The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's most popular franchises. Since its inception, it has grown from its 2D roots to now exploring a variety of different takes on the action-adventure genre. The Legend of Zelda is now considered to be one of the most iconic series in gaming and is often touted as being a system seller for Nintendo consoles. The most recent mainline entry in The Legend of Zelda franchise, Breath of the Wild has been one of the most influential games of recent times. It has inspired gamers to further explore The Legend of Zelda, and action-adventure games more generally.
With the most recent Legend of Zelda game being a remaster though, and with a release date for Breath of the Wild 2 a ways off, Zelda fans may want to look elsewhere for their Zelda fix. BotW has seemingly inspired a number of recent open-world titles, but The Legend of Zelda more broadly has been inspiring video games long before its release.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Ubisoft’s 2020 action-adventure game, Immortals Fenyx Rising was often compared with Breath of the Wild at launch. It’s clear to see why when looking at the gameplay, as much of its mechanics and art style bear a striking resemblance to the hit Zelda 2017 title. Immortals is an open-world game, featuring third-person combat and a glider that will bring back plenty of memories for Breath of the Wild fans. But for fans of a more classic style of Zelda game, Immortals Fenyx Rising’s The Lost Gods DLC provides a top-down perspective.
Early fan reactions calling Immortals Fenyx Rising a clone were far off the mark. Immortals shakes up the formula enough to justify its existence in anyone’s library right alongside Breath of the Wild. The mythological inspirations of Immortals are of Greek origin, providing a vastly different experience to The Legend of Zelda series, while the combat system similarly provides a whole new feeling entirely. Breath of the Wild’s weapon durability is a thing of the past, weapons and armor can be customized, and the combat all around has a lot more depth to it. Contrary to popular belief, Immortals Fenyx Rising is not a clone, however, it is worth picking up for Zelda fans.
Darksiders
On first appearances, it would be difficult to find a game further from the Zelda franchise in terms of tone. However, Darksiders is a game that holds much of the same appeal as The Legend of Zelda, albeit with a different execution. Darksiders would seem to most appeal to Legend of Zelda fans who are looking for a similar experience to games like Ocarina of Time, but with a grittier, more adult aesthetic. Darksiders is able to offer this, giving Zelda fans enough to bring back memories of their favorite series without feeling as though they’re playing a clone.
Darksiders' Zelda-like dungeons provide the most like-for-like comparison with The Legend of Zelda series. The environmental puzzles and the reward of a weapon or item that can be used to help the player complete said dungeon bring forth plenty of Zelda memories. Other aspects of the game, including the main protagonist who has been awoken from a long hibernation to save the world, or the epic boss battles with multiple stages are likewise reminiscent of significant parts of The Legend of Zelda series. In a similar way to Immortals Fenyx Rising, Darksiders offers more than enough to make the game feel like an entirely new experience, without losing the essence of what makes a great Zelda game.
Hob
Action-adventure game Hob is a great alternative to The Legend of Zelda series for fans looking for that classic and similar experience. Hob is a third-person game with a fixed camera angle and vibrant art style. But apart from its visual similarities with The Legend of Zelda series, much of the gameplay contains the same sense of adventure that has propelled the Zelda series into the gaming hall of fame. Hob contains its fair share of combat, in which the player can use a mechanical arm not too dissimilar from Link’s arm in the Breath of the Wild 2 trailer. But the main appeal of Hob lies elsewhere.
Hob’s puzzles set the game apart from both Immortals Fenyx Rising and Darksiders. The game’s world is essentially one large puzzle, which can be manipulated and unpacked as the player progresses through the game. The sense of discovery and achievement that’s summoned within the player upon completing a dungeon is increased tenfold in Hob, with the player able to change entire levels of the game in order to progress. Legend of Zelda’s puzzles and traversal make up much of the overall experience of the games, and each of these is heavily present in Hob. For Zelda fans looking for an all-new Legend of Zelda experience, Hob may be a great option.