Unleashing the Power of Zelda: Uncover the Uncharted Depths in 6 Thrilling Ways

The Sky Islands served as the primary attraction during the promotion of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Although the Depths were briefly hinted at in trailers and gameplay, it wasn't until players progressed through the game that they discovered an expansive underground map beneath Hyrule.

The Depths play a significant role in the main story of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This location offers opportunities to obtain new items, face more formidable adversaries, and uncover valuable treasures. However, as a newly introduced area, there is ample room for improvement in the Depths, particularly if future DLC is released to further enhance the existing content.

6 Unique Enemies

Enemies in Tears of the Kingdom have undergone a transformation, with the inhabitants of the Depths now under the control of Gloom. This presents a greater challenge for Link, as coming into contact with these enemies will deplete his hearts due to the influence of the Gloom. Some Bokoblins and Lynels are equipped with stone armor, further intensifying the task for players.

The Depths presented an opportunity to introduce completely new adversaries, such as the imposing Frox creatures that lurk and pounce on unsuspecting players. It would have been a delightful surprise for players to encounter enemies exclusively found in the Depths, just like the exclusivity of Constructs on the Sky Islands. This would have added a distinctiveness to each layer of Hyrule, setting them apart from one another.

5 More New Creatures

In the Depths, new creatures such as Deep Fireflies, Little Frox, and Frox can be found. However, there are no other exclusive inhabitants in the underworld of Hyrule. It is possible that additional creatures could have been introduced to assist Link in his exploration, such as those capable of assisting players in creating Sunny recipes to combat the prevalent Gloom in the Depths.

A problem arises when players run out of Sundelions and Sun Pumpkins in the Depths, as they cannot be harvested there. To address this issue, it would have been beneficial to introduce lizards, beetles, or another creature in the Depths that could provide a solution.

4 More Varied Locations & Things To Do

Players will gradually discover that the Depths reflect the features of Hyrule's surface. Rivers transform into mountains, and mountains become valleys. Towns and villages often conceal mines beneath them, while Shrines directly connect to Lightroots situated below.

In contrast to areas like Coliseums, forests, and enemy strongholds, the Depths contain numerous empty spaces that lack interesting elements. It would have benefitted from the inclusion of captivating landmarks for players to explore, in addition to traversing through the darkness. This highlights the allure of Hyrule's surface, as there is always something intriguing to observe and appreciate in specific locations.

3 Deeper Lore

Each region in Hyrule is accompanied by an abandoned mine beneath its towns and villages. Link can explore smaller mines, where players will stumble upon Zonaite deposits and treasure chests. Unfortunately, these depths lack the inclusion of substantial lore. The main mines directly connect to the prominent settlements of Hyrule's main races on the surface, indicating a significant relationship with the Zonai tribe.

It is regrettable that a more in-depth explanation regarding the origins of tribes like the Gorons in the Ancient City of Gorondia or the construction of these mines was not provided. Players may have gained insight into why these mines have fallen into disrepair following the extinction of the Zonai tribe, despite the presence of Constructs maintaining the mining operations.

2 Varied & Unique Treasures

There is a wealth of treasure waiting to be discovered in the Depths, especially if players have come across the Old Maps scattered throughout the Sky Islands. Instead of just offering special armor in the chests marked with an X, it would have been more rewarding to provide something unique to the Depths, such as ancient Zonai weapons. Rather than reusing armor from previous games, which were already featured in Breath of the Wild, it would have been better to introduce new armor options.

One way to address this would be to make these outfits available for purchase from Bargainer Statues, similar to how they become available after Link acquires the clothing. This way, the treasure could consist of new outfits like different tiers of Gloom-resistant armor or powerful weapons. These rewards could be found at locations marked as X on the Old Maps, or as a prize for successfully defeating waves of enemies in the coliseums.

1 Better Reward For Discovering All Lightroots

Players who successfully complete all the Shrines on Hyrule's surface are rewarded with the impressive Ancient Hero's Aspect armor. This distinguished set showcases a legendary Zonai hero and offers a substantial defense buff of 12 additional points. However, when players painstakingly light up all the Lightroots in the Depths, they are given the rather underwhelming Dispelling Darkness medal as recognition for their hard work. It would have been more meaningful and satisfying for players to receive a unique weapon or an equally remarkable armor set, akin to the Ancient Hero's Aspect, as a testament to their triumph over the Depths. The Dispelling Darkness medal simply fails to match the level of dedication required to illuminate an entirely new map beneath the surface of Hyrule.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.