1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Breath of the Wild was a bold reinvention of the Zelda formula. Somehow, Tears of the Kingdom takes everything that made that game remarkable, surprising, and delightful, and improves upon the experience in almost every way. The world is a massive playground for exploration, made all the larger by the triple-layered element of the Sky Islands and the dark Depths. Each of these biomes beautifully feeds into each other by providing materials and treasure maps to each other. You could lose yourself exploring any one of these areas, but the harmonization of all three in concert with each other sings. The addition of proper dungeons as well as some of the most audacious boss fights in the series' history makes the world feel perilous and electric with activity.
And building upon the foundation of Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom introduces a new and revolutionary suite of building tools, opening up seemingly infinite possibilities for puzzle-solving and exploration. In this Zelda game, everyone is an engineer, tinkering with their creations to reach new heights, traverse boiling lava, or cross a lake. This element has also made Tears of the Kingdom an unusually social game, as players around the world proudly show off their greatest creations and cleverest tricks.
More than a playground, though, Tears of the Kingdom also tells a resonant, emotionally impactful story that pays homage to the legacy of the series in surprising ways. It does this with bolder, more cinematic storytelling unlike anything we've seen before in the series. It is at different points creepy, beautiful, mournful, cathartic, and exciting. It sets a new standard for the series, and one that will be difficult to surpass.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the complete package. A beautifully told story, an expertly crafted campaign, and a workshop for players to express themselves creatively. It is an absolute triumph.
