Elden Ring and Tears of the Kingdom: Unleashing the Ultimate Replay Value

Both Elden Ring and Tears of the Kingdom have emerged as the leading contenders in the open-world fantasy genre in recent years. Elden Ring seamlessly combines the challenging combat and introspective exploration of Dark Souls within a sprawling map, while Tears of the Kingdom builds upon the success of its critically acclaimed predecessor, Breath of the Wild. Despite their differences, these games share a common goal of captivating millions of players through their epic, country-spanning adventures.

These vast games offer players the opportunity to immerse themselves for well over a hundred hours during their initial playthrough. Whether it's the demanding nature of Elden Ring or the non-linear gameplay of Zelda, both titles ensure that there is never a shortage of things to do. From a plethora of gear and formidable monsters to engaging side quests and optional dungeons, players will always find themselves occupied. Additionally, there are subtle similarities between the two games, such as the inclusion of underground maps in both Elden Ring and Tears of the Kingdom, as well as the option to recruit NPC helpers to enhance the party-building experience. However, despite their impressive content, both games share a common flaw, albeit one that may not affect every player. Once the initial adventure is complete, there is not much incentive to revisit the game world.

Great Open Worlds Don't Need Much Replay Value

The flaw in Elden Ring and Tears of the Kingdom is a result of their impressive content. The games offer a vast array of activities and sights for players to explore. Whether it's engaging in combat encounters, solving puzzles, discovering treasure, conquering side dungeons, or facing off against powerful bosses, there is always something to do. The combination of Elden Ring's acclaimed boss battles and Tears of the Kingdom's intricate dungeons creates memorable and cinematic experiences within the open world. Despite the abundance of content, the initial excitement may diminish as players become accustomed to the constant stimulation.

The abundance of content in these titles contributes to a significant amount of gameplay hours. As a recent release, Tears of the Kingdom offers an indefinite ending, allowing many players to continue playing without reaching its conclusion. The game includes various main quests, such as exploring underground areas and finding the Master Sword, which can take a substantial amount of time to uncover.

On the other hand, Elden Ring is technically more linear but encourages players to extensively search for equipment due to its challenging nature. Its difficulty increases in the third act to the extent that some players have yet to see the credits. However, there is no pressure to rush through the game and reach the ending.

Tears of the Kingdom Squeezed All It Can Out Of Hyrule

Both Elden Ring and Tears of the Kingdom are incredibly rich and immersive games that have earned their stellar reputations without relying heavily on replay value. However, it is worth noting that both titles have their own shortcomings in this aspect. Tears of the Kingdom faces a particular challenge in this regard, as it can be compared to the replay value offered by Breath of the Wild.

Unlike previous Zelda games, such as Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, which had unique world maps, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have reused their world maps. While Hyrule has been expanded vertically and its existing content and geography have been rearranged, many players may not feel inclined to revisit this familiar Hyrule for a third time.

The reality is, once the credits roll in Tears of the Kingdom, there isn't much to keep players engaged. Breath of the Wild was praised for improving the "collectibles and towers" formula commonly seen in Ubisoft open-world games, but this still means there are numerous checklists to complete. While some tasks may be tied to the story or offer valuable gameplay rewards, the satisfaction of solving them is often the main incentive.

Link's motivation drives players to explore Hyrule, but once that drive diminishes, the end of the game quickly approaches. The DLC content will certainly enhance the replay value of Tears of the Kingdom, just as it did for Breath of the Wild. However, it is inevitable that the game will encounter the same challenges, and this applies to Elden Ring as well.

Elden Ring Becomes Surprisingly Linear On Replays

Elden Ring playthroughs, regardless of its upcoming expansion Shadow of the Erdtree, are likely to be a one-time experience for most players. Exploring the Lands Between at a leisurely pace, players will come across numerous unique treasures along the way. While some bosses and enemies, such as the Ulcerated Tree Spirit, may become repetitive as the game progresses, their familiar moveset can offer a sense of familiarity and predictability.

However, the reality is that there isn't much incentive to revisit most of Elden Ring's content. In order to progress the story, players only need to acquire two Great Runes from any demigods and find a route to Altus Plateau. Once these requirements are fulfilled, players can continuously advance without the need to revisit previous areas. Furthermore, the Torrent ability allows players to bypass most overworld encounters, enabling those who are satisfied with their current character build to move forward uninterrupted. This is where Elden Ring distinguishes itself from Tears of the Kingdom, as its replay value lies in the various character builds that players can experiment with and continuously upgrade.

Elden Ring offers a vast array of gear options, rivaling the possibilities found in Tears of the Kingdom's Fuse and Ultrahand. The game's equipment allows for dramatically different play styles, and its dedicated multiplayer system makes it easy to assemble builds quickly. While Elden Ring may not offer the same level of player creativity as previous Souls and Legend of Zelda titles, it ensures that the first playthroughs of both Elden Ring and Tears of the Kingdom will be filled with diversity. You can play Elden Ring on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.