Main (Nintendo EAD developed) Zelda games are never just good, they are either very good, or great, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (so far) has proven to be the rule, rather than the exception.
The game holds a 96% Metacritic rating as its average score from 87 reviews. That makes it the highest rated game of 2023, and an early frontrunner for winning numerous GoTY awards. Given its score, and provided that other big upcoming launches do not stack up, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom could duplicate 2017’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild‘s feat.
Breath of the Wild won around 189 GoTY awards from different sources, including the The ‘Game Awards’ GoTY honors. Metacritic has always been a good barometer for predicting which game will win the vast majority of awards on any given year (since many of the same publications and critics are responsible for awarding these honors).
Closest Competitors to Tears of the Kingdom (Critical Reception Wise) are Remakes, Expansions, and Remasters
Metroid Prime Remastered is Tears of the Kingdom closest competitor with a 94% Rating. Other entries on the list are the next-gen update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt which scored a 94% rating as well, and Resident Evil 4 (Remake) which holds a 93% rating. The latter could be one of the Zelda’s stiffest competitors for the awards.
The closest rated JRPG is Nintendo’s own Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Expansion Pass Wave 4- Future Redeemed (92%). As the title suggests, this is an expansion, as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a 2022 game.
With the top two critical slots held by Nintendo Switch games, it has been a good year for owners of the little portable/console hybrid machine which is thriving despite being on its last legs (hardware wise) at this juncture.
The Bar Has Been Set High For Final Fantasy XVI
Next month, on June 22 to be exact, Final Fantasy XVI arrives, and comparisons will be made. Can Final Fantasy XVI capture the series’ 1991-2001 glory? In those days, the series went blow for blow with the Legend of Zelda in terms of critical reception. It seems like in order for Final Fantasy’s latest entry to steal Tears of the Kingdom’s critical thunder, the game will have to be a masterpiece of the likes that we haven’t seen (within this series) since Final Fantasy IX took the critical world by storm 23 years ago.
It would be awesome if Final Fantasy XVI and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom went toe to toe at The Game Awards. It would be throwback to an era were both franchises couldn’t miss with its main entries. Both Japanese franchises can trace their origins back to the late 1980s, and their most popular titles to the 199os decade.
Nintendo (as always) delivered, can Square Enix do the same?
Agree with the author? Couldn’t disagree more and are frothing at the mouth to tell him? Leave a comment here, on Facebook or send an email and make sure to follow Never Ending Realm on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!