Zelda vs Immersive Sims: The Ultimate Showdown

The level of creative freedom afforded to players in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sets it apart from many other games on the market. The game encourages players to use the tools at their disposal in innovative ways, often beyond the expectations of the developers. While this may sound similar to the gameplay mechanics of Prey, a 2017 title from Arkane Austin, it's important to note that Prey is an immersive sim, whereas Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is not. While Zelda may lack some of the staples typically associated with the genre, such as limited options for navigating locked doors and limited interactions with friendly NPCs, it still offers players the opportunity to interact with the game world in unique ways and tackle objectives in a variety of ways.

One of the defining features of immersive sims is the freedom players have to interact with the game's world in unpredictable ways, with the world responding to these actions in a natural manner. This is a key reason why Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has gained popularity beyond its well-known brand name. While the game is infamous for Korok torture, there are countless ways in which players can achieve the ultimate goal of reuniting a separated friend.

Although the suggested tools for reaching this goal are often nearby, they don't necessarily have to be used. Players can choose to construct terrain or aerial vehicles, pick up Koroks, or even attach them to rockets. The game doesn't discriminate against any particular method as long as the objective is completed. Similar to immersive sims, the interactions with enemies in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are also highly variable, with the player's surroundings and available resources playing a significant role in how encounters unfold.

When it comes to reaching a shrine surrounded by enemies in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, players have various methods at their disposal. While standard tactics like using a bow or engaging in direct combat can be effective, the game truly shines when players get creative. For instance, they can infiltrate a camp while wearing a silly disguise, fly over enemies to avoid fighting altogether, or charge inside a bomber plane that obliterates everything in its path.

This approach to gameplay is reminiscent of a mission in Deus Ex where players must infiltrate a pharmaceutical office in Hong Kong. While brute force is an option, more satisfying methods involve bribery or sneaking around undetected using JC's augmentations.

One notable difference between Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and other immersive sims like Prey is that Link has the same abilities throughout the game. In Prey, players can choose from various builds that dramatically alter how they interact with the world. For example, relying heavily on Typhon powers can turn security systems against the player. Similarly, many of the 152 shrines in Zelda offer unique challenges that require players to think outside the box.

Players have the freedom to tackle shrine challenges in various unconventional ways, not just limited to the developer's intended solutions. For instance, one shrine may require players to construct a cart that follows a peculiarly designed track to the endpoint. However, players can opt to fuse the provided fans to craft a lifting platform that enables them to glide safely to the goal. This creative problem-solving approach is akin to stacking crates to overcome obstacles or reach inaccessible areas, a common trope in immersive sims like Deus Ex, where players are known to stack numerous crates, and the reference to 0451 from System Shock continues to be prevalent.

The Term Immersive Sim is Somewhat Nebulous

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom offers players a unique balance between the freedom of immersive sims like Thief and Dishonored and the more limited interactions of games such as BioShock. While it provides options for combat, puzzle-solving, and traversal, the game is more restrictive when it comes to engaging with non-hostile NPCs and solving puzzles with flexibility. Despite this, the world of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom dynamically reacts to player actions in a way that is comparable to immersive sims like Deus Ex, System Shock 2, and Prey. As such, it could arguably be classified as an immersive sim based on its emergent gameplay and dynamically reacting world.

The definition of an immersive sim can become blurred when too many rules are added. This raises the question of where to draw the line. For example, if a lack of build variety disqualifies a game from being an immersive sim, then Thief would not be considered one. Similarly, if a third-person camera is a disqualifying factor, then Weird West would also be excluded. Despite not being commonly recognized as an immersive sim, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom successfully incorporates many elements of the genre into its dynamic open world, making it a worthy mention in discussions. The game is currently available for the Nintendo Switch.