The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)

I just finished the game and I am just so overwhelmed by how much I've loved this game! Still lots of side quests and exploring to do, but after 120 hours, all main quests and every memory, I felt it was time to get to the ending!

Wow, I loved the final sequence. Going down to where we started with Zelda, jumping off the platform, which was also very reminiscent of the beginning of the game too. Fighting alongside the whole squad, GANONDORF (love that he can flurry rush(?) me too!), him going through the draconification, and then working with Zelda as a dragon during the final fight. And Link finally reaching Zelda's hand this time! The final scene with all of them after the credits. It was all perfect in my book

Having an old man moment with this game. Maybe it's because I'm so busy with work this time around. When BotW came out, I could smoke weed and play all day with no issue. Now I'm a proper Adult.

Thoughts so far:

• Of course they have doubled down on the anime-inspired storytelling here. That's not inherently bad, but it's mediocre anime storytelling of a story we've more or less heard four or so times now. Not exciting.
• Zelda is not a good character. Her greatest iterations are as Sheik and Tetra. Her name might as well be Hermoine Granger in TotK. Totally annoying. The way fans are forcing a relationship between her and Link is ridiculous.
• The stories in previous games have been strong because of side quests and interesting characters. BotW and TotK sacrifice this for a stronger focus on iterative gameplay. I must admit, I miss the complicated script and plotting of Majora's Mask when I play this. I even long for some quirky details like Ulrira in Link's Awakening.

• Gameplay is great of course

• Enemy tweaks are appreciated

• Crafting is fun

Hate to say it, but I think I'm just getting old and can't focus as much on games like this. Or maybe it's because I put so many hours into BotW and Elden Ring, which are similar enough in their approaches to open world.

65 or so hours into this thing, nowhere near the end, still loving all the gameplay to pieces and am amazed that they keep presenting me new things that really, really surprise me. The game makes me feel a sense of wonder and amazement every five seconds.

But I've also figured out the thing I don't like, which is the story. I get why the cutscenes are presented out of order, it definitely supports the "Time travel" theme, but my problem is that I haven't heard anything in any of these cutscenes that actually interests me. They all feel like:

“We sages come together and unite together with you, Rauru…”
Me: “ZZZZZ SNNK SNORE 😴”

I just don't feel a super strong connection to any of the characters, or what is actually happening in the story.

Just passed the 180 hour mark and if I’m being honest with myself, I should be close to done. I picked up the Aspect of the Hero a few hours back and I just finished hunting various beasts, including five more King Gleeoks, to fully upgrade it:

The problem is I don’t really want to wrap the game up yet. I have a few armour pieces that I can still finish upgrading, and naturally there are still some Korok seeds out there, plus the remaining Bubbul Gems so I might bum around looking for them. Anything to stick around in the world a little longer.