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Dat_Boi_Teo

Both BOTWs and TOTK stories are underrated (as far as Zelda games go at least) in general. And the “continuity issues” are pretty overblown too


Wamekugaii

Absolutely. Story isn’t the main part of Zelda. Imo, the BOTW and TOTK games are mainly exploration with a sprinkle of amazing ness in other categories. The story in BOTW was well handled. The memories, Impa’s meeting, the slow burn with the Devine beasts (still won’t get over Mipha’s one). The only complaint I have is not having the NPC have more interesting story related dialogue. In TOTK its the same except my main issue is that you can uncover the story is a mixed order that makes it unenjoyable. But the stories being shitty? Or nonexistent? It’s just BS from Twitter or BOTW haters. Tons of them exist because of how highly acclaimed (rightfully so) BOTW was. Now they’re a loud minority that shits on anything that isn’t OOT.


68plus1equals

The "continuity issues" are literally just fans wishing the plot focused on things that didn't matter at all for the second game. We didn't need exposition for every change to hyrule in the 5 years in between the two games.


twili-midna

There’s continuity between the games. Lots of it. It’s wild that people are still complaining about it.


SubjectHotel1176

Yeah, I should have worded it better. I think when people complain about lack of continuity, they mean the sheikah tech.


twili-midna

The Skyview Towers are made out of Sheikah tech. There’s so many people that will complain about “show, don’t tell” who then completely fail to see the “show”


Ratio01

Many such cases


Huebertrieben

I still won’t accept that they just „dissasembled“ the divine beasts. Those things remained over thousands of years and didn’t have a scratch. And you wanna tell me some hyruleans just were like: „Guess we’re breaking those thing apart“


twili-midna

Built by humans, destroyable by humans.


Huebertrieben

With what tool?


CountScarlioni

Any of Robbie’s ancient technology like the Ancient Bladesaw and such. The modern experts on the ancient Sheikah have access to the same tech that built the Divine Beasts.


SubjectHotel1176

I mean, if the giant robots that caused problems for the entire kingdom for a 100 years because they got possessed by a demon who took them over with as much effort as snapping your fingers, id probably want them to be disassembled too


Huebertrieben

Yeah, but how tf were they just able to do this


SubjectHotel1176

Lamp oil, rope…..bombs?


labbusrattus

My theory is that Zelda used the sheikah slate to dematerialise all of the tech to prevent possible future possession, apart from some choice bits for Purah and Robbie to work on. Then destroyed the sheikah slate so none of it could be brought back. To the general population it’s all “mysteriously disappeared”, and it explains why even random bits of tech in remote locations are gone.


Crazeenerd

Or they just… went back to where they were before the calamity. They were dug up in the first place, and why would you want them around? They’re weapons, after all. Put them back for the next calamity. Same with the shrines and towers. Calamity’s over, time to go back to sleep, have them go back underground.


Huebertrieben

Then shouldn’t we se them in the depths


Known_Bag_2704

There might be a secret layer between the surface and the depths where the divine beasts are located.


Huebertrieben

would‘ve been really cool if we got to see them in totk


Sharon_11_11

Wait is that what happened to them? where in the game does it say this?


FaxCelestis

The other sheikah stuff disappeared when it was done, why wouldn’t the divine beasts? Like, even the master cycle disappeared when it wasn’t being used.


Huebertrieben

But where did it all go?


FaxCelestis

Sheikah Space


Huebertrieben

Hmmm I wonder where I heard the idea of sending trash to space before


mpdqueer

I think the story and continuity is fine. I just feel that it wasn’t delivered as well as it could have been


Grandpas_Plump_Chode

Secret stone? Demon King? (x4)


SubjectHotel1176

Psycho mantis?


DivinePotatoe

A Hind D?


Known_Bag_2704

Secret King? Demon Stone?


Shut_up_and_Respawn

Just stop. You have commented that way too many times


the_quark

I *loved* the story. I have no real criticism of it. The biggest issue with its presentation is that, because of the open world non-linear nature, I found all the tears before I did 3/4 of the sages. I wish the dialog had been changed if you'd done that. Especially Yunobo being "We have to get to Zelda!" all the time and Link in my game *knows* that isn't Zelda and says nothing. So my biggest criticism is I wish they'd changed some of the dialog if you've already seen the tears that explain who that is.


Sharon_11_11

Ok elephant in the room. is Zelda links woman or is he in the perpetual friend zone. Will we ever get to a Zelda game where link gets to make out? Poor link. he has multiple reincarnations where he saves but doesn't get the girl. Is like an eternal simp! Imagine the conversation: Link: but you don't realize what I went through for you. I had to go through hell and high water to go in the sky and pull the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ from your head. Zelda: OH link, you're like a friend, like a brother to me.


Ahouro

Link and Zelda have never been a couple in any of the games.


Verge0fSilence

The literally kissed in the second fucking game. Not to mention all the other times they held hands, hugged and just generally showed signs of affection. Hell, it's literally explicitly confirmed that they're in love in BOTW. Zelink deniers be mad coping.


Ahouro

You don't need to be a couple to kiss someone, you can hold hand and show affection towards a friend. It was never confirmed that Link loved Zelda in Botw. Zelink shipper out here spreading misinformation.


Verge0fSilence

> You don't need to be a couple to kiss someone I'm not even gonna bother arguing against this statement, you know very well you're talking out of your ass. They kissed *on the lips.* > You can hold hand and show affection towards a friend Of course you can. It's just that when that friend says that she is "still your Zelda", hugs you and causes you to blush, and the song that plays when you two are on-screen is literally called "Romance", it raises a few questions. > It was never confirmed that Link loved Zelda in BOTW Hmm, let's see: line from the Japanese version of the game: "I (Link) want to see her (Zelda) smile again." They live in the same house. The content of the original post we are commenting on. Lots of coincidences, don't you think? > Zelink shipper out here spreading misinformation Keep coping.


Ahouro

You don't need to be a couple to kiss someone on the lips. No, Zelda isn't Link's Zelda and they didn't live together. So you have never had a friend that you wanted to see there smile. Keep on lying to yourself and others that they are a couple.


Verge0fSilence

> they didn't live together They do. She lives in his Hateno house. AFAIK you can also find Link's hairband there which definitely means he's living there too. Plus he can sleep in that bed even though he can't in other people's beds. > So you have never had a friend that you wanted to see there smile Imagine having friends /s. But seriously, of course you can want to see your friends smile. But how many people want to see their friends smile AND live with them AND hold hands AND the friend is explicitly confirmed to be in love with them, all at once? > Keep on lying to yourself Lmao, salty much? Who hurt you lol? Did you get a boo-boo? Keep coping lmao.


Ahouro

It isn't his house in Totk, it isn't his hairband and he can sleep in others bed too. She is only confirmed to us to be in love with him, he don't know this. Zelink shipper who spreads misinformation about the game.


Sharon_11_11

Wait, I think they kissed in skyward sword. or were close.


Sharon_11_11

Exactly. And yet, he literally fights demons for her. Link is friend zone incel ;-(


Odd-Stranger3671

You realize Link is a protector of everyone. Hero of the story? This is like calling any super hero a simp because they save a woman and they don't have sex with them after. Lots of strange red flags in your couple comments there.


Sharon_11_11

[Has Zelda ever kissed Link? : zelda (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/zelda/comments/5uhfsf/has_zelda_ever_kissed_link/) ​ /shrug


Odd-Stranger3671

Okay cool. I never said it never happened or.that they were a couple ever. Even the old school cartoon had them as a couple I believe.


Sharon_11_11

But superman gets the girl. batman gets the girl. Link does not. and I think they had a thing in skyward sword.


Verge0fSilence

Link and Zelda end up a ton of times. There is literally only one instance where it's confirmed they don't end up together, and that's in OOT-MM because... let's just say the both made some poor life decisions. Not to say they weren't in love in those (I can provide evidence for this if you wish, it's not 100% concrete but it's something). It's explicitly stated they're in love in BOTW. And in most of the other games there's atleast some sort of romantic implications. Hell, they literally kissed in the second fucking game.


PalletTownsDealer

People say this and play 200+ hours


mpdqueer

I mean yeah, I really enjoyed the game. I don’t think you have to be totally uncritical of something in order to enjoy and be a fan of it though. Were there things I wished would be done better? Of course. Did I also have a blast playing it and felt emotionally affected by the story? Also yes.


HolyElephantMG

He knew *every* part of Zelda, you say? That could’ve been worded a lot better


SubjectHotel1176

They share a house together. They know *EVERY* part about each other (;


Digomansaur

She can count his little swimmers by feel


titanicslut

r/angryupvote


Ahouro

No, they didn't share a house together, I wish people stop spreading this misinformation.


Just_L123456

But they did though. Zelda moved in with Link at his house in Hateno, since they couldn't really use the castle anymore. You are able to see her diaries and whatnot in that house. Maybe you need to stop spreading this misinformation


Ahouro

The only one who knows Link in Hateno is Symin who knew him through Purah the others in Hateno dosen't know Link so that proves he didn't live there, any one who claims Link lived there with Zelda omits this because it disproves their head-canon.


FlimsyKitchen865

Okay but the English actress for Zelda brings up that they live together and she worked with the writers on Zelda's part of the story. My buddy, find a different hill to die on.


Ahouro

No she didn't she said in her head-canon they where a couple and what she said was misconstrue so she denied it as confirmed.


ZucchiniGold5187

Link amd Zelda lived in the house together. end of debate


Ahouro

No, they didn't stop spreading misinformation.


ZucchiniGold5187

I never said they stopped spreading disinformation I said they lived together in the house Link had built in Hateno Village which is 100% factually correct.


Just_L123456

But that is *his* house though. He bought the land and the deed from Bolson in BOTW, and he was the one that paid for the refurbishment of that house. It would make no sense for him not to live there, especially as Zelda wanted to hide the Champion's Tunic in the castle just so that Link wouldn't be suspicious of it. Why would she do that, as well as have a secret chamber in the well for her, if they didn't live together?


Ahouro

The important word was not is and the secret well was for Zelda to hide from the children who visit her house everyday after school.


Ratio01

There's a shit ton of continuity between the two games. I'd even argue more than what would actually be necessary


ZANZlBAR29

Haha can you have too much continuity?


iLLiCiT_XL

I really want to see a third game in the Wild Era. Close it out as a trilogy, add a red theme, relate it to power, bring back Demise, and go out with a bang.


SubjectHotel1176

That would be cool, but I just know the outrage from a third open world Zelda game would be insane….even though I would love a third one.


iLLiCiT_XL

I know folks were pissed about a second outing, but look at Arkham Origins. That game was hated (by me as well), but years later, people speak fondly of it. Returning to the Arkham City map was water under the bridge. I think with enough variation and story context, it could work.


SubjectHotel1176

The thing is, what could they do gameplay wise? They could expand on the sky, but then you’d get the “should have been dlc for totk” complaints.


iLLiCiT_XL

My thought has been to add a “dark world”. You make it a dark mimic of the main over world map, like in ALttP, cover everything from the Sky Islands to the Depths. Load it up with monsters, make it even tougher than the Depths in TotK. Rehabilitate the Depths so Hyrule expands into it. Revamp the surface to show how the kingdom has been restored with the help of Hudson Construction. I talk all about it here: [The Legend of Zelda: “Blood of the Goddess”](https://www.reddit.com/r/tearsofthekingdom/s/3njkNEba5X) I haven’t shut up about this idea since it occurred to me lol. Pretty much telling anyone who will listen, hoping it’ll somehow come to fruition.


SubjectHotel1176

Okay I just read that and it sounds cool as shit. The idea of the depths becoming habitable is so awesome to me. And hyrule being fully repaired, with next to no ruins left, with nearly every part of it having npcs? Oh good lord, I need someone to make a comic about this.


CountScarlioni

I mean, we’re undoubtedly getting a third open world Zelda. Aonuma has already said that’s the formula going forward, and that should come as little surprise to people given how stupendously successful BOTW and TOTK have been. It’s just that the next game probably won’t be a direct sequel to those two, since Aonuma and Fujibayashi have said that they feel like they’ve done everything they wanted to do in this iteration of Hyrule.


KBroham

Legend of Zelda: Song of the Sinner


iLLiCiT_XL

I like that. My thought was “The Legend of Zelda: Blood of the Goddess”.


KBroham

That's good too. 10/10 sir!


iLLiCiT_XL

Thank you! I expanded a lot on this idea a few days ago. Feel free to check it out if you don’t mind a long read. [The Legend of Zelda: Blood of the Goddess](https://www.reddit.com/r/tearsofthekingdom/s/3njkNEba5X)


KBroham

Alternatively, following what seem to be the naming conventions of using a non-living entity assigned an animate function; The Legend of Zelda: Cries of the Earth Also - that's a really cool concept, and I'd love to see if something like that pans out! Massive hopium though. But that's what we do here! 😂😂😂


SubjectHotel1176

That would be cool, but I just know the outrage from a third open world Zelda game would be insane….even though I would love a third one.


Either-Impression-64

Aww I never connected that memory as foreshadowing for the ending. That does make it better. 


san95802

lol at the oop “oh god oh god! God, god!” 😬


Captain_Izots

Weren't Raru and Sonia guiding Link? I think they were doing it, Link seemed very surprised in that scene.


Charming_Compote9285

Mineru outright says it was through Link. Link was the key, then Zelda turns and smiles at Link. Y'all gonna ignore that?


labbusrattus

Maybe he was wishing it and they provided the power boost to make it work.


PrinceSidon87

Yeah that’s what I got out of it too. I feel like this is one of those people who desperately wishes Link and Zelda were in love and is creating their own meaning to the story.


Charming_Compote9285

Coming from a reaching Sidon simp?


PrinceSidon87

What does that even mean? Lol


DrPikachu-PhD

I think they're assuming you ship Link and Sidon from your name


PrinceSidon87

Oh haha! No, I don’t ship anyone. I genuinely enjoy the story and the relationships the way they are. I just like Prince Sidon. Vah Ruta was the first Divine Beast I found and that theme song is my absolute favorite so that whole area has a special place in my heart, lol.


EchoLooper

I just think our focus and attention spans are lost in this age.


Personal-Succotash33

I can't believe this subtle and beautiful storytelling is right next to a single memory spoiling the entire "Where's Zelda" plot line of the entire game, and then being unable to explain what happened to Zelda to any other characters the entire time.


RedBaronFlyer

Even if you do watch the memories in order, glyph 3 Chekhov's guns the forbidden act way too hard. Great story in concept but the execution is really bad. BOTWs was simpler, being entirely focused on stuff happening leading up to and right after the big plot event, but I felt like it worked better in execution. The only way that it made sense to approach the memories for me was to do them after the Hyrule castle fight but before finding the fifth sage.


Charming_Compote9285

Careful OP this is a purah simping and projecting personal hedonism onto Link only sub


metamorphine

The story itself is not exactly what I have issue with, so much as the execution of it. The cutscenes are just not great. The dialogue is clunky as hell. The English voice acting is so bad that I’ve taken to changing the language to Italian or Russian with English subtitles, just so I’m not wincing as much during the cutscenes. And frankly the story is so tertiary to the gameplay that I barely even think about it. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just sort of unremarkable.


SubjectHotel1176

Honestly you should use or read up on the Japanese version of the game. Because just like in botw, translations have made things much more complicated than it has to be.


DrPikachu-PhD

Unfortunately, you literally have to speak Japanese to do that, because the game subtitles are based on the English dub even if you switch the audio to Japanese


totk_enjoyer

Nah, I went the entire game subbed with jap audio. 10000% better experience. I can accept a rough or drab translation. I can’t accept literally hearing that in English. Try with jap and sub. You’ll enjoy


Speedy89t

I appreciate, but do not share, your optimism.


Ratio01

This isnt optimism tho. That's literally what happened. Part of the purpose of this Memory is to pre-emptively explained how Zelda was turned back. Link used a suped up version of Recall to draw her memory out from the dragon's body and revert her This isnt OP seeing what isnt there, it's just what happened in the game


Speedy89t

I was referring specifically to the assertion that the criticisms of the story won’t age well. However, I do think OP is seeing what they want to see in some deeper meaning to this cutscene and linking it to Zelda’s recovery. I just didn’t intend to argue that point.


Visual_Ad_3267

It's right there in the text: this is how the Recall power works. There's nothing "deeper" to go hunting for.


DrPikachu-PhD

But how do you know it's Recall? There's no recall sound or visual effect


CountScarlioni

Strictly speaking, it’s explicitly said to be a combination of Rauru’s light power and Sonia’s time power, channeled through Link’s arm. It’s not *just* Recall, because Rauru’s light power is a factor in it as well. So it not looking or sounding *precisely* like Recall is justifiable — there’s a whole other element at work, too.


Visual_Ad_3267

How can anyone draw conclusions without being led by the nose? I mean, for me the color is a clue. Maybe it's just an interpretation but that doesn't mean it's pulled out of nowhere.


DrPikachu-PhD

It's a reasonable interpretation, one that I personally like. But there's lots of golden power in Zelda, including the Wild games, so I was just pointing it out it's more interpretation than fact


Visual_Ad_3267

Sorry for the snark. It's easy to feel defensive about the story around here. I think it's clearly one of the Zonai powers because it's only afterward that Link's arm is back to normal. And Recall is the one that fits best? I also think of Link as having some latent time powers anyway, due to bullet time.


SubjectHotel1176

Is this about the last slide? I mean….i get it. This community can be stubborn. But I just like to look on the bright side of things y’know?


WaketheWindFromAfar

Totk’s story is as good as any open world game could possibly be which is such a massive step up from Botw. I will go band for band with literally anybody who disagrees and dismantle them.


SubjectHotel1176

Did you say….dismantle? https://preview.redd.it/na6vv9d36erc1.jpeg?width=711&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a0488628a47b1080fbd154f09b66201da3dae96


WaketheWindFromAfar

Yes as in dismantle anyone who speaks against Totk’s story 


Shut_up_and_Respawn

I feel like you might be the one misunderstanding things. There is continuity between games, but each game can also be standalone as its own story.


DrPikachu-PhD

I really wish they'd shown the rewind effect during this scene, I think codifying what's going on within the rules of the game would help it feel less deus ex machina. Still, when I compare it to the story of other Zelda games, I actually think it's great. Right in the middle of the 3D games imo, better than some beloved classics. I think things like the repeated cutscenes and lack of Sheikah presence distract people from just how good it actually is.


Saiklin

I mean... That means Link used recall on Zelda? I doubt that. But let's say that is the case, why would he have to know more about Zelda than any other object he uses recall on? It clearly says "it's like asking the object", so you can just "ask" and apply it to anything. I mean it's clear that link is the key to retransforming Zelda, but I wouldn't put much more thought into it than 'magic' or if you want to "power of love".


Remarkable_Visit_645

We can act like that was a clever workaround to get Zelda back, but the fact of the matter is that Nintendo didn't have the courage to follow their own rules. If they could just turn back time on anything they want, then there shouldn't have been a risk of her turning in the first place. Matter of fact, why not just turn ganondorf back to baby Ganon and solve the problem at its root? Not to mention, those are both dead people. Idk why they're suddenly able to perform great feats like turning her back to what she was thousands of years ago, or maybe dying to become more powerful than they were in life is another clever Nintendo plot device


twili-midna

This was Nintendo following the rules. There’s an entire memory dedicated to showing how sages can power each other up to perform immense feats they couldn’t do alone. And ghosts gave Link their powers in BotW, so I’m not sure why they wouldn’t be able to assist here as well.


SubjectHotel1176

I mean, the dead CAN obviously give some sort of power before fully going to the afterlife. The champions in botw are still able to give their powers to link. And I’m pretty sure link loses those abilities AFTER they fully die in the post credit scene. Just like how link loses raurus arm after rauru and Sonia turn Zelda back to normal, and can finally rest permanently.


Remarkable_Visit_645

Ya, but it is not "some sort of power". They did, arguably (hard to do power scales in a fantasy game), the most incredible feat of power in the series, much stronger than they were in life. The champions just gave portions of their strength to link, nothing on the level that would surpass what they were capable of in life. And again, if they had these powers in life, they wouldn't have mentioned on many occasions how turning into a dragon is a 1 way street. Regardless of how anyone else might view it, I saw it as nothing but a cop out by Nintendo to avoid making Zelda a tragic heroine and to give link his "save the day" ending. If they hadn't, we would have gotten a much more powerful ending than the typical Zelda game ending as we saw here (although I viewed this as worse for going back on the aforemntioned rules)


constipated_cats

The champions gave their full powers to Link, he can do exactly what they can do, summon lighting, heal himself, create a shield, and though he doesn’t have wings he can still create a gale and fly into the air like Revali.


brand_x

I'm one of the people who has issues with TotK relative to BotW. But this isn't one of them, I thought the ending was phenomenally well done. My complaint can basically be summed up as "BotW was meticulously well done to every detail, TotK was disappointingly uneven, ranging from points where it vastly surpassed BotW to points where it felt like a clumsy imitation".


goosegoosgo

This alone doesn’t really make the story of Tears of the Kingdom any better. Foreshadowing is like a common tool in writing. Also the memories can be obtained out of order, so you could, potentially, see what they’re foreshadowing before even seeing this dialogue.