If you haven’t tried the amazing Zelda-like adventure game Dress however, we highly recommend you give it a try if you have access to a good PC or Xbox. Our friends at PureXbox considered it and gave it a 9/10, calling it a “fantastic clever adventure that begins in a familiar Zelda-esque style before branching out to become something entirely of its own”.
It’s no secret that developer Andrew Shouldice drew a lot of inspiration from the Zelda franchise in the making of the game. In fact, Tunic’s in-game manual – arguably one of its best features – is heavily inspired by Zelda II: The Adventure of the Link, that there are clear similarities between the two works. It’s a great callback to a time when manuals weren’t just added; they are integral to the player’s experience, providing hints and tips that would today be included in a simple Tweet.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun There’s a more comprehensive summary of some of the comparisons between Tunic’s manuals and Zelda II’s manuals, but here are just a few of our favorites:
This first pair of images highlights the two games’ focus on symbols to convey meaning, with each symbol forming in an adorable little speech bubble:
Next, our two heroes are in a preoccupied situation, and appear to be… dead. Both images depict characters with a sword and bow behind them, though Link seems to have at least found the strength to surrender with a cute little white flag:
Finally, we have world maps from both Tunic and Zelda II in all their glory. Tunic’s map is definitely more geometric in its design than Zelda’s more traditional approach, but we think both do a great job at depicting their respective worlds. :
There are plenty of places they go and you can check out a few more examples on Rock, Paper, Shotgun – although we also encourage you to play the game itself as soon as you can! We love all the art from Tunic, and we also highly recommend checking out the game’s ma-ko artist (@blurring_my_day) on Twitter to see some more incredible artwork.
Did Tunic’s Zelda-inspired artwork inspire you to play the game? Do you own your own Zelda II manual? Let us know in the usual place.
