The Legend of Zelda was released for the NES in North America in 1987, and it changed the action-adventure genre forever. Its influences on the gaming market are incomprehensible due to how long the series has been relevant. Then there is God of warwhich was released for the PS2 in 2005. Although it was based on a few other games, it created a niche in the action genre to create something more brutal and bloody.
Together, The Legend of Zelda and God of war series are highly influential franchises in their own right. Has there ever been a game that combined the two? The following games are firmly placed in the action-adventure genre, but they have more mature stories or more visceral action to accompany their inherent whimsy.
Darksiders
A collection of inspirations
Darksiders is the best example of a game that mixes the two franchise games and more. The game follows War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who is sent to Earth after the end of days approaches. Soon he discovers a war between angels and demons that is not all it is cracked up to be, and he must find a way to stop the chaos from spreading.
Set in a sandbox environment, players will discover tools and weapons that will help them progress in the world and in dungeons. A cool example is an artifact that works like the Portal Gun i Portal. The design of the world is clear Zelda-affected, while the plot and stoic protagonist fall very much in line with God of war. Among the series four games, the first Darksiders is still the best.
Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver
A vampire legend
Cain, from The legacy of Cain series, is probably a better, angrier fit. He's like Kratos, but from Raziel's rage Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver also fits. He was betrayed by his master, Cain, and cast into the underworld to rot for all eternity. Raziel doesn't climb out of his pit of despair to get revenge on Kain and the vampire as a whole.
It could be a PS1 game from the same era as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timebut it holds up better as an action adventure game thanks to the recently released HD collection, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered. The first core game is timeless, with simple combat, challenging puzzles, and a deep story with some of the best voice acting of the era.
Pandora's Tower
Eat your heart out
Pandora's Tower is a Wii game that most gamers probably missed due to its low availability and because it was launched late into the console's life. It's a more linear experience, set in a tower that the hero, Aeron, must climb to heal his beloved Elena, who is suffering from a disease that is eating away at her body. To keep Elena healthy, players must find hearts to feed her, which is kind of gross, but it's all in the name of love.
The whole game is like one big one Zelda dungeon, with players gaining new items and upgrades for their chainsword as they climb up. The chainsword can latch onto surfaces to pull open gates, swing around players, or dominate arenas in battle. The only downside is that there are time limits and the motion controls aren't perfect, so an HD remaster with traditional controls could benefit the game a lot. Otherwise it's a hidden gem to be sure.
Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow
The Rise Of Belmont
The Castlevania the series shares a lot with Zelda games, as both are usually about unlocking or discovering abilities or gadgets to solve puzzles and progress. You can even argue that Zelda games are Metroidvanias, but putting that debate aside, mostly Zelda-infused entry in this vampire death series is Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.
It is a reboot of the series, with Gabriel Belmont, fighting various evil monsters and demons. There are tons of puzzles to enjoy, big bosses and God of war fans will enjoy the combat and gothic themes. Gabriel's whip functions much like Kratos' Blades of Chaos, and it's clear God of war was an influence on the development team when making this game.
Fire Ring
Breath Of The Bewildered
Fire Ring is like FromSoftware's take on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildwith a gigantic open world to explore. Like most Soulslike games, the world is filled with brutal enemies and bosses. There isn't much in the way of puzzles, but there are strange NPCs that can point players towards objective points.
There is a horse that players can also summon, Torrent, which puts fan favorite Epona to shame, which Fire Rings horse can double jump. The plot is not as fluid as one God of war game, but fans of that series will certainly enjoy the darker vibes and grotesque blood-spattling kills.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Two heroes, one fate
There are some Assassin's Creed games that would serve as recommendations here. Assassin's Creed Odyssey explores Greek history, just like the original God of war game, while Assassin's Creed Valhalla is about Vikings and Norse mythology, as the 2018 reboot saga is about God of war. Assassin's Creed Shadows however, works best as a mix of both franchises, as there are two main characters.
Yasuke is physically built like Kratos, but is more peaceful in his characterization, while Naoe is more spirited like Link, but is hell-bent on revenge. Players can switch between these protagonists as they explore the beautiful setting of feudal Japan. They can take on quests, kill samurai, rebuild their home and even dive into mini-puzzle dungeons.
Nier
Straight to the point
Nier was originally released as two separate games in Japan with Figure and Replicant versions. Both games were practically the same except they had different protagonists with slightly changed character backgrounds. Figure is the version that North America got, which followed an elderly protagonist trying to find a way to save his daughter in a fantasy world.
Players could explore open areas between the dungeons, which had some puzzles, but action was definitely more the game's focus. Niers dark themes and characters in line with God of war comics, while the world and dungeons fall in line with something similar The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
