The Zelda-Like PS1 Game You Probably Never Played
"The Legend of Zelda" has long been a staple franchise for Nintendo. It dates back to the NES in the 80s, and it's been incredibly popular ever since. However, it's firmly stayed on Nintendo consoles, and considering it's one of the company's biggest IPs, it's easy to see why. However, for anyone without a Nintendo console, playing the games just isn't an option.
Over the years, there have been a ton of "Zelda" clones, like "Genshin Impact" and Ubisoft's "Immortals Fenyx Rising," which caused an uproar after being announced. Developers have sought to see the same success as the Nintendo series for a while now, which makes sense when you realize that "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" is the only game to get a 99 score on Metacritic.
"Ocarina of Time" came out in 1998, and PlayStation 1 fans weren't able to experience the masterpiece. However, there was a PS1 "Zelda"-like game that was a decent substitute that you've probably never played.
Alundra
"Alundra" was a 1997 PS1 game that looked a lot like the "Zelda" games. Players play as Alundra, an elf whose goal is to help a village overcome evil. With puzzles and a top-down perspective and an atmosphere that's eerily similar to "The Legend of Zelda," the similarities are clear to see. It's also filled with puzzles and enemies to battle.
The game's considered pretty difficult to play without a walkthrough, but it's got its own dedicated fanbase with some who think the game's better than the "Zelda" games. Others argue that it's the best clone to come from the Nintendo games.
Despite getting a pretty decent 86 Metacritic score, "Alundra" didn't see the same success that its 1998 "Zelda" counterpart did. Sony tried to call it the best RPG of 1998, and it may have sold 100,000 copies, but it didn't even make bestseller lists (via Strategy Wiki).