Everyone remembers the first time they stepped off the Great Plateau. That sweeping shot of Hyrule, the realization that you could climb anything, and the terrifying sight of a distant Guardian—it changed how we look at open worlds. Honestly, it ruined a lot of other games for us. After you’ve tasted that kind of freedom, going back to a map covered in cluttered icons and "quest markers" feels like being put back in a cage. You’re looking for games like Breath of the Wild because you want that specific feeling of being a tiny person in a massive, reactive world that doesn't hold your hand.
It isn’t just about the art style. Sure, the cel-shaded look is great, but the "BotW-clone" label gets thrown around too easily these days. To really fit the bill, a game needs "systemic" gameplay. It needs chemistry. If you set grass on fire, the wind should carry the flames. If it rains, you should slip. Most games talk a big game about freedom, but few actually let you break them the way Link’s latest adventures do.
Why Genshin Impact isn't just a clone anymore
When Genshin Impact first launched, the internet lost its mind. People were literally smashing PS4s in protest because it looked so much like Zelda. But years later, it’s evolved into its own beast. Yes, the gliding is there. The stamina bar is there. The "Visions" (elemental powers) are basically the Sheikah Slate on steroids. But the core loop is wildly different because of the character-swapping combat.
In Genshin, you aren't just one guy with a sword. You're managing a team of four. You trigger "Vaporize" by hitting a wet enemy with fire, or "Swirl" by hitting an element with wind. It’s snappy. It’s flashy. And since it’s a live-service game, the map is now frankly gargantuan—larger than Hyrule ever was.
But there’s a catch. The "gacha" mechanics. If you hate the idea of gambling for characters or being gated by "Resin" (energy), this might frustrate you. However, if you just want to explore a gorgeous world for free, you can play 100+ hours without spending a dime. The music by Yu-Peng Chen is also genuinely world-class; it rivals Nintendo’s best work.
Elden Ring is Zelda for grown-ups
If you loved the exploration of Hyrule but thought the combat was too easy, Elden Ring is the logical next step. It’s funny because Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director, has mentioned in interviews with Famitsu that while they weren't trying to copy Zelda, they were definitely inspired by the "sense of wonder" in open-world design.
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There are no towers that reveal the map. You find map fragments by actually looking at the grayed-out parchment and noticing "hey, that looks like a pillar." You find caves because you saw a weird statue pointing toward a cliff. It’s dense. It’s incredibly punishing. But that feeling of finding a hidden elevator that takes you to a literal underground galaxy? That’s pure Breath of the Wild magic.
One thing people get wrong: they think Elden Ring is too hard. It’s actually the most accessible "Souls" game because if you hit a wall, you can just... leave. Go south. Go east. Find a better weapon and come back ten hours later. You aren't trapped in a linear corridor.
The indie gems: Tunic and Sable
Small studios are doing incredible things with this formula. Take Tunic. At first glance, it looks like an old-school isometric Zelda. But it’s actually a brilliant meta-puzzle game. You collect pages of a physical "instruction manual" written in a language you can’t read. You have to deduce the mechanics from the pictures. It captures that 1980s feeling of sitting on the floor with a paper map, trying to figure out what the heck a "Secret Power" is.
Then there’s Sable.
No combat.
None.
It’s just you, a hoverbike, and a massive desert. The art style is inspired by Jean "Moebius" Giraud, and it’s stunning. You climb ruins, solve environmental puzzles, and collect masks to decide who your character will become. It’s the "quiet" parts of Zelda turned into a whole game. If you liked just wandering through the Akkala Highlands while the piano tinkled in the background, Sable is your vibe.
Comparing the heavy hitters
| Game | Best For | The "Zelda" Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Immortals Fenyx Rising | Puzzles & Humor | Basically a Ubisoft love letter to BotW. |
| Outer Wilds | Pure Discovery | Zero combat, 100% curiosity-driven. |
| Craftopia | Chaos | A weird mix of Zelda, Pokémon, and Factorio. |
| Sonic Frontiers | Speed | The "Open Zone" feels surprisingly like the Great Plateau. |
Immortals Fenyx Rising is better than people admit
Ubisoft gets a lot of flak for their "map-filler" design, but Immortals Fenyx Rising is surprisingly tight. It’s basically Greek Mythology through the lens of Zelda. You have wings to glide, you have "Stamina" to climb, and you have vaults that are essentially Shrines.
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The tone is polarizing. It’s very "Disney Hercules" with a lot of bickering between Zeus and Prometheus. Some find it annoying; others find it refreshing compared to the self-serious tone of most RPGs. The puzzles are actually harder than most Zelda puzzles. Some of the Tartaros Rifts require genuine platforming skill and lateral thinking that would make a Sheikah Monk blush.
The systemic "Physics" of it all
What truly defines games like Breath of the Wild isn't the grass. It's the chemistry engine. In most games, water is just a texture. In Zelda, it’s a conductor for electricity.
If you want that specific "let me use my brain to cheat the game" feeling, look at Lego Bricktales or even Tears of the Kingdom (obviously). But outside of the Nintendo ecosystem, Noita is a wild recommendation. It’s a 2D roguelike where every single pixel is simulated. If you cast a fire spell near a vat of oil, it explodes. If you freeze a lake, you can walk on it. It’s the systemic chaos of Zelda turned up to 11.
Why we can't stop looking for "The Next Zelda"
There’s a psychological reason we keep searching for these games. Most modern titles suffer from "player guidance" syndrome. They treat you like you’ve never seen a video game before. Zelda treats you like an explorer.
When you play something like Skyrim, you’re following a compass needle. When you play Zelda or Elden Ring, you’re following your eyes. You see a weird glowing tree in the distance and think, "I bet there’s something cool there." And there usually is. That’s the "organic discovery loop" that most developers struggle to replicate.
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Addressing the "Clone" Misconception
We should probably stop calling everything a clone. Palworld got hit with this too. People saw the bright colors and the "survival" elements and immediately pointed fingers. But Palworld is more like Ark: Survival Evolved with a Zelda skin.
A true successor to the Zelda throne has to respect the player's intelligence. It has to allow for "emergent gameplay"—those moments where something happens that the developers didn't explicitly script. Like using a metal shield to attract lightning so it hits a boss. That isn't a "cutscene"; it's a mechanic.
Real-world insights for your next playthrough
- Don't use guides immediately. The magic of these games is the "Aha!" moment. If you Google the solution to a puzzle, you’ve basically deleted the reason for playing.
- Look for verticality. If a game has a flat map, it’s probably not going to scratch that Zelda itch. You want games that make you look up.
- Experiment with elements. If a game has fire, ice, and wind, try to see if they interact. If they don't, it's just a standard RPG.
What to play next based on what you liked in Zelda
If you loved the Shrines and Puzzles, go play The Talos Principle 2. It doesn't have the combat, but the "logic" puzzles feel incredibly rewarding in the same way.
If you loved the climbing and freedom, Enshrouded is a fantastic 2024/2025 standout. It’s a survival game, but the traversal—especially the glider—feels plucked straight out of Hyrule. Plus, the building mechanics are world-class. You can literally hollow out a mountain to make your base.
If you loved the story and atmosphere, Shadow of the Colossus (the remake) is essential. It’s the grandfather of the "lonely world" aesthetic that BotW perfected. There are no towns. No NPCs. Just you, your horse, and the giants.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Audit your "Pile of Shame": Check if you already own Immortals Fenyx Rising—it goes on sale for under $10 constantly and is the closest 1:1 mechanical match to Zelda.
- Try a "No-Map" Run: In any open-world game you currently play, turn off the mini-map in the settings. See if the world is actually designed well enough to navigate by sight. If it isn't, it’s not a true "discovery" game.
- Watch the "Chemistry Engine" GDC Talk: If you’re a nerd for how these games are made, search YouTube for the 2017 GDC talk by the Zelda developers. It explains exactly how they built the "multi-elemental" world that everyone is now trying to copy.