In the mid-to-late 1990s, the Nintendo 64 played a significant role in that generation's video game era. Some notable games that many will fondly remember include, Goldeneye 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Mario Kart 64, Super Mario 64, and, of course, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. While many of these are undoubtedly classics, with some even being influential, Ocarina of Time is often considered the best N64 game to ever be released. Like Mario 64, It's fully 3D environment was a testament to the rising technology at the time. Unsurprisingly, one fan has been busy bringing the beloved RPG into the modern gaming world.
In a recent video uploaded to their YouTube channel, user CryZENx, who has been remaking Ocarina of Time using Unreal Engine 4, has managed to show off yet more gameplay footage from this impressive fan project. The area in particular is Kakariko Graveyard. Given the nighttime setting of this area, the demonstration really shows off the lighting effects from the more up-to-date engine. There's even a creepy moment underground in which the more modern ReDead creatures are seen. This section was no doubt pretty scary for many who remember the original, but has been made somewhat creepier with the new graphics and lighting.
CryZENx's progress seems to be coming along impressively well. It wasn't that long ago that they were able to show more of their Ocarina of Time UE4 remake, with the previous video showing Link interacting with the environment, and also what his horse, Epona, now looks like when given a graphical boost. It's hard to say exactly how long it will be before the final game is complete, but according to a post on their Discord server back in September, this remake is currently around 9% done. With footage emerging recently, it stands to reason that this percentage has gone up since.
Unreal is one of the most popular engines around, with many studios using it to create everything from small, independent games, to big budget AAA titles. CryZENx is using version 4 of the software, which is the previous iteration. Though they have said they plan to move onto Unreal Engine 5 for yet another remake.
In fact, a version of Ocarina of Time in UE5 is already underway, by a user named RwanLink. Much like CryZENx, this person is looking to bring the Nintendo 64 classic, which is nearly two and a half decades old at this point, into the modern gaming era. It will be exciting to see both fan-made projects once they are complete.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is available on Nintendo 64 and 3DS, as well as the Nintendo Switch.