Summary
TheLegend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomdid what many thought couldn’t be done and expanded the already vast world of Hyrule fromBreath of the Wildeven more. Not only can players explore the areas of Hyrule from the previous title, butThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomintroduces brand-new areas like the Sky Islands and the mysterious Depths. While these locales are integral to the game’s story, the finale of the game leaves several mysteries surrounding the Depths unsolved, setting the stage for a potential sequel to delve further into their lore.
TheDepths inTears of the Kingdomare a treacherous place for players to venture as the Gloom has caused Ganondorf’s minions to become even more powerful, and the Yiga Clan lurks around every corner. However, exploring the Depths is worth the risk since some of the game’s best treasures and more interesting secrets are hidden within the darkness of this subterranean area. Since there is no conclusive evidence that the Depths are sealed back up at the end of the game, it’s possible the nextZeldagame could focus on diving deeper into the Depths and solving the remaining mysteries hidden there.
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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Successor Should Explore the Depths Further
The Depths are one of the most mysterious aspects ofTears of the Kingdom,as they are implied to have existed for ages before being uncovered by theUpheaval caused by Ganondorf. As such, a large portion of the game involves exploring the uncharted territory the Depths represents. Despite the vast amount of content there is to uncover within the Depths,Tears of the Kingdomseems to just barely scratch the surface of the lore surrounding the Depths and their history, which is something that a sequel could take up the metaphorical and literal torch for.
Similarly to howTears of the Kingdombuilt upon the mapping of Hyrule fromBreath of Wildwith its change from Sheikah Towers to the newly-builtSkyview Towers, the nextZeldagame could show the progression of exploration into the Depths by having more of it mapped out with more Hylian-built structures.Tears of the Kingdomshows characters like Josha and Robbie just starting to map out the Depths with the Zonai Survey Team, so a sequel set some time in the future could feasibly see more of the location charted. Not only would this change help continue making Hyrule feel like it is alive and lived in, but it would also be a great excuse to build uponTears of the Kingdom’s gameplay.
There are also a lot of anomalies within the Depths that receive little to no explanation inTears of the Kingdomthat deserve to have their lore fleshed out.Tears of the Kingdom’s Leviathan fossilshave their Dark Skeleton counterparts located within the depths, and features like the ghost soldiers and Bargainer Statues are relics that are just as mysterious. These elements almost feel like teasers for aTears of the Kingdomsequel since they are just begging to be expanded upon in a follow-up title.
Perhaps the greatest mystery of the Depths is how and why it mirrors the over world of Hyrule inTears of the Kingdom. EachShrine has its corresponding Lightroot, mountains and bodies of water become valleys and walls in the Depths, and even the location of Leviathan Fossils correspond to the locations of Dark Skeletons. There must be a reason for this mirror-like layout that predates the Upheaval ofTears of the Kingdom, and the nextZeldagame is in the perfect position to explore some of these mysteries and give closure to the Depths' secrets left hanging at the end ofTears of the Kingdom.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis available for Nintendo Switch.
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