There's really something special about indie games. Even if they're not always made with the experience and resources of a AAA studio, indie games are developed by people really passionate about their product and motivated to making something that represents their passions and ideas. Something indie developers usually have in common is that they're hugely inspired by the studios responsible for the games they grew up with, from Sony to Microsoft to Nintendo. One indie game that wears its inspiration on its sleeve is Tunic. It's very obvious that Tunic is a love letter to The Legend of Zelda, particularly the franchise's oldest entries.
Tunic was first announced at E3 2018. It's a very colorful isometric game about a fox who goes on an adventure in a mysterious land. There's lots of mysterious creatures to fight and ruins to navigate. It's clear on every front that Tunic takes inspiration from The Legend of Zelda. One only needs to look at the player character's outfit to know what the developer has on his mind. However, the developer Andrew Shouldice clearly has plenty of original ideas that set the game apart. When this game makes it out of development, it'll probably draw a crowd of nostalgic Zelda fans.
Compare and Contrast
The game's reveal trailer makes it clear that the fox in Tunic stands in for Link. At the start of the trailer, the fox wakes up on the beach too, a clear nod to Link's Awakening. They wear a green tunic, and they discover a sword in the forest shortly after the opening. After that, there's clips of them exploring thematically diverse dungeons and fighting cartoony monsters, some nearly as cute as the fox. Even the tiers of cliffs in the trailer are reminiscent of Link's Awakening. Shouldice has been very clear about how much The Legend of Zelda has shaped the game's development. Even if he wasn't, it shows.
In spite of the similarities, there's a lot of uniqueness and mystique to this action-adventure title. The game's plot is hard to define, since the only text in the trailer is indecipherable. The game does appear to have an antagonist, though. At the end of the trailer, the fox confronts a tall jackal in a robe, who brandishes their sword and magically sprouts what looks like wings. On top of that, Tunic has a unique low polygon art style and lots of enemy designs that set it apart from The Legend of Zelda. Even though the inspiration of obvious, the game isn't a Zelda clone, nor does it want to be.
Cozying Up to Tunic
Tunic's unique twist on rich inspiration makes the game worth watching. Anyone interested in it will probably want to take some initiative to follow it closely. The developer has only shared limited details about his progress, although Shouldice did to a recent interview with Xbox Wire that shared some new insights on Tunic's status. Shouldice says he's still working hard on the game, so it's more a matter of patience than luck when it comes to Tunic's release.
Fans at least have lots of small teasers they can explore on Tunic's official Twitter while waiting for the game to release. The game's reveal prompted a lot of fan art, and Shouldice still likes to reach out to fans via the tiny fox at the head of Tunic. It's hard to say what Tunic's future looks like, but it can't be denied that this game is being made with a lot of heart. Shouldice's love for The Legend of Zelda and similar classic adventure games shows. This isn't a project that he would abandon. Eventually this charming adventure will venture out into the world, just like the brave little fox within.
Tunic is in development for PC, Mac, and Xbox One.