Indie Games often take inspiration from older titles. Sometimes they take too much inspiration and go dangerously into ripoff territory, while others take things in a new direction that allows new ideas to be explored. It is often a matter of debate which direction a game has gone in, but I am pleased to say that Blossom Tales, from my point of view, has gone firmly in the latter direction and offers a new experience.
Right from the beginning, it is clear that the game is modelled on The Legend of Zelda A Link to the past. However, this is not a bad thing as Blossom Tales manages to add its own twist on things and does so with grace. The game is framed as a story a grandfather is telling his grandchildren and that actually does impact the game on a few occasions. I like the twist on the narrative style, especially as the grandfather’s narration is constantly present and keeps you on point. Several times though, you can make a choice in what he says in the story and this will then impact what happens in the game.
As for the rest of the gameplay, Blossom Tales manages to put its own spin on every little detail. From the sword techniques to item inventory, there are minor and some times major tweaks in the formula. I like that you can use repeated sword swings to move faster, and that your item use is tied to an energy bar that replenishes gradually. This is kind of similar to the stamina and magicka systems in The Elder Scrolls series.
It is not all perfect though. While the game does have an amazing soundtrack for the most part, I had some issues with it. At some points it felt bland and unimaginative, and at some lone moments, it felt too close to the music from ALttP. This is minor but there are some other small things, such as the controls sometimes feeling either a bit loose or too sensitive at times. I played using a new set of JoyCons that worked well, so it was the game that had the issue. Sometimes, I felt that I moved too much in a direction I tapped. Thankfully these issues are minor and can be overlooked.
Blossom tales is just a fun experience. It has fun sidequests and a neat story and the combat is well done. I like that rather than just making a clone of A Link To The Past, the developers went out of their way to make their own game and put their own mark on it. I must fully recommend this game. If you are looking for a game for your switch then this is a must.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided.