Summary
Everybody lovesThe Legend of Zelda. After all, this legendary series has forever revolutionized gaming, due to its beautiful presentation, engaging gameplay, innovative mechanics and incredible boss fights. The only real problem with this franchise is that it is 100% exclusive to the consoles of the company that created it, Nintendo.
Unfortunately forPlayStation 5users, there are noLegend of Zeldagames on Sony’s current console. But this isn’t much of an issue, because this franchise has been so undeniably important that it has even influenced the development of multiple high-quality action-adventure titles that are available to play on non-Nintendo systems. This means that the PS5 has a lot of great games that look, play and feel likeThe Legend of Zeldain its catalog, and these are some of the most prominent examples.
Upon first glance, it’s immediately evident that the former PlayStation exclusiveKena: Bridge of Spiritshas been influenced by theLegend of Zeldaseries: It features a strong female protagonist, a dynamic combat system, multiple unique power-ups that can be used to solve interesting puzzles and some really solid boss fights.
If that wasn’t appealing enough already,Kena: Bridge of Spiritsalso has a beautiful, colorful art style that makes it look like an animated Hollywood movie. This is no coincidence, though, since its developer, Ember Lab, got its start as an animation studio, and it went viral in 2016 when it released aMajora’s Maskshort film titledTerrible Fate. So theZelda-like elements of this game are most likely intentional.
Many modern action-adventure games for the PS5 strive to replicate the style of the 3DLegend of Zeldaentries, likeOcarina of TimeorBreath of the Wild.But Isometricorp Games’Tunicis a fascinating exception, because the developers confirmed that they were inspired by the classic isometricZeldagames in 2D from the NES/SNES era.
This is immediately evident by looking atTunic’sadorable fox protagonist wielding a sword and a shield, coupled with its distinct perspective and gameplay. Nevertheless, this endearing adventure game never feels like a blatant copy, as it instead plays more like a respectful homage with enough unique elements to make it stand out. Fans of traditional 2DZeldagames should definitely giveTunica try, because there aren’t many other projects like it in the modern market.
Based off of the cult classic manga by Akira Toriyama,Sand Land is a 2024 release that flew under most people’s radars, despite being a solid example of a surprisingly fun action-adventure game with colorful graphics and eccentric characters that will definitely appeal to fans ofThe Legend of Zeldafranchise. In this title, Beelzebub and his friends will have to explore a giant open map with multiple locations, treasure chests, dungeons, items and bosses in every corner.
Sand Landalready has a lot of classic elements from the action-adventure genre that make it both entertaining and engaging, but what makes it truly stand out from other similar games is its focus on giant machines and vehicles, like cars, tanks and even giant mechas, for both its high-octane combat and its endless exploration. Curiously enough, this sole element makesSand Landespecially appealing for fans ofZelda:Tears of the Kingdom, which also allows players to create and customize their own constructs to traverse an open-world map.
When Ubisoft’sImmortals Fenyx Risingcame out back in 2020, many criticized it for its glaring similarity toThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. However, the very same people who pointed that out also clarified that this doesn’t mean it’s a subpar experience at all, since making a game that plays and looks a lot likeBreath of the Wildfor systems where that game isn’t available (like the PS5) is quite a brilliant idea.
The main appeal ofImmortals Fenyx Risingis the fact that it’s entirely based off of Greek Mythology, which means most players will be immediately familiar with all of its characters, enemies and bosses. Aside from that, it does borrow many features fromBreath of the Wildthat make its gameplay very enjoyable, like a vast open world, engaging exploration, unique abilities that can be used for both puzzle-solving and combat and even a bunch of epic and intense boss fights.
Due to the frequency in which shameless clones ofThe Legend of Zelda(and other Nintendo IPs) often appear on digital storefronts, many gamers have wrongly accused Cornfox & Bros’Oceanhornseries of being nothing more than that. In reality, however, these are solid action-adventure titles,especially the sequel/prequel,Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm.
Since the first entry was basically an homage to classic 2DZeldagames,Oceanhorn 2is an obvious tribute to modern 3DZeldaadventures, and it wears those inspirations on its sleeve. With its sword-wielding protagonist, vibrant art style, appealing exploration, interesting open world and fun puzzles,Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realmis one of the closest things to a true 3DLegend of Zeldaexperience that gamers can experience on their PS5s.
WhenHorizon Zero Dawnfirst came out in 2017, gamers around the world claimed that the PlayStation brand finally had a unique and exclusive action-adventure game that could go toe-to-toe against Nintendo’sThe Legend of Zeldaseries. Of course,this rivalry and these comparisons didn’t stop when Sony released its sequel,Horizon Forbidden West,in 2022.
It has all the traditional elements one would expect from aZelda-inspired game in this genre, like a vast open world with unique locations and memorable side quests, engaging action combat in which Aloy’s bow and arrow take center stage, designated areas that work like dungeons and complex bosses that have to be approached as if they were a puzzle. Nevertheless,Horizon Forbidden Westalso features a distinct post-apocalyptic setting and a fascinating narrative that helps it stand out from other similar titles.
There’s no denying thatGod of Warpopularized the hack-and-slash genre during the mid-2000s, but the series went in a completely different direction when theGod of Warreboot came out in 2018.Its recent sequel,God of War Ragnarök, carries that new gameplay styleand, as a result, has become one of the absolute best action-adventure titles in the PlayStation 5’s entire catalog.
Like its predecessor,Ragnarökfocuses a lot less on violent combat and epic boss battles (even though those still are two prominent elements of this game) and puts a bigger emphasis on a slower but more methodical combat system and linear exploration set in a semi-open world that is brimming with sidequests, items and enemies. In a current gaming landscape in which most developers are set on making bloated open world games,God of War Ragnarök’s more traditional gameplay - which is reminiscent of classic 3DZeldagames - feels extremely refreshing.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildwas a total game-changer for the industry, and it has influenced countless open-world action-adventure titles that came after it,with the most prominent and impressive example being 2022’sElden Ring. With this award-winning game, FromSoftware took everything that madeBreath of the Wildso great, implemented it into a challenging action RPG similar toDark Souls, and made it all work extremely well.
It may not be immediately evident to some, butElden Ringhas a lot ofBreath of the WildDNA in it. This is because the main appeal is its huge open world that can be completed in any order, and that it’s filled to the brim with weapons, items, enemies, dungeons and bosses that can completely change the experience, making it more or less difficult depending on the player’s actions. Any gamer who enjoys both the modernLegend of Zeldagames and FromSoftware’sDark Soulsfranchise definitely has to experienceElden Ringon their own.
