Tears spark joy

"My working day is over, bye!" This is not a casual farewell to colleagues but a tweet from an ardent fan of The Legend of Zelda, who is ready to dive into the newest game, Tears of the Kingdom.

This sequel to the critically acclaimed Breath of the Wild sent fans into an online frenzy, hitting the No 1 spot on Twitter's trending topics on May 11 and still ranking third on May 12.

The game, combining its open-world exploration, innovative gameplay, and stunning visuals, has earned praise and perfect scores from well-known gaming media, including IGN, GameSpot, and VGC.

IGN extolled it as an "unfathomable follow-up", surpassing its predecessor in virtually every aspect — from quality of life improvements to a genuinely riveting storyline, as well as inventive building mechanics.

With this buzz, it's clear that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is not just a game but a cultural phenomenon engaging a new generation of gamers.

Contact the writer at xuwanyang@i21st.cn