At the beginning of 2025, a series of coincidences led me to play through Brain Lord, Lagoon, Willow, Soul Blazer, and Alcahest… in a row. I figured, why stop there?
This is where I’m at now.
From Beyond Oasis to Ys, I’ve been working through games that feature:
A man with a sword as a playable character.
An overhead or top-down perspective, whichever sounds better at the moment.
Must feature both action and adventure.
2D and/or runs on potato hardware
Every completed game eventually gets reviewed on my blog: https://pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
I’ve still got several titles on my plate, but I’m always looking for more suggestions.
I’m currently playing:
Link’s Awakening
Final Fantasy Adventure (Seiken Densetsu 1)
So yeah, suggestions, comments, discussions. I want to hear from people who might’ve also played some of these Zelda and Zelda-like games.
No roguelikes or roguelites I’m afraid. Apologies for the arbitrary criteria, but as you can see there are already a ton of games that fit.
GOD SLAYER aka Crystalis is good! I’ll also throw in Hyper Light Drifter, Blossom Tales (I think there’s a sequel to this now, too?), Minit (kinda counts?), and Bastion (although he doesn’t literally have a sword, but I think it counts). One more weird one, Adventure Time: Secret of the Nameless Kingdom is a pretty mid little zelda-like. Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage? is the better Adventure Time game, but it’s a Zelda II-like.
Oh! And sorry for double post, but I forgot the first Seiken Densetsu aka Final Fantasy Adventure I like a lot. And it has a remake on the GBA Sword of Mana I’ve been meaning to play.
I’ve been working through Soul Blazer this past year - why I passed on playing it for so long I don’t know! It is right up my alley in terms of the type of game I like to play. I was also thinking - Alundra, I need to play those some time soon!
I just finished Crusader of Centy.
That was… really interesting. It almost felt like two different games. The first half is a rollicking adventure where the hero is visiting new places and fighting anything that moves. The second half is almost entirely time traveling and solving disturbances in the world. It’s a bit more introspective, with a larger focus on puzzles and storytelling. I’ll try and organize my thoughts better when I get to writing the review.
the original anodyne! technically it’s a broom and not a sword, but it’s basically a sword. it’s a really good game with a lot of interesting stuff going on. their upcoming game angeline era is also in this vein and it seems really promising - the demo that’s out right now is super fun.
recommending zeldas seems a little silly but i would like to throw in a recommendation for oracle of ages, the puzzle-focused one of the oracle duology - the dungeons in that game are a total blast.
Probably already on your radar since you played Soul Blazer but I cannot say enough good things about Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma, both games positively overflowing with creativity. As action-adventures they’re fun enough to play, but more to the point they are incredible works of narrative design, featuring many of my favorite set pieces in all of videogames.
Edit: Oops just noticed Illusion of Gaia in the collage. Terranigma recommendation still stands!!
That’s a really cool focus, and I like the games I recognize so far. I read the latest post - never played Crystalis, but I’ve heard of it.
Does Alundra fit the kind of thing you’re looking for? It’s definitely overhead, Alundra uses a sword, there are good adventure elements to it. It is 2D, though it’s that early PS1 sort of 2D where everything has been gussied up.
Thanks very much for the list. I’m looking forward to Ys IV.
I’ll have to try Wirewalk. The GBC aesthetic looks really good here.
Semi-related, but has anyone else played Prodigal and Veritus? The Colorgrave duology about the misadventures of a dude with a mattock. Two different but really good spins on the Zelda formula.
Ashguine 2 is kind of neat. I like that the blood appears on the sword when attacking an enemy.
(Also you’re like a lizardman or something and that’s cool af)
Also played the PC Engine of Tower of Druaga, unfortunately I missed a few items. Even with hints to the secret treasures, I struggle to make sense of that game sometimes.
I don’t think anybody mentioned these yet though they’re well known around here I’m sure.
Golvelius for the Master System is very good. More poppable and arcadey than a lot of these.
This probably doesn’t quite count because of its isometric view but Light Crusader for Genesis is almost right in this same style and it’s so cool. (I see Landstalker in your avatar and I’m guessing its isometric view is why you haven’t included that yet, maybe?).
Golvellius is somewhere on my to-try list. Light Crusader and Landstalker though I’ve already played to death, so I want to prioritize games I - 1) haven’t played 2) haven’t finished 3) haven’t finished in decades.
All that said, I suppose I am open to the idea of isometric games. One which I’ve been meaning to get back to is Arcus Odyssey.
Oh, and Ys 4 impressions so far: Fantastic art. The toughest yet fairest bosses I’ve seen from the pre-Felghana era. Dungeons are mostly concise and fun. Great all around. I’m at around Torie’s tomb, so still a ways to go.
