If you consider yourself a fan of classic Legend of Zelda titles and want to jump into something new yet familiar, you might want to keep an eye on Airoheart.
From Australian developer Pixel Heart Studio, Airoheart is a top-down, story-based puzzle-platformer featuring real-time combat and very strong A Link to the Past vibes – a game by which Airoheart is very much inspired. Fresh off the back of a successful Kickstarter campaign, the project appears to be progressing nicely, with an eventual release on Switch being one of the developer's goals.
The title's now been picked up by Soedesco, a publisher that Switch owners will already be familiar with thanks to games like Kaze and the Wild Masks, Monster Crown, Xenon Racer and many more. Pixel Heart says that the publisher has "been very busy behind the scenes as we work toward getting the game on consoles as well as Steam," and has also released a new piece of key art to celebrate.
A closed beta for the game is planned to launch next month, allowing select Kickstarter backers and handpicked players to gain access to an early version to offer feedback, with a full release naturally coming further down the line.
One to keep an eye on, do we think? Feel free to share your thoughts on Airoheart in the comments below.
Comments 54
Feels a little too similar... if I didn't know any better, I'd say it was a rom hack.
I'll wait for the inevitable NL review.
Doesnt looks too bad, but its not confirmed going on Switch
This is not only „inspired“.
The phrase ‘Zelda-like’ is thrown around a lot
@Browny Maybe it's still worthwhile, but I agree, this seems to play exactly the same with the same identical elements.
So many Zelda-lookalikes these days.
Wow, looks like they copied every single asset form A Link to the Past. This doesn't seem to have a spirit of its own, which is not a good thing.
It does look nice, but like what a few others have already said, it's so similar to a A Link to the Past that it looks almost identical to a ROM hack. I'm not sure how to feel about it, so I'm going to keep an eye on the game to see how it'll turn out when it releases.
@Bunkerneath
It's been officially confirmed for release on the Switch, Xbox, PlayStation and Steam:
https://www.pixelheartstudio.com/q-a
Alttp is my favorite game of all time, which would make me think I would love this... but that trailer did not do it for me.
-The main thing that jumped out to me is how bad the sound was in this trailer. They seemed very loud or just flat out disconnected from the world they were in.
-Some of the assets looked about as different as if you copied your classmates homework. Heck, there was one or two moments where the dungeon rooms looked like they had the exact same room layout as the dungeons from Alttp.
I don't know. I feel like they tried too hard to appeal to me. I will keep an eye on it a maybe watch someone else play a small portion of it before I decide.
EDIT: Change "and I" to "an eye"...
Looks like it nearly uses the same assets. Not that I'm complaining, if it's fun I'll definitely get it. Also, the song sounds a lot like Aerith's theme from ff7 at parts.
@Smeltos and the second question on that site says there will be a physical too?? Man I'm so in.
Wow. This seriously just looks like Link to the Past 2. The sword and bow animations are spot on and the block pushing is uncanny. I will definitely keep an eye on this one.
At some point this was a fan made Zelda game. Definitely would look forward to it.
It’s sad that the new drawn image is a re-skin of the Japanese Minish Cap box art. Pose and expression are just re-traced. Low effort.
Image reference:
https://archive.org/details/comparison_tloz_mc
@JackTako oof, yeah. There is nothing wrong with using the same poses in you work... but when you pretty much do a 1:1 of a pose from a game series' official artwork you are "inspired" by, that is just a little too on the nose.
Be inspired by, but try to have your own identity too.
@Bunkerneath What game is in your profile gif?
Wonder why they made the graphics almost the same as ALTTP, yet the music is nowhere near as good.
More Link to the Past is all I've ever wanted. This looks as close as one could get without actually being Zelda or copyright infringement. Gonna be hard to pick between all these Zelda-inspired games coming out.
Inspired is putting it lightly. Death's Door is inspired by Zelda while still putting forth a unique world and style. Many elements here look like they're directly lifted from Zelda, while dropping the parts that made it stand out.
That's not even subtle.
It's like taking ALttP and painting new art over it.
People often say that fan developers shouldn't try to use existing IPs (which is totally illegal) but rather make the games with characters of their own. THIS is what happens when they do.
Another indie game looks like a beloved game from 25-30 years ago that's one to keep an eye on that once it gets released it won't get reviewed.
Maybe by being too similar this game is actually different from all the other Zelda-Inspired games? I mean, it may be like getting a new zelda game for the Snes, and I like it.
@chipia Because Koji Kono is unbeatable.
The Legend of Plagiarism
@LXP8 Seriously. This is pound for pound a sprite rip with very minimal changes to be "different".
Lmao, even the protagonist's art in the banner image is almost exactly like Link in Minish Cap...
https://pngset.com/images/link-the-minish-cap-art-legend-of-zelda-graphics-person-transparent-png-750365.png
This should be illegal. It’s basically ALttP reskinned…
I wonder how easily Nintendo could go after them for infringement
@Kilroy Having similar assets (gameplay, features, visuals, controls, etc.) in your game is not infringement as those falls in term of fair use, having copyright materials (names, trademarks, artworks, music, etc.) in your game is infringement. This game only use assets, there were no copyright materials in this so Nintendo can't go after them. It's the same reason Konami can't go after SNK for making Metal Slug even though it plays like Contra or the reason Sega can't go after Tecmo for making Dead or Alive even though it plays like Virtua Fighter.
I don't see Nintendo making a new retro styled zelda, so I'll definitely grab this.
I really enjoy these Zelda likes and they do scratch that itch but I always feel slightly let down whilst playing them. There's nothing about these games that elicit the same feeling of wonder and charm that makes Zelda special which in turn leaves these kinds of games feeling very lifeless if that makes sense? Not to discredit the amount of time and passion poured in to these titles ofc. I wonder if there are any inspired titles that I've missed that do conjure up those feelings though
@Browny I was going to say the exact thing. Yep it looks great but it looks like someone reverse-engineered ALTTP and retooled assets and tweaked sounds. I mean, that sounds like an insta-buy in theory but why am I turned off by it? Lack of originality?
I'll keep an eye on it.. If it's cheap enough when it releases I'll probably end up buying it. I'd buy a Zelda clone over a Mega Man clone, for example.
It also reminds me of hazelnut bastille https://youtu.be/oFMBBYiHcHA that has been in development forever (probably never too been released if I'm honest).
Sadly experiences like this make me very unlikely & sceptically about backing more Kickstarter campaigns.
Wow they nailed the look of the snes. I'll definitely check this one out when it launches.
@Multi I've been wondering whay happened to hazelnut bastille. It was supposed to launch in 2020 i believe. It looked amazing.
Looks like something I might get when it's on sale for 3 bucks, which I'm sure it will be before long since a reskinned Zelda probably won't be all that highly rated.
As long as we get a Physical option I'll entertain getting it.
I'll be buying this as I can never resist buying Zelda clones!
These kinds of games frustrate me because it goes beyond being Zelda inspired, this thing is straight up copying LttP. At the same time, I want to play it because LttP is my favorite game of all time. As others have said, the music isn't nearly as good.
This looks similar to not only Zelda SNES but another Switch game that is not out yet called Ocean's Heart.
More like a clone than an inspired game. This is the pepsi imitation of ALTTP
I wonder whatever happened to that "Into The Eternal" Zelda II Clone?
Not sure if we need another ALTTP clone
Looks like a Kemco version of a LttP.
Wow, this unabashedly a faithful recreation of LttP as a new game-- It's almost as repulsive as it is beautiful. Oddly I do good with the Metroidvania sub-genre much better than Zelda-likes, so I can't say I'll play it despite being impressed. A review could change my mind...
Looks good, if not a bit too much like Zelda. To me, the greatest Zelda like games are Legacy of Kain and Darksiders. Darksiders is one of my favorite series on the Switch.
Music is horrible... a big f no on this game
So it's a common thing for "Zelda inspired", (instead of plain copys), to have Hearth or Earth in the name. Are these names choose by a random code?
It looks good ,I have added to my “be on the look out “list of games .Hopefully it gets a physical release..
According to the website a Physical copy is in the planning stage ..
So they took LttP's sprites/assets and only altered them by a few pixels to avoid infringement. I will never give them money for their lack of originality and laziness. The only original thing in this game is the music (somewhat), and it's god awful. Makes me wonder if their actual sprite art and game mechanics would also be abysmal if they were completely original. I won't support this company.
@Chunkboi79 Its called Omno it doesnt show its fully 3D, its a nice simple puzzle game.
Never has there been such a blatant rip off! If it's a good one I would still play it.
Since the Demo just released today, I can safely say, yup, they are the same tilesets as in ALTTP, infact, the Doors that block you from entering other rooms if there's enemies, and the water tilesets are literally the same as those from ALTTP, just a bit altered.
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