If I was to say to you, as I already have via the headline, that I wanted more Zelda-likes, you'd probably look at me and cross your eyes while swirling your finger around next to your ear, then realise that might be seen as ableist so sheepishly stop doing that while still thinking I'm very stupid. It's true, on the indie scene, we are drowning in Zelda-likes. Tunic is the most notable one in recent years, but many titles have been built around 'what if Zelda, but we make it?'. I still think we need a real contender to rise into the gap created by Zelda leaving its roots behind, but it's where Zelda has moved to that most interests me today.
Forget about what the word 'Zelda-like' means for a second. Or for as many seconds as it takes to read this article, anyway. I know when I say that, we think of Tunic. We think of games with cosy aesthetics, light jabby sword combat, dungeon puzzles, and words that flood our imaginations. I suppose what I really mean is Breath of the Wild-likes, but that's a silly name so I'm not going to use it.
I recognise empirically, academically, that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are great games. But there's something that pushes me away. Something in their polarity that draws everyone else in like a magnet yet repels me with great force. I have persisted with both, trying to find an avenue to enjoyment, and I just don't understand the appeal in its empty directionlessness. But then again, I've never vibed with Zelda as much as any of Nintendo's other A-tier, B-tier, or even C-tier offerings. I know for others, BOTW or even TOTK is their first Zelda and it has then swallowed them whole, but maybe it's Zelda as a whole that is putting me off.
We've already seen games use parts of Breath of the Wild's magic in their own collages of inspiration. Immortals: Fenyx Rising, Genshin Impact, Elden Ring, and even Sonic Frontiers could be described as Breath of the Wild-likes, or at least they could if anyone anywhere ever used that phrase. What I'm interested in is less where does Zelda go next from here, and more how does gaming follow? Two games this popular will be met with imitators, but when they're so huge and yet have a hand-crafted quality to them, where does gaming go? Many developers will tell you the technical achievements of Zelda's physics are akin to wizardry - simply copying is not an option.
I am fascinated to see what happens when other developers big and small look at BOTW and TOTK and think 'what if Zelda, but we make it?'. There is so much to these two modern Zeldas, from the negative space to the non-linear storytelling to the map design that favours points of interest over map markers. They are the antithesis to modern design in many ways, rejecting photorealistic visuals and trusting their players over using obnoxious directional pointers and incessant algorithmically defined side quests and mission peaks.
Other games are often designed not to offer memorable, personal experiences, but merely to keep you playing. Zelda's approach is risky: it lost me twice. But it also pays off: they are hailed as the greatest games of all time and have combined sales of over 40 million. I want another game that risks losing me like Zelda did so I can feel the rush when it keeps me.