Fast Facts:
Game Title: Oceanhorn
Genre: Adventure/Zelda-type game
Platform: Steam, Xbox One, Playstation 4
Price: Newest edition $14.99
Why You Should Get It
There's no beating around the bush with this game, it's a Zelda inspired spin-off. That said, it combines elements of several Zelda games into an adventure that stands alone on it's own as a must play game for Adventure lovers. In Oceanhorn, you play a young adventurer searching for his father through the use of his diary. You must sail to islands (ala Windwaker) and discover their secrets to find new islands and get closer to discovering what happened to your missing dad.
While the sailing aspect is very Wind-Waker, the game plays more like a SNES or handheld Zelda adventure if it were from an isometric perspective. You have your sword, shield, and other items that help you hack through enemies and solve puzzles at each island you visit. You also have a stamina bar, which has been a recent addition to the Zelda games, that knocks the difficulty up once you start to find the tougher enemies the game has to offer. In combining elements from multiple Zelda games, FDG Entertainment creates a modern experience that stands on it's own quite well.
There are ways it differs from the beloved platformer as well. For example, many of the islands you visit will have areas not accessible until you obtain certain items. This will mean you must sail back and forth to unlock new mysteries and other islands for which you can explore.
I'm about 3 hours into the game and I'm told I've unlocked about 10% of the islands but I have in no way completed all the challenges that are on said islands and things are really starting to get difficult. There's definitely a harder enemy curve in this game than you'll see on Zelda. It's not Dark Souls hard, but you'll have to work a little to get the job done occasionally.
Finally, I gotta talk about the music. It's SO damn catchy i often find myself hitting my shield along to the music (as you'll hear in the video). I'm kind of cringing how much I did it now watching the video. I think if you skip to about 2 minutes in I stop (hopefully).
TL;DR
If you love Zelda but don't have Nintendo, or even if you do, Oceanhorn is a great alternative. It takes the best features of multiple games in the franchise and combine it into a modern experience adventure gamers will love. Definitely worth the price tag.
