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There's nothing quite like that first flight in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. In fact, in Link's latest blockbuster adventure, first experiences are everything. I'd even go so far as to say Tears of the Kingdom is a game not only underpinned by its firsts, but defined by them. Emerging from the long shadow of its five-star forerunner was never going to be easy, and so making an instant impression in more ways than one was imperative six years down the line.
That first weapon Fuse that grants you an extra few strength points is glorious. That first Ultrahand that lets you bridge two seemingly unlinkable peaks, thousands of meters above sea level, is an absolute thrill. That first roll of the dice after rinsing five Zonai Devices in the game's giant gacha machines flips your stomach. And, of course, that first time you take to the skies on the back of a metal glider, throwing caution (and the health and safety rulebook) to the wind, is magnificent.
Granted I'm still feeling my way through its main questline a few dozen hours in, but I'm so fond of what I've played of Tears of the Kingdom so far that I'm even enjoying mechanics I normally hate in video games across the board. That said, there is one feature I reckon Tears of the Kingdom's predecessor, Breath of the Wild, handles far better than its acclaimed sequel. And it involves big horses.
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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review – "A rich, robust experience that builds on what came before"
Sometimes you just want to ride a giant horse. You'll need to tame it, sure; form a strong bond with it, maybe even trek for miles on its back while repeatedly soothing it in order to get it registered at a designated stable. But with infinite stamina and incomparable strength as payoffs, not to mention the fact this horse might have once belonged to your absolute arch nemesis, that makes it all worth it. Right?
The aptly-named 'Giant Horse' in Breath of the Wild was one of a kind. It looked like Ganondorf's horse – shiny black coat, shocking red mane, and all – but it was never explicitly explained one way or another. Situated in Taobab Grassland, the nearest serviceable stable was the Highland Stable; meaning the route to Highland, then onto Taobab, then all the way back again was a journey. If, like me, you made that trip early doors during your first playthrough (and, crucially, forgot to pack stamina-increasing supplies), the whole endeavor was epic in scale – and sauntering home on the back of the freshly-tamed steed felt like a proper accomplishment.
In Tears of the Kingdom, it's different. Yes, you can eventually track down and tame 'Ganon's Horse', but it's far more likely you'll happen upon the game's 'Giant White Stallion' first – a carbon copy of the former mare (down to the exact same stats), bar its appearance. Taming the Giant White Stallion involves the same stealth-and-stamina approach, at the expense of two full stamina wheels, but after learning of its existence from Padok in this world's slant on the Highland Stable, locating the cadaverous colt involves a short meander south to the Lake of the Horse God. In the process, the quest is totally robbed of any real sense of achievement.
Hay, listen!
"If this is the only notable gripe with such an ambitious open-world game, then it's doing okay. But I also think it's fair to highlight a moment that was handled so well in Breath of the Wild that seems to fall so short here."
By the time you wind up with Ganon's Horse in your sights down the line in Tears of the Kingdom, the thrill of the set-piece is all but gone – and the pursuit of taming and housing this four-legged beast takes you on a far longer journey from stable to site and back again. Which, to me, felt more arduous than adventurous.
And while I totally understand that if this is the only notable gripe a few dozen hours into such a sprawling and ambitious multi-faceted open-world game, then it's doing okay. But I also think it's fair to highlight a moment that was handled so well in Breath of the Wild that seems to fall so short here.
Again, Tears of the Kingdom is a game that revels in its first impressions, one that constantly invites you to join in the spectacle and surprise at every turn. That first use of Fuse, Ultrahand, Ascend and/or Recall will stop you in your tracks – and you'll fight the same ear-to-ear grin all over again when you first use the game's new abilities on the fly to circumvent the beaten path, or to get the drop on enemy hordes out in the wild. Firsts in Tears of the Kingdom are a buzz, a thrill, and a fleeting shot of endorphins. Hats off to Nintendo because the way the game frames and reframes those moments, making them feel fresh and new each time, is nothing short of masterful.
When something falls short, however, the weight of that disappointment is far more noticeable. Especially when that disappointment involves two 2,500-pound horses.
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