minds were made up. But strip away everything but the game itself, and what we’re left with is a decent open-world action/adventure title.
Developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Games under their Portkey Games label, Hogwarts Legacy launched across all current and previous generation consoles, as well as PC, throughout 2023. Set about a century before the events of the first Harry Potter novel, players will take on the role of a new fifth year transfer student at Hogwarts. A new student with the unique ability to see and control ancient magic. Attend the school year, make friends/allies, and prevent an impending war. (And kids these days think they have a lot on their plates..)
What makes Hogwarts Legacy truly stand out is its adherence to the source material and the vibrance surrounding the world. All the elements to create an immersive wizarding experience have been implemented. Choose your house, your wand, hop on a broomstick and zip around the castle. It’s all here. And what’s even better? It’s all fun! The combat especially gave me a lot of enjoyment. I just felt so powerful pulling combos together, devastating enemies with an entire book of different spells. Not every spell is used for combat though. Many spells will provide the player assistance in context sensitive situations, adding a layer of puzzle solving to the mix. Often the puzzle solving directly relates to references that fans of the Wizarding World will gleefully pick up on.
Beyond the references, fluid gameplay, and overall uniqueness of this title, Hogwarts Legacy holds a special place in my heart for the experience I was able to share with my wife. She is relatively new to gaming and hasn’t played too many big AAA titles. But when she heard of Hogwarts Legacy, she just had to play it. We had difficulties sharing the tv, but we made so many memories sitting in on each other’s play sessions, discussing what will happen next in the story, and sharing the secrets we found along the way. These memories I will cherish forever.
6. Super Mario RPG
If it’s a good RPG, it’s probably made by Square Enix. Which brings us to the beautiful union between Square & Nintendo. Super Mario RPG is yet another remake released this year and is this ever a GOOD RPG. Originally released in 1996 for the Super Nintendo, everyone’s favorite family friendly video game company has once again dipped into the nostalgia well. Breathing new life into turn-based Mario strategy with an adorable modern art style. I never got my hands on the original title, Legend of the Seven Stars, but I grew up spending countless hours flipping through the Paper Mario series. Finally, I have more turn-based Mario!
Fans of Pokémon, Final Fantasy, and other such turn-based titles will automatically get the gist of Super Mario RPG’s gameplay. But for those unfamiliar with the concept, Mario ‘n friends will take individual turns to plan what they will do on the current turn of combat. Players get the option to use regular attacks, items, special moves, or the chance to defend when strategizing their plan of attack. The game does shake up the monotony of endless turned battles by adding button prompts to all attacks. By pressing the command prompt at the right time Mario’s party can quickly devastate entire waves of enemies in fun, flashy ways. Beyond the combat, this game holds a multitude of secrets to uncover. Yoshi races, equipment collection, tadpole composers, so many fun adventures can be had. Fans of RPGs will definitely not want to leave any stone unturned here, as perhaps interacting with the right object may yield a wicked new weapon. Team up with Peach, Bowser, Mallow, and the highly contested Smash entry hope, Geno to save the Mushroom Kingdom and put an end to the evil Smithy Gang’s mission.
5. Dead Island 2
Cutting this list right up the middle is Dead Island 2. Finally, after nine years and three different developers, this game finally happened. Set roughly 15 years after the events of the first Dead Island, the zombie plague has reached the United States, decimating the city of Los Angeles, now known as “Hell.A.” Take on the roll as one of the immune survivors and lay waste to the apocalypse’s new residents.
Cranking up the gore-graphics to max, Dambuster Studios really focused on making this game look good. Not just with serine ocean view environments and the overly excessive architecture for celebrities, but with the zombies themselves! To really nail the grotesque nature of decaying, mindless cannibals, the devs implement what they dub as “FLESH,” or Fully Locational Evisceration System for Humanoids. Catchy right? But what this means is weapon appropriate wounds will be procedurally generated as you slash your way through zombie hordes. Feel the break of shambler’s shin bone as you slam down on them with a sledge or get up close and tenderize a skull with your bare hands. I don’t want to get too graphic for the sake of this list, but the realistic scale of the enemy wound system is truly disturbing, in the best way possible.
Forgoing the traditional skill tree, players can now build Skill Decks around each of the survivors. Skill Decks are made up of interchangeable cards that add strengths and weaknesses to the current character. Giving players the freedom to switch up their gameplay style on the fly. Some cards give new attacks with certain weapons, others can provide buffs for killing zombies a certain way, and others can grant you incredible power, but you may lose your humanity along the way.
As far as zombie games go, Dead Island 2 is high on my list of fun. Rarity scales for weapons? Yes, please. Modification options for those weapons? Keep ‘em coming. The ability to Hulk out and tear crowds of the undead apart with your bare hands? Oh, hell yes!
4. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The first main-line Mario side scroller in a decade? Yahoo! That’s right, not counting Mario Maker, Super Mario 3D World originally released in 2013. Sure, we’ve had our fill of the red capped plumber since then, but finally Nintendo returns to Mario’s roots with Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Set in the Flower Kingdom, Mario and the gang are invited by the land’s ruler, Prince Florian, to visit the neighboring territory. Suddenly (and predictably), Bowser swoops in to crash the merriment. Making his famous grand entrance, the King of the Koopas quickly reaches for the mysterious Wonder Flower. Upon Bowser’s touch, chaos ensues as the Flower causes the overgrown turtle to merge with Prince Florian’s castle. It’s up to Mario ‘n friends to restore peace to the Flower Kingdom and beat Bowser back into the Mushroom Kingdom.
As cliché as it sounds, everything about this game is truly wonderful. The textures and landscapes instill a deep sense of whimsy, especially when paired to the utter jams that bop throughout each level. The sound engineering is especially worth highlighting. The way the sound effects meld perfectly to the ambiance truly emphasizes that music is this game’s theme. As far as artistic creativity goes, Wonder is the best I’ve experience in a long time. The visuals are, again, wonderful. Colors pop with vibrances that set each moment’s vibe. Enemies just kind of exist throughout the Flower Kingdom. Many are out to get the Mushroom Kingdom crusaders, but some are simply there. Hanging out, sleeping, sometimes breaking the fourth wall by dancing to the background music, the world just feels so alive.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder plays exactly as you would expect a side scrolling Mario game to play, but the game’s fluidity is beyond what I expected. Each of the eight different playable characters feel vastly different from one another. They all have their strengths and weaknesses when tackling Wonder’s challenges. Like the classic feel? Go for Mario or Luigi. Want a more laid-back experience? Try Nabbit or Yoshi. New power-ups also find their way into the Flower Kingdom with the elephant being discussed in most rooms.
Finally, I can’t end this Super Mario Bros. Wonder hype thread without briefly mentioning the effects of the Wonder Flower. Bowser’s not the only one who can utilize the awesome power of the Wonder Flower. Which is where the game’s uniqueness and creativity shine. Nearly every level has a Wonder Flower to find, and each changes the current level significantly. One turns Mario ‘n friends into defenseless goombas, another causes pipes to animate and inchworm away from their terrifying new self-awareness. So many different Wonder effects can happen. For Mario fans, couch co-op potatoes, or anyone with a Switch, you will love this game.
3. Starfield
Space, a great big empty. Empty is exactly what I expected Starfield to be. Yet, Bethesda blew my expectations out of the stratosphere. The universe is teeming with life. Vast and wide, plants and animals, settlements, military bunkers, friendly grandmas, the discoveries are endless and enjoyable.
Starfield could be considered the ultimate space cow-person simulator. Is there a story here? If so, I couldn’t care less. Let me put it into perspective. I’ve sunk 100+ hours into this game already, exploring well over three dozen star systems, visiting a couple hundred planets along the way. I’ve decked out my ship in illustrious green and purple paint, packed my maxed-out star ship with some of the finest crew this side of the settled systems, and I routinely visit my dear parents in New Atlantis. Look, I don’t have time for a story with this game. I got priorities.
Priority number one when it comes to any Bethesda RPG: exploration. Starfield really caters to this notion. So much so that the game’s main story centered group was founded with one goal in mind: discovery. Not conquest, not peace, not even wealth. Just simple exploration. Yet my exploration doesn’t even come close to half of what can be discovered in this game. Aside from the staggering 120-star systems and countless planets to visit, I found myself seeking out random encounters most often when traveling across the void. Bethesda has always been known for outrageous random encounters, but they really nailed it with Starfield. Every time the player jumps to a new planet, there’s a chance something new could happen. Maybe that next jump puts you into the cross hairs of some pirates that just need a vacation, or you could bump into a familiarly eccentric school teacher with a ship full of children eager to learn from your space travels. Space shanties, a geologist with jokes, a Big Bang Theory easter egg, and these are just a few of some of the encounters I’ve had.
Of course, if Starfield wasn’t actually fun to play, none of my exploration would be worth pursuing. Thankfully, enjoyable gameplay is not a folly of Bethesda’s first original IP in over a decade. For starters, gameplay is divided into two playable categories, controlling the player’s character and piloting star ships. And within these two categories, nearly limitless customization is available. Honestly, the customization options can fell a little daunting at times.
Player controls are smooth and rather intuitive. An in-action quick menu provides on the fly weapon swaps, costume changes, and healing options without disrupting gameplay. When in combat, Starfield feels close to Fallout 4, just without V.A.T.S and with much less gore. But gunplay becomes incredibly enjoyable when the player has access to boost packs. Boosting around a hostile Spacer outpost on a low gravity planet is a special kind of joy every run-and-gun fan should experience.
Ship control is also rather intuitive and just as enjoyable as the main gameplay. Both player and ship can be controlled in first or third person; however, I think only the truly insane pilot their ships in first person. Full 360°movement allows for fluid piloting. As IGN as this sounds, you can really FEEL like a space pilot. Seriously, this is the most fun I’ve had flying around space since Star Was: Battlefront 2.
Character features can get really in depth, especially when chiseling the chin. Bethesda has really stepped up their game with character design (now they just need to work on facial features during dialog). The star ship design gets even more complicated and should almost earn you an engineering degree. I tend to buy (or occasionally pirate) ships then add more parts and upgrades along the way, but Starfield also provides the option of building a ship from the ground up. As long as it flies, you can build pretty much any design imaginable. The ship design is honestly a little reminiscent of Banjo-Kazooie Nuts ‘N Bolts and Kerbal Space Program’s available options.
After several meticulous hours spent creating the perfect character and ship, it’s time to get out there! Starfield has a range of melee and ranged weapons at players disposal. With firearms being customizable and upgradeable. Starfield also provides space suit upgrades to pad your character with more protection or give them more carry weight to stave off their eventual encumberment. A multitude of crafting options are also available when not zapping space pirates with laser guns. Research new recipes to create powerful chems and food that can turn the tide of battle. Or craft necessary industrial parts to build that little space bungalow you’ve always wanted on the edge of the galaxy.
For long time fans of Bethesda RPG’s, space sims, or anyone wanting to get lost in a virtual world for a few months, I cannot recommend Starfield enough.
2. Resident Evil 4 (Remake)
“What are ya buyin’?” Hopefully the Resident Evil 4 remake! Capcom’s latest revive staring Leon S. Kennedy is truly a masterpiece. Virtually every aspect has been improved upon from its predecessor. The graphics, sound design, gameplay, and even the story have all been reimagined to fit modern gaming standards. Fans of The Game-Tea Podcast already know my passion for this series, so I won’t gush over my love of all things Resident Evil here. Just know that if a thousand games were put on a table, I would shove all of them to the ground, pick up any Resident Evil I could find, and run as quickly out the door as possible.
Speaking of running away, the visuals and audio design constantly had me running through this game as fast as Leon’s jaunt would allow. The ghostly Spanish countryside that served as the original’s setting has been cranked to the MAX thanks to Capcom’s RE engine. Paired with chilling ambience, Leon’s little slice of hell feels more alive than ever. Murmurs all around and out of sight, greet Mr. Kennedy on every path, giving assurance of isolation but not solitude. Hungry howls haunt the setting sun, while off in the distance the low rumble of an idle chainsaw grows closer. Now, we’ve got a horror game!
The realism of the landscape is further emphasized by its inhabitants. When not aware of Leon’s presence, villagers toil away in visibly tattered clothing, going about their daily farm chores. The serenity quickly fades when the residents come in close to share the news about the “good” Lord Saddler. Their wrinkles show tired, worn faces. Posture hunched as they lurch forward, even a parasite can’t cure generations of hard-pressed manual labor. And yet their eyes are bright and aware when focused on their prey. Caked with tears of dried blood, burning orange eyes dart and vibrate with rage attempting to pierce Leon’s soul before piercing his organs. And that’s just the game’s first area hostiles. Enemies and monsters faced in later stages of the game push grotesque to the limits with bone snapping classic RE monster transformations that would make the most renown surgeons lose their lunch all over the ER.
I mentioned the later stages of Resident Evil 4 remake, which brings us to the gameplay. Players will control Leon from a third person perspective across three main areas. The Village, the Castle, and the Island all have been retextured, redesigned, and remodeled to create a fully connected map. No longer does this game feel restricted to sequential level design, instead each path connects giving fluid progression and geographical awareness. This kind of interconnectivity comes in handy when trying to avoid conflict while low on ammo. But conflict is inevitable and so is Leon frantically rooting through his inventory for a few more bullets.
The combat has greatly improved. Being vastly outnumbered, Leon can easily become overwhelmed. Fast paced, and often unforgiving fatal blows, constantly press Leon to panic. The consequences for even a minor slip-up can result in a hyper gruesome termination of Mr. Kennedy’s service, from life. But keeping his wits about him, Leon can dodge crushing blows or parry with his trusty knife. These defensive maneuvers can leave the enemy stunned. Giving World-Star Kennedy the perfect opening to introduce the oblivious country folk to the glamor of the WWE with an earthshaking suplex. The finishers were a highlight for the original RE4, and the same rings so true for the remake.
Clearly, Resident Evil 4 deserves a lot of praise for combat improvements. The most notable being Leon’s free range of movement with his gun drawn. One of the most criticized mechanics from RE’s early days was Leon’s inability to move around while aiming his gun. Thankfully, Leon can not only move, but dodge while aiming down sights. But another addition that may not receive such highlight is implementation of choosing when and how to fight. Leon can now crouch to sneak up on unsuspecting enemies and use stealth kills to cull the herd undetected. Speaking of herds, new environmental triggers can be used to take out several enemies early on in a battle. Several of these triggers have been added; and with a keen eye, Leon can often get the world to take out enemies for him. But that’s more on the villagers for standing next to a loose pile of rocks. What isn’t the fault of the villagers is when Leon shoots down a lantern hanging above an unfortunate cow. Butchering a bovine by blaze just to cook a few creeps does not sit right morally with me. The cow would agree if it wasn’t a pile of barbeque.
Now, let’s talk about the Merchant. Not as outwardly chipper as the original Resident Evil 4’s Merchant. What the remake’s black marketeer lacks in boisterous behavior; they make up for in ballistics. Selling the past favorites, along with several new weapons, Leon can also purchase recipes to craft ammo on field using resources found from exploration or dropped by dispatched foes. Crafting has always been key to surviving the Resident Evil series, so the addition of more expansive crafting options utterly delights this long-time fan. Typical to previous RE remakes, Leon can now purchase and attach gun mods to improve his firearms’ capabilities. Although popping a laser sight on a pistol sounds like a simple mechanic, it makes fully upgrading that favorite gun a rewarding labor of love.
The final big upgrade to the Merchant’s services is the previously mentioned side quests section. One of my biggest complaints from the original RE4 was the wasted potential on the little blue contracts sprinkled throughout the game. I think there were three or four contracts Leon could originally accept. All with one goal: shoot some blue coins. Disappointing. But now, all of my dreams of busywork have come true! Several new contracts have been added with many different tasks. One blue sheet will have you deface a specific grave, another will request that the Merchant be brought a very large fish or special kind of egg. The additional side quests create a really nice diversion from the high intensity of the rest of the game.
Finally, I won’t go into much detail about Resident Evil 4’s story. So much has been reshaped and refocused that although the original story’s integrity holds, it’s an entirely new experience. Most notably, certain quick-time button events have been reworked to provide more immersive interactions in moments that previously took me out of the game. Resident Evil 4’s final area received a ton of criticism originally for being half-baked, but now I can assure fans that the Island has become a much better experience. What I will say about the story, we already know. Leon S. Kennedy, former Raccoon City police officer for-a-day, has been assigned the high priority assignment of tracking down the president’s daughter, Ashley. With reason to believe her life may be in danger, Leon is sent in to rescue the damsel. Early on Leon discovers and rescues Ashley, and the pair must then search for a way out of this nightmare and find a way home. Along the way they will uncover, and prevent, a dangerous secret that could be internationally catastrophic.
Resident Evil 4 will hands down be the most enjoyable, albeit stress inducing, horror experience you can have this year. Now go play this game if you haven’t already, and don’t shoot the water.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
We’ve finally reached the number one spot for this year end game list. Of course, the game I had the most enjoyment with in 2023 was none other than The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. I imagine this game made it to the top of many gamers’ best played games this year. Rightfully so, TotK is an absolute masterpiece. The perfect game may not exist, but Tears is the closest we’ve experienced yet.
Being the direct sequel to 2017’s Game of the Year, LoZ: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom had a lot to live up to. But wow did Nintendo ever deliver on the hype for this story’s continuation. A few years have passed between the two Zelda titles, and although Hyrule has changed significantly, it feels like I never left.
I won’t go too in depth with the story of TotK, as it is an epic that should be experienced outside of mere words; but upon this game’s introduction, Link and Zelda find themselves spelunking in the ruins underneath Hyrule Castle. After some exploring, Hyrule’s defenders uncover an ancient mummified being in the center of a massive cathedral like structure. Zelda and Link are given no time to react to their discovery, as the powerful binding magic keeping the ancient evil dormant fades as our heroes enter the chamber. Eventually, Link finds himself with a new quest: defeat the evil unleashed upon the land and rescue Zelda, again.
Much like BotW, TotK’s story quickly branches into four main quests players can tackle in any order they choose. Although, the incredibly brave (or wildly foolish) can choose to skip the main quest line all together and head straight for the final boss right at the beginning of the game. This level of freedom was unique to the first title and absolutely welcomed in the second. It’s a sort of hands-off parenting style of gameplay that leaves players with individualized experiences and rewarding exploration. The experience I was left with, having to pin my own goals to the map, was one of pure imagination. It was almost like an entirely separate spin-off was being generated in my head as I choose my own paths of progression.
One of the greatest considerations when developing any direct sequel to a video game is revolutionizing the previous gameplay or improving on it. Nintendo confidently answers this conundrum with a thunderous: “IMPROVE IT!” For instance, you could pick up Breath of the Wild, learn its mechanics, and play Tears of the Kingdom like it was the same game. BotW was a solid foundation for Tears to build on, and Link handles nearly identically to that of his former adventure. He still has the ability to climb most surfaces and a nifty paraglider to sail long distances. Weapons, bows, and shields, although rusted and useless now, are abundantly scattered around the land. Durability is still a critical factor for this game’s strategy. Equipment will constantly break and need to be replaced.
This is where several key differences between the two titles become clear. I mentioned that weapons are useless in Tears of the Kingdom. Basically, when waking up the big bad guy, Mr. Mummy kind of puked red goop, called Gloom, everywhere across Hyrule that, for some reason, rusts and ages weapons like an apple sitting on a dumpster in the middle of a heat wave. Every single piece of equipment (including wooden oddly enough) reads “Rusty __” and emphasizes the poor condition by boasting a hearty 2-3 max damage. So how could Link survive without useful weaponry? The answer, a wonderful new mechanic called Fusing. One of the new powers granted to Link, the Fuse ability will quickly become his best friend. Fusing allows Link to attach virtually any object to another. The core feature here being the ability to fuse objects to your current weapon. Objects like new monster horns dropped by enemies will bolster Link’s equipment by increasing both the base damage and durability. But fusing is not limited to turning a tree branch into a katana, Link can also fuse precious gems to his equipment, adding an extra elemental kick to the next attack or block. And by fusing a Bomb Flower to a shield, bomb jumping finally becomes a practical skill for a Zelda title!
And yet there is still more the wonderful world of fusing can do for Link. Fusing will also be essential for traversing Hyrule. New mechanical parts such as wheels, fans, and even cannons and lasers litter the country side just waiting to be constructed into roaming deathtraps. Flying devices, taxi transport services, powering a skeletal hand attached to a stick on a rotating piston just to pet a dog, the possibilities are as limitless as the imagination.
The fuse ability becomes much more useful after acquiring its upgrade. Much later on to find this upgrade, Link can follow a side quest akin to previous Zelda quests like the Color Dungeon from Link’s Awakening. The reward is the ability to store and build entire blueprints on command. I love an out of the way challenge with a good reward, and the ability to construct my trusty fan-propelled airship at a moment’s notice is just the chef’s kiss.
As Link progresses, he will acquire a few more new powers like Ascend to instantly scale massive climbs and Ultra Hand which is more or less just telekinesis. But I will leave those and the rest for players to discover. After all, discovery is half of the enjoyment of this title.
As far as exploration goes, this game is the embodiment of ADHD nightmare fuel, but in the best way possible. Every time I pick a destination, I ultimately get distracted and end up wildly off course. Attempting to assist about a dozen Koroks, diving into a cave to hunt an elusively luminous frog, tackling one of the many, many new shrines. These are just a few things that could make me lose track of an entire day. But if a thousand Koroks to find isn’t enough, a plethora of structured side quests and awesome new outfits to delight the “skins for wins” fans can also be found around Hyrule.
Tears of the Kingdom is so packed with opportunities to discover something new that Nintendo needed to blow the map scale up substantially. Again, Nintendo confidently, yet casually responds with: “I got this.” Not just one, not just two, but essentially three full Hyrules just wait to be explored. First, we’ve got the land we loved from before, moderately reshaped. The major landmarks still persist in their same locations on the map, but it doesn’t feel like I’m recombing the same spots I had been to before. The Bridge of Hylia appears more decrepit and now roosts a power dragon as a guard. The beach village of Lurelin is in shambles due to a pirate attack and needs Link’s help to rebuild. There’s something oddly magical about returning to a world and witnessing it change and mature.
Link will be very busy with all there is to do on the surface, but he will eventually look to the sky and find the second Hyrule. Scattered ruins hang above the clouds, and thanks to sky towers spread across the land, Link can launch himself high above the kingdom to explore the new domain. Powerful mechanical monstrosities lurk above the clouds, but there are also valuable rewards for conquering that fear of heights. In fact, players get a taste of the new sky zone at the very beginning of the game. As Tears starts Link on a massive island high above the Great Plateau and tells the poor guy: “Good luck finding a way to the ground!”
When Link does decide to come down from Cloud 9, he can actually dive deeper to discover the third Hyrule, The Depths. Giant holes covered in Gloom pockmark the kingdom’s reach, all leading to a massive underground cavern. What Skyrule lacks in surface area, the Depths do not. Calling them a massive cavern doesn’t do justice. The Depths are the size of Hyrule’s surface with a map that reflects the surface’s. Where instead were gaps to glide over, huge walls enclose a winding pitch black maze. Not many side quests can be found here, but what can be expected are extremely valuable treasures, an annoying Team Rocket like group that needs to be dealt with, and hulking monsters ravenous to make a quick snack out of Link. Utilizing the newly introduced Brightbloom seeds, The Depths can be illuminated while also creating a neat little “Hansel & Gretel” like feature to retrace currently explored areas. However, Link can provide much greater visibility by activating one of the many Light Roots dotted underground. Each root takes the place of what would be a shrine’s location and acts as a waypoint for fast traveling. Beyond bathing the surrounding area with visibility, Light Roots are also a fountain of restorative light to cure the maximum health reduction effects of the gloom that coats the cavern like a frosted cookie. I don’t feel like Nintendo needed to add the Depths to make Tears of the Kingdom great, but I remember the exact thought that popped into my head when I first discovered The Depths: “There’s more?!” But oh, how much more there truly was.
With an absolute epic story that moved me to feel so many emotions, tremendous gameplay polished from the first, incredible sound design, an on-point orchestra, three full Hyrules to explore, and a checklist of side content I could never hope to finish checking off, Tears of the Kingdom is a MASTERPIECE. Polished perfection is how this game could be considered, and it has rightfully earned its spot as the number one game on this list. I built Link a home in Hyrule (literally & metaphorically), and it is one I will frequently return to. I have had an immeasurable amount of enjoyment with this title. If there is one game anyone should play this year, it’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Honorable Mentions I Haven't Played Yet
- Persona 4 Golden & Persona 3 Portable
- Metroid Prime (Remastered)
- Blood Bowl 3
- Diablo 4
- Pikmin 4
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Alan Wake 2
