When Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King was released, it quickly earned a well-deserved reputation for being the best indie-inspired Legend of Zelda game on the market. Now a sequel has come in the form of Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince, a game that does not just follow the path of A Link To The Past, but surpasses its inspiration. Taking the same narrative method as the first game, Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince begins with the grandfather telling a story to his grandchildren, this time at a campfire, and the story sets up the basic premise of the game, while also adding a great 4th wall element, but more on that later.
The game starts off slow but gradually builds up by having you play minigames in a manner similar to classics like Chrono Trigger, with these minigames actually being a basic tutorial on how to play the game without being too intrusive. You will find that even after the first hour or so, the game is still a bit slow and basic, but as you get into the second hour, the game really comes into its own. There are new alchemy mechanics and interactions with various characters that must be done, but the game gives a surprising amount of variety in how to accomplish a goal, such as fighting or negotiating with certain characters.
The story, as mentioned above, takes a very 4th wall approach to narrative, with the grandchildren often picking different directions for the story to take, presented to the player as possible choices. One great touch about Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince is that while the original game is often referenced, it’s not necessary to play it due to a large time skip of several centuries. The result is a game that manages to be faithful to what came before but manages to have fun in new and inventive ways.
In some ways, Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince feels like an expansion of the first game mechanically. The game already looks and sounds the same, yet it is the small tweaks to the gameplay and new elements that manage to make Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince stand out. There are new abilities, new approaches to concepts like crafting and as mentioned, new ways to approach enemies that make the game feel different
This is a game about the idea of story more than it is a game with a story and that is part of what makes Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince work so well. The visuals may be the same as the first game, and the music may be similar, but there are some tweaks such as new use of colour and music notes to tell the story the devs had in mind. Ultimately Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince does a great job of storytelling because you the player are the one telling the story.
Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince is the perfection of the formula Nintendo made with A Link To The Past and surpasses its predecessor as the best Legend of Zelda-inspired game. If you are a fan of the Zelda franchise, then you need to check this out, especially if you have nostalgia for the older games. What you will find is something familiar yet improved and that makes Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince a must-play.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided