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Discussion Considering picking up Tunic for that 2D-Zelda fix, can you guys recommend?

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T.Rygra

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As much as I loved TOTK, I am seriously craving that "classic" Zelda experience right now. Which is why I am considering getting Tunic. I tried the game for a few hours when I was subbed to GP and found it charming, but a bit obtuse and the combat quite frustrating. Now I want to give it another shot, but this time I would be buying it, which is why I need to know if it will scratch that 2D-Zelda itch. I know the game is just as much, if not more, Souls than Zelda, but the artstyle and overall feel off the game gives me strong Zelda vibes. Can you guys recommend? Or do you have better suggestions for something that will give me my oldschool Zelda fix? Thanks!
 
Tunic is fantastic. It's definitely a little obtuse story wise but level design wise it's top notch and the whole instruction manual system is genius.
 
I think Tunic is great, but I wouldn’t say it’s a classic Zelda adventure. It’s more about subverting those expectations; combat is more like a Souls, with some Fez-like puzzling

YolkFolk said:
Okami HD worth a shout if you need the old 3D Zelda fix as well. Sure you've played it though!
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This is a great suggestion! Definitely more in the classic Zelda form…I actually like it better than most Zeldas I’ve played 😄
 
I thoroughly enjoyed Tunic and I wholeheartedly recommend it but I didn't feel like it scratched that itch in any meaningful way. It actually reminded me more of Fez with Souls-inspired top-down combat than 2D Zelda due to the cryptic nature of its puzzles. There's accessibility options to tone down the difficulty of the combat if that is an issue.
 
Loved Tunic, but I don't think it scratched that 2D Zelda itch. This reminds me that I still haven't played the Oracle games now that they're out on NSO tho lol
 
Pretty good game and if you find it tough in battles there are ways in the options to make it easier.

It has very clever world design. Especially how you discover shortcuts as you go on that apparently were alway there, you just didn't know them.

I have yet to beat it, must be close to the end though.
 
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I mean, if you played it for a few hours, you got halfway through it, right? It takes about 10-12 hours to beat.

And obtuse with frustrating combat is exactly what the game is, so those few hours were more than enough for you to judge for yourself. Not sure why you need our help here. For me, the obtuseness, frustrating combat, ambient soundtrack and lack of real dungeons all meant that while i enjoyed it, it was no replacement for a proper Zelda.
 
T.Rygra said:
Actually not a bad idea to revisit it. I forgot so much of that game that it would feel fresh I think. Do you think it holds up well? How would you rate it compared to the traditional 3D Zeldas?
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It's broken down into 3 ~10 hour stories and then those stories come together at the end for a nice finale.

I actually played through the Switch version (having failed to play through it on Wii) and really enjoyed it a lot. The brush controls with the touch screen are especially good.

The dungeons aren't on the level of the other classic 3D Zelda games but the overall adventure is still very fun to play.
 
I also have to echo the Death's Door recommendations. I prefer it to Tunic in some regards.

OP, have you played the Darksiders games? They also wear their Zelda inspirations on their sleeve, especially the first one.
 
If you're looking for a top-down game with incredible puzzles, music, and rewarding exploration, then there's few games like Tunic. The Souls comparisons are a bit overblown in that FromSoft didn't invent stamina meters or dodge rolling. You can also simply turn off damage if you just want to focus on puzzles or a boss is giving you a hard time.

My only caveat is that sometimes when ppl say they want to play a game like one of their favorites, what they really mean is that they want to replay on of their favorite games. If none of these games sound that appealing...maybe do another LttP run!
 
Yeah i believe both games; Tunic and Death's Door are great, you should experience both regardless if they scratch the Zelda itch or not.

If you have the money and a PS3 on hand you can try 3D Dot Game Heroes.
 
On a more serious and hopefully helpful post, I don't think Tunic scratches a 2-D Zelda itch, like others have said. Its progression and extreme lack of guidance are closer to Dark Souls than to Zelda. And its puzzles are very different from Zelda puzzles as well; in fact, they are different from anything you have ever played in your life.

Still, it's a must-play. Even if it won't give you a 2-D Zelda fix.
 
If you're looking for something that is spiritually inline with 2D Zelda you might wanna also check out Cereza and the Lost Demon from earlier this year. It's a pretty direct descendant of Okami, but with the perspective more zoomed out and overhead.
 
I'm playing Tunic for the first time right now actually and while I don't think it hits quite the same notes as a 2D Zelda does, I also whole-heartedly recommend it. Probably my second favorite game I've played this year after TotK.
 
Personally, Tunic scratched that 2D Zelda itch for me. The puzzles, music, everything just gave me all the vibes I wanted. Recommend for sure.
 
I feel like you have to acknowledge that there's no game that gets everything right when copying Zelda, so you pick and choose what aspects you care about seeing done well (or at all). I've enjoyed a few 2D ones, and this is the gist of them:

Blossom Tales
Play If:
  • A solid overworld is a must.
  • You like 2D Zelda combat and want to see a fresh take on it.

Avoid If:
  • You need good dungeons.
  • You dislike Simon and Sokoban.
  • You need story, lore, or worldbuilding of any kind. It is literally being made up as you go along, and it largely feels that way.

Blossom Tales 2
Play If:
- You need a game that understands how to do proper Zelda dungeons, changing water levels and all.

Avoid If:
  • You can't stand picking up endless trash for cooking/sidequests like in the open air Zeldas.
  • They tried a little bit with the plot this time but yeah it's still generally pretty much devoid of any sort of writing or verisimilitude.

Anodyne
Play If:
- You liked Link's Awakening's dungeons and especially liked Roc's Feather.

Avoid If:
  • You need items. There are none.
  • You aren't interested in some sort of Undertale-like genre deconstruction instead of a straight Zelda-like.

I played Prodigal too, but didn't really like that one at all. Also Okami, but that one was 3D. It nails exploration, items, and towns to an extent matched by few actual Zeldas; but the combat and dungeons don't cut it and the writing is nonsensical, very misogynistic, and painfully unfunny.
 
Didn't expect so much great feedback, thanks everyone! I think I will give Tunic another shot, regardless if it scratches that classic Zelda itch or not :)
 
I haven't played Tunic yet -- though I was recently reminded the Switch physical version released, so I really will have to get to it eventually -- but everything I've heard has sounded really promising. It sounds as though (and it looks like this is already covered in this thread for you) it isn't going to line up entirely if you're looking for 2D-Zelda, and that's to be expected.

Really, when something is like something else or influenced by something, it might be most interesting in how they differ. And differ they shall. The trick is to not expect these things to match up evenly in all areas. There will be different focuses, various areas that are handled better or worse, new ideas added and some dropped.

That's one of the great things about the different titles being mentioned in here (Tunic and Death's Door relating to 2D, for instance, and Okami and Darksiders for 3D). None of them are actually going to capture the essence of the Zelda titles in question, but they will each invoke certain elements, with their own twists and changes to the whole package, and together they form a neat group.

And Zelda itself isn't the same in every iteration and could very well be seen one day in a guise closer in form to one of these other titles, or veering another direction all its own, a sort of microcosm of this whole phenomenon.

It sounds like it could be worth returning to. I wish you fortune in your adventures.

One element of which I've heard much is the element of language and the need to decipher it. I do rather like this concept, and it occurs to me now that it could work particularly well in a different Nintendo franchise altogether, as it seems it could fit the vibe of a Metroid. But that's beside the point.

big lantern ghost said:
I should play Death’s Door. I own it and everything!
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Haha, same.

BotenAnna said:
If you're looking for something that is spiritually inline with 2D Zelda you might wanna also check out Cereza and the Lost Demon from earlier this year. It's a pretty direct descendant of Okami, but with the perspective more zoomed out and overhead.
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Another one I own and need to get to. I'm working on getting to these, okay?

How much does it fall in line with the expected Zelda experience, though?

In any case, it definitely makes me think of the possibilities for a 2D Zelda in which the one plays as both Link and Zelda simultaneously, the characters each mapped to a Joy-Con so the single player game can be turned multiplayer just by handing off a controller. But that's another discussion.
 
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T.Rygra said:
Didn't expect so much great feedback, thanks everyone! I think I will give Tunic another shot, regardless if it scratches that classic Zelda itch or not :)
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I'll be the one guy and say no: It's zelda turdunkened with Dark Souls. It's not a particularly good Zelda game, nor a good Dark Souls one. The only thing notable about it is it's gimmick with the instruction manual. and that's not enough to carry a good game.
 
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Tunic is good but it didn’t really feel like a Zelda game. It was far more focused on combat instead of puzzle solving and interacting with NPCs.

Maybe you’ve already played them, but I know a lot of people missed the Oracle games but they are now on NSO and totally worth checking out.
 
Honestly, it doesn't really scratch a 2D Zelda itch but I'd still recommend you try it. It's a really interesting game with a clever core conceit.

I'd also recommend Death's Door if you haven't played it. Despite looking more Souls-like, it felt more Zelda inspired to me (though still with it's differences).
 
I'm biased because it's one of my favorite games of all time, but I think it's an incredible experience. I wonder how the frame rate on Switch affected folks' experiences. I thought I read it was worse than XB and this is a game where I could really see that impacting game feel and combat. I enjoyed the combat a lot and the exploration, for me I did feel like they scratched the 2D Zelda itch in some ways, but I also felt like the game was very much doing its own thing, more so and sooner into the game than I anticipated. The manual mechanic and the secrets and puzzles made this next level incredible for me.

If the combat isn't feeling fun, I think it's totally reasonable and worth it to tone down the difficulty or other parameters on that in order to experience the puzzles. It's a game that rewards really taking the time to pore over its most oblique secrets and puzzles and get some deep satisfaction out of figuring things out as the player. I feel like it has some of the best puzzles in any game ever made. I felt like it really taught me to bend my brain in new ways. I also want to mention that of pretty much any game I've ever played, this is the one where I feel like going in blind and staying blind and avoiding spoilers as much as possible is most important to the gameplay experience.

Anyway, I really hope anyone who checks it out finds it compelling and worth their time.
 
Forkball said:
Tunic is good but it didn’t really feel like a Zelda game. It was far more focused on combat instead of puzzle solving and interacting with NPCs.

Maybe you’ve already played them, but I know a lot of people missed the Oracle games but they are now on NSO and totally worth checking out.
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I did play the Oracle games back in the day and loved them :)
 
Nabbit said:
I'm biased because it's one of my favorite games of all time, but I think it's an incredible experience. I wonder how the frame rate on Switch affected folks' experiences. I thought I read it was worse than XB and this is a game where I could really see that impacting game feel and combat. I enjoyed the combat a lot and the exploration, for me I did feel like they scratched the 2D Zelda itch in some ways, but I also felt like the game was very much doing its own thing, more so and sooner into the game than I anticipated. The manual mechanic and the secrets and puzzles made this next level incredible for me.

If the combat isn't feeling fun, I think it's totally reasonable and worth it to tone down the difficulty or other parameters on that in order to experience the puzzles. It's a game that rewards really taking the time to pore over its most oblique secrets and puzzles and get some deep satisfaction out of figuring things out as the player. I feel like it has some of the best puzzles in any game ever made. I felt like it really taught me to bend my brain in new ways. I also want to mention that of pretty much any game I've ever played, this is the one where I feel like going in blind and staying blind and avoiding spoilers as much as possible is most important to the gameplay experience.

Anyway, I really hope anyone who checks it out finds it compelling and worth their time.
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Noted, I'll definitely go in blind :)
 
T.Rygra said:
Noted, I'll definitely go in blind :)
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I hope the combat is more fun to you this time and that you feel like embracing the obtuseness and difficulty will be more enjoyable 😃 some puzzles and secrets, especially later in the game, took us days and a notebook to work out.
 
OP's impressions
  • Index
    • I just rang the second bell. This game is mesmerizing and just what I needed. While I do get why some people don't think it straches the classic Zelda itch, for me it totally does. So happy I gave this game a second chance!
     
  • Index
    • T.Rygra said:
    I just rang the second bell. This game is mesmerizing and just what I needed. While I do get why some people don't think it straches the classic Zelda itch, for me it totally does. So happy I gave this game a second chance!
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    I am so thrilled to hear that! That's fantastic. So glad you are loving it!
     
    My goodness. I’m playing this game for the first time, 2 hours in and I’m already having a blast. Hope it continues as good as it is right now.

    The way it teach you the basics is awesome.
     
    balgajo said:
    My goodness. I’m playing this game for the first time, 2 hours in and I’m already having a blast. Hope it continues as good as it is right now.

    The way it teach you the basics is awesome.
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    So pleased to hear this! It just gets better and better IMO. I love the manual mechanic. 📖 Have fun!
     
    Nabbit said:
    So pleased to hear this! It just gets better and better IMO. I love the manual mechanic. 📖 Have fun!
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    Totally!! Ended up playing 6 hours straight.
    Librarian fight was awesome. What a moment. Got 2 of the 3 stones
    Interesting how the intended path feels like I’m the one making choices. Designers are definitely inspired by cristian god omniscience and free will contradiction….XD
     
    balgajo said:
    Totally!! Ended up playing 6 hours straight.
    Librarian fight was awesome. What a moment. Got 2 of the 3 stones
    Interesting how the intended path feels like I’m the one making choices. Designers are definitely inspired by cristian god omniscience and free will contradiction….XD
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    That right is so epic! Congrats on beating it. I thought the EG was at least as difficult, too. Enjoy solving the deepest secrets of the game, it's endlessly satisfying! You got this!
     
    You guys convinced me to finally play Death's Door after buying it a year ago. I'm loving it. I think I'm in the endgame now. It's my first-ever Souls-like game, if that's a fair comparison--I'm not really sure--and there has been a learning curve with the dodge roll and everything. I thought I would hate dying over and over and running back, but most of the time I'm okay with it.

    OP, this is probably worth a shot too. I haven't played Tunic but I've watched some of it. They seem similar enough if you're really enjoying that game.
     
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    I feel like I'm near the end. Don't remember the last time a game made me feel this good about solving puzzles.

    If someone plans on playing it, do yourselves a favor and every time you're stuck give more and more attention to the manual but don't let a walkthrough ruins you experience. I'm really in love with the manual mechanic. Sometimes you think you got it but then there's another hidden layer that you discover looking with more attention and connecting with the things you saw in the world. What a game.

    Nothing is more Zelda to me than: get item/ability -> use it to further explore and solve puzzles -> find new abilities -> repeat. So it's definitely straches my Zelda itch too.

    Nabbit said:
    Enjoy solving the deepest secrets of the game, it's endlessly satisfying! You got this!
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    This is so true.
     
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