Nintendo Switch: A Zelda-like adventure game to watch closely before Breath of the Wild 2

Game News Nintendo Switch: A Zelda-like adventure game to watch closely before Breath of the Wild 2

Between the stands dedicated to manga, Japanese animation series and related goodies, the Japan Expo also has a large number of areas dedicated to video games. If among the most imposing we find major titles like Capcom and its Street Fighter 6 or MiHoYo which highlighted its various projects like Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail and Honkai Impact 3rd, the most important area remains that of Nintendo.

In addition to a large stage, many terminals dedicated to the manufacturer’s flagship title such as Mario Strikers: Battle League Football, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo Switch Sports or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate were available. But beyond its headliners, a corner was also reserved for more modest games, and it was on this occasion that we were able to discover a title that pleasantly surprised us: Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince.

A (very) strong inspiration from Zelda

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Yes, let’s not waste time, it’s the first thing that immediately comes to mind as soon as you lay eyes on this Blossom Tales II and this feeling is confirmed controller in hand. With its aesthetic reminiscent of old games from the 8/16-bit era and its top view, the Playtonic title is completely inspired by the first games of the Zelda saga and does not hide it. As proof, the latter takes the form of a succession of dungeons that alternate between puzzles and combat phases. While the adventure is actually a story that a grandfather tells his grandchildren, we find ourselves playing young Lily in her struggle to defeat the terrible Minotaur King.

Like any self-respecting Zelda-like, the dungeons of Blossom Tales II are composed of different rooms in which you must either defeat enemies or solve puzzles in order to progress. Obviously, to achieve this, we have many useful objects such as bombs or a torch that can burn certain elements of the decor. On Nintendo’s stand, the playable dungeon is none other than the first in the adventure, which relies on a system of taps to raise or lower the water level according to the player’s needs. After recovering a key, we face a mini-boss who, once defeated, offers us an object that allows us to swim, which gives a whole new perspective to the dungeon. Typically what we find in the games of the Zelda saga.

A modernized A Link to the Past?

Beyond this very strong inspiration from Zelda, Blossom Tales II still brings some subtleties that modernize the gameplay. For example, if the sword strikes in A Link to the Past are just a repetition of the same animation, here, chaining the attacks allows you to make a real little combo with varied movements which energizes the action thanks to the accompanying effects. And if we obviously find Link’s signature circular attack, in Blossom Tales II, the latter consumes stamina which is also used to roll or swim faster to dodge enemy attacks. Very slight additions therefore, but which still allow the adventure to be more pleasant controller in hand.

By its very retro proposal which completely assumes its inspiration from Zelda, Blossom Tales II is finally a small title which has something to please fans of the Zelda-like formula. Without being revolutionary, the latter brings a few touches of modernity to the gameplay to make it even more pleasant and dynamic for an adventure that promises to be pleasant. Pending the final release of the game set for August 15, we invite you to try the demo available on the eShop of the first episode, Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King, which took 15/20 in our columns. The latter is also at a low price until July 28, while the second opus will be available for € 12.49 for an announced lifespan of around 15 hours of play.