For some games, a delayed release date can be an indication that things may not be going as well as expected. When developers announce delays there is often concern that the game will not live up to expectations and all they do is kick the box until they inevitably release a disappointing product.

For a Zelda game, however, a delay is pretty much a standard part of the development process and almost serves to reassure things are going the way they’re supposed to.

After all, given that in the past, nintendo seen fit to delay Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild, the fact that Tears of the Kingdom’s 2022 release window is now a Q2 2023 window fills us with hope rather than doom. horror.

At least we have a title now. The continuation of the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild didn’t quite slip off the tongue, and although the announcement that it would be called Tears of the Kingdom clashed quite awkwardly with real-world eventsit’s definitely an interesting title that has fans talking.

Granted, it’s one more element of the game that, combined with what we’ve already seen, suggests that players are going to have a darker experience this time around. If Breath of the Wild delivered the kind of groundbreaking leaps in the genre that Ocarina had made decades earlier, then Tears of the Kingdom – as a direct sequel set in the same world with more sinister undertones – seems be the equivalent of Majora’s Mask.

It’s not just the tone that promises to be different – Nintendo explicitly stated last year that Tears of the Kingdom will focus more on verticality than Breath of the Wild. Specifically, the game now appears to have floating islands that sit high in the sky, almost like Skyloft in Skyward Sword.

While Skyloft and the “Surface” (i.e. Hyrule) were separate locations separated by a transition, however, it looks like Tears of the Kingdom will likely follow Breath of the Wild’s hallmark, the ability to traverse everyone without any loading. screens.

While still unconfirmed, the teaser footage for the game’s title, brief as it was, showed Link clinging to a rock as he soared towards the clouds at high speed, and also ended with a photo of Link crouched atop an interesting glider-like contraption, which appears to be used to quickly navigate the world from the sky.

Other elements aren’t so sure to be predicted, especially when it comes to the game’s plot. spring 2023, he did so in a video accompanied by new gameplay footage that appeared to show off a major mysterious new plot detail.

At one point in the sequence, Link leans over his shoulder to grab his trusty master sword, but there are two things worth noting. First, Link’s right arm is covered in some sort of orange and black glove, with a glowing yellow light on the back of his right hand.

This is often where the Triforce symbol appears in certain games, to signify that Link has the power of the Triforce of Courage. It didn’t appear on his hand in Breath of the Wild, but it can’t be a coincidence that the same spot now shines in this sequence.

On top of that, when Link pulls out the Master Sword, it appears to have been badly damaged, with the majority of the blade gone, almost as if it’s been rotten. It would take something extremely powerful to do that to the weapon which, notoriously, is the only one in Breath of the Wild that can’t actually break.

Speaking of which, it remains to be seen if Nintendo plans to tweak some of Breath of the Wild’s more controversial gameplay mechanics to satisfy those who weren’t satisfied, the most notable being the aforementioned weapon’s durability.

The fact that every weapon in the game (apart from the Master Sword) eventually ceased to be used was welcomed by some as a way to encourage players to experiment with different gear.

Others, however, were frustrated with the constant inventory juggling required and the fact that every time they found a weapon they really liked, they were almost afraid to use it and bring their new relationship closer to life. a premature end.

While it’s not yet certain whether weapon durability will return in Tears of the Kingdom, the cynic in us wonders if the newly ruined state of the Master Sword is a practical way to remove the only unbreakable weapon from the game. Link’s inventory, to ensure players have to resort to breakable. again (at least at first).

As long as there are no more delays – and now that Nintendo has set a firm date, we’ll assume there won’t be any – we’ll finally find the answers to these and countless other questions on the 12th. may.

It seems unlikely that Tears of the Kingdom will have the same impact as Breath of the Wild, in the same way that Majora’s Mask could never have hoped to be as groundbreaking as Ocarina of Time.

What it can do, however, is replicate Majora’s Mask by providing a darker, more tense storyline that grips players in a different way. If he succeeds, we will be there without delay.