Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas

Legend of Zelda: Oceanhorn?!?

Got this for the Switch and originally an IOS/Android game for the smart devices which you can tell by the limited use of the buttons on the controller. Using the L/R-buttons for some fast switching between weapons and spell would have been rather welcome... or even assign the actions for each button. They don't even use the d-pad which could have been used for most of the spells. Well, on to the story. You play this unnamed kid who is left on the Hermit's island while you father try to stop the monster Oceanhorn... and somehow left his diary with you that tells the story of the islands and such. You notice that it is basically a Zelda-clone, especially Wind Waker. Similar gameplay as well, use items like bombs and bow and arrow to figure out puzzles together with certain spells and so on. The difference it is an isometric point of view and every thing is square shaped. 

I HAVE THE POWER!

So as you talk to people you unlock new islands on your quest to find the three emblems in order to stop Oceanhorn... what the emblems did I can't recall since they were never used to anything other than get your character to search for them. Maybe they unlock the best sword, but I gather it isn't necessary to win the game, it just make it easier. Well, the tale is that a long time ago the kingdom of Arcadia was destroyed by the dark energy and turned the living fortresses Archimedes built to protect the kingdom against them and Oceanhorn is one of them. One of the other was slain by the Owlrus Thomas the Brave as he wielded the legendary sword forged by the Gillfolk and the third I don't recall they even mention.The dark energy is herald by the Dark Apostate that cursed the different people to gain immortality to himself and it's your job to stop him. One of those are last of the Arcadians that was trapped on what became Sky Island when the Dark Apostate lifted it of the ocean. Turns out your mother came from there as she jumped of the island together with the Sun Emblem and met your father. And in a coincidence your father is a descendent of the knights of Arcadia and the pilot that steered Oceanhorn before it turned on the Arcadians and it therefore search for you and him and killed your mother many years ago. You actually don't learn this until pretty much the end of the game. Anyway you confront Oceanhorn together with your father at the ruins of the Arcadian capital White Hall. Of course Oceanhorn is possessed by the Dark Apostate so you lure him out of Oceanhorn and then takes control of Oceanhorn with your fathers flute and Oceanhorn defeats the Dark Apostate and all is peaceful again as you are united with your father.

Like the mural look, the big bad even looks like the Horned King from Taran and the Black Cauldron

As simple and trope heavy the story is, I gotta say I like it. I like that I don't have to fight all three living fortresses but one is already defeated by this legendary hero and I just gotta find the sword he left behind. The Arcadian/Atlantis story mythos works perfectly fine. Only problem is that the story never told me that the flute I collected before confronting Oceanhorn was the control mechanism of the living fortresses so I spent 5 minutes on the fight making no progress and wondering what I did wrong or if I got closer to some cutscene victory. The final form of Oceanhorn have you electrocute the monster in order to lure out the Dark Apostate and beat him. Before he returns to Oceanhorn you gotta play the flute. I looked it up cause I was a bit tired and was so close to the end. It could be that I didn't find the necessary pice of information on my travels, but it is rather crucial to finish the game. Other problems is that I had to restart the game twice when I got caught on two separate occasions in areas I couldn't get out of. Lucky it was just to go to the title screen and start the game again since it saves as soon you enter a new screen so no major progress lost. Another problem was the use of hidden areas. A Zelda-staple, but no one seems to remember that Zelda clearly marks the areas the can be opened by bombs in the dungeons for a reason. And even more irritating is that nothing sticks out in these areas. It got better when I bought the radar, but I had to backtrack several times to look for some unopened chests.

Overall a nice little game, gotta mention that the music was by Final Fantasy-legend Nobou Uematsu which could explain why I had an instant liking toward it. Small problems as I mentioned, but a good 15 hour journey if you want something adventure like.