If there is one complaint that tends to come up when discussing theLegend of Zeldafranchise it’s that Nintendo chooses to forgo a modern aesthetic in favor of a more stylized look. Granted, it helps keepZeldatimeless and doesn’t date the end product as much as a game with more traditional visuals, but it also leaves fans wondering what the games could look like on modern graphics engines.
Well, wonder no more as oneZeldafan has taken it upon himself to recreate the Kokiri Forest fromThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeusing Unreal Engine 4. While Nintendo may never choose to deliver aZeldagame that has a modern aesthetic, this Unreal Engine fan project shows just how incredible the game could look.
Gamers that are interested in checking outOcarina of TimeinUnreal Engine 4can download the filehere. The demo is admittedly limited in its scope but it does feature some of the trademark moments from the Kokiri Forest section. Players can smash up a few pots to collect rupees, explore the Kokiri homes, attempt to avoid Navi’s pestering, and even slip by the Kokiri kid that blocks the path out of the forest. Players can also open the menu screen, but there doesn’t seem to be much going on there.
Admittedly, the animation and design are a bit rough around the edges, but even so,Ocarina of Timelooks stunning on Unreal Engine 4. The detail in the characters and seeing classicZeldaitems like rupees and pots in true HD will certainly make fans pine for a future whether the franchise jumps to Unreal Engine.
At one point there was the belief that Nintendo might go completely modern when the studio revealed a CGI video featuringLink and Ganon fighting, but that turned out to be a bait and switch. Instead, players were treated toWind Waker, which, while visually stunning, was very stylized.
But Nintendo seems more interested in delivering games that don’t push the boundaries of visual fidelity but instead feature art styles that are unique and somewhat timeless.The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, for example, is not trying to rival a game likeHorizon: Zero Dawn, but it does have impressive visuals in its own right.
