The Legend of Zeldais a series that is constantly reinventing itself. The likes ofBreath of the Wildsee it quickly become one of the best open-world games, whileEchoes of Wisdomoffers a modernized wave of nostalgia that has feet planted in both the past and present. This has largely been its secret to success, the foundational tenet from which it has spawned so many amazing games and cultivated such an impressive and adoring fan base that will purchase each new entry on day one.
Of course, in order for this to work,The Legend of Zeldaneeds to take inspiration from the creative masterpieces surrounding it. For example, the likes ofSkyrimpushedBreath of the Wildto be as immersive and engaging as it is. So, when it comes to thenextZeldagame, fans are already looking to the kinds of AAA titles that could inspire it to become something transcendent. However,while there are surely plenty of great AAA games that the nextZeldagame will be inspired by, there is one indie game that it absolutely needs to borrow from.
Eternal Strands Is A Very Creative Indie Game
It’s Like Nintendo Made Monster Hunter
Eternal Strandsis the debut title from Yellow Brick Games - made up of veteran developers including Mike Laidlaw, a writer onMass Effectand lead designer onDragon Age: Origins- and launched to critical acclaim. It is a unique narrative-driven take on theMonster Hunterformula in which players explore open areas in search of resources to craft better gear and monolithic bosses which need to be climbed upon to exploit weaknesses.Its creative game design has easily earned it the title of one of thebest indie RPGsin 2025, cementing the developer as a future household name.
What makesEternal Strandstruly stand out is its approach to combat, namely its use of elemental magic. Players can combine fire, ice, and telekinesis to take down their foes, such as ripping pieces of armor from a giant boss, freezing a dragon’s wings to make it fall down, or building an ice wall and then taking chunks of it off and flinging it at enemies. There are lots of different ways players can utilizeEternal Stands’unique approach to magical combat to their advantage, which makes it feel like they’re breaking the game in the best possible way.
While a lot ofEternal Strandsplays it a little too safe - specifically its story and mission design - the ambitious and creative gameplay, coupled with a handful of innovations in crafting that help streamline the process in a user-friendly way, make it feel like a game that could very easily have come from Nintendo. It wouldn’t be surprising to seeEternal Strandsappear as athird-party Switch 2 launch title, as it absolutely belongs on Nintendo’s hardware. However, more importantly,Nintendo should look to the creativity drivingEternal Strands’most enjoyable gameplay moments as inspiration for the nextZeldagame.
The Next Zelda Game Should Learn From Eternal Strands
It Needs To Borrow Its Best Ideas
Eternal Strands’core gameplay tenets are its towering boss fights, detailed open zone worlds, and, most importantly, its elemental-focused combat. While bothBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomfeature massive boss fights, their combat isn’t a focus.TOTKimproved onBOTWin many ways, one of which was combat, thanks to the ability to add any resources to arrows or fuse weapons with surrounding objects. However, while very creative, it requires a level of creative thinking from the player, something that should be encouraged, but can, at times, feel alienating.
On the other hand,Eternal Strandsmakes its creative combat its primary focus. As a result, a lot more attention has been put into making it as accessible as possible by ensuring it is easy to learn but hard to master. It is also more interactive, with magical abilities directly affecting enemies' maneuverability or their body parts.TOTKfeatures some level of interactability in its combat, which is one of many reasons why it’s one of thebestZeldagamesof all time, but more between the player and their weapon rather than the weapon and its target.
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Additionally,the open zone structure allows for more detailed environments and makes the towering bosses all the more imposing. Naturally, that wouldn’t have worked inTears of the KingdomorBreath of the Wild, as the open-world format elevates the emphasis on discovery. However, for futureZeldagames, especially now that it’s practically impossible to release yet another open-world game in Hyrule unless it drastically changes its style and setting,Eternal Strands’world design could be a better fit.
The Next Zelda Game Should Be Smaller In Scale
It Must Avoid Trying To Be As Big As BotW
Thephenomenally reviewedEchoes of Wisdomis absolutely an indication thattheZeldaseries needs to be smaller going forward, at least for a short while, rather than attempting to replicate the enormous open-world success ofBOTW.Echoes of Wisdomisn’t small by any means, and its ambitious new mechanics make it feel like a more substantial experience than even earlierZeldagames, but it doesn’t feel as gargantuan as the modernZeldatitles, something that is evidenced by its shorter runtime.
However, by adoptingEternal Strands’open area structure, the nextZeldagame could have the best of both worlds.Eternal Strands’areas are fairly huge, and while they’re not stuffed with activities, they’re stunningly detailed.AZeldagame with diverse open areas, potentially connected by a hub area - such as Hyrule castle - each based on a different region, would allow for a more detailed exploration of Hyruleand its varied landscapes. The extra power of the Switch 2 would also allow for a much better-looking version of Hyrule, unlike anything players have seen before.
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A smaller yet more detailed, combat-focusedZeldagame feels like the perfect next entry and the ideal follow-up toTears of the Kingdom. It doesn’t risk simply copying the last open-world game, much like howTOTKborrowed a few too many elements fromBOTW, nor does it offer yet another dungeon-based puzzle adventure, as good as they can be. AnEternal Strands-esqueZeldagame would be something different for the franchise and would allow Nintendo to flex its creative muscles and offer its own unique combat style that would surely inspire the next generation of developers.
