Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm

Oceanhorn 2's debt of inspiration to the Legend of Zelda series is hard to avoid, but it would be a shame to dismiss this as a simply copy or clone when it's a thoroughly enjoyable experience in and of itself. Given the more expansive, survival-based turn that Zelda took with Breath of the Wild, there is actually a real niche for the oldschool dungeon approach and Oceanhorn 2 fills this with aplomb. It may be I Can’t Believe It’s Not Zelda, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm offers a top-notch adventure with clever situations and mechanics being introduced at nearly every turn. It's also an impressive step up from the first game so I'm looking forward to what Cornfox & Bros. create next.

Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm, like the original Oceanhorn, fails to have its own identity. However, in some areas, it does Zelda better than, well, Zelda. While the sub-par combat and iffy performance bog down the experience, its beautiful world, clever puzzles, and solid pacing elevate it to the very tip-top of the “Zelda-like” list.

Oceanhorn 2 has one or two glaring weaknesses. I certainly had moments of real frustration, but upon overcoming them I’d once again be presented with a world I couldn’t help but explore. The story is fun, if a little predictable. Dungeons and puzzles in the world are varied and just the right degree of challenging. It also certainly doesn’t hurt that it is a gorgeous game that holds its own as one of the prettier on Switch. The genre blending mechanics that Oceanhorn 2 brings to the table help to elevate it above the failings it has. Some bumps along the way can’t prevent this from being a journey worth taking.

The action rpg obviously took its inspiration from the Zelda-series, while scoring with its own game world as well as the puzzle design.