Alundra: I Can't Believe It's Not Zelda

Mar 3, 2009 at 4:27 PM
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Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTyDw2OthMo
Wiki Entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alundra

This game owns. It's pretty much Zelda+ with some awesome puzzles. In fact, the plot is kinda similar to that of Link's Awakening, what with Nightmares being involved and Alundra being an elf. Just read up on the Wiki entry. It's short and to the point.

The game was only out for the PS1, but it is available via the Playstation Network in Japan under the PSOne Classics name. Here's hoping we see it here too, because it's a gem, as expected from a Working Designs release.

Whatever you have to do, if you like the Zelda series, play this.
 
Mar 18, 2009 at 11:03 AM
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I can only ever find the less appealing Alundra 2 in stores though. :(
 
Mar 18, 2009 at 11:24 AM
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Alundra 2 was an abomination with no real connection to the first game evident anywhere; at least for the part I actually bothered with until I decided it really wasn't getting any better.

Alundra would be better described as Zelda with the ability to jump and jumping puzzles designed by cruel and vindictive programmers.

While the plotline may have some similarities with Link's Awakening Alundra's is much darker: especially early on it seems as though your efforts are failing rather than helping the people of the island.

The final boss fight is surprisingly easy, the achievement in this game is getting there.

As for PSN outside Japan I find it unlikely based on the closure of Working Designs and thus confusion over who has rights to the translation.
Strangely for once, if this was resolved, the PAL regions third party rights issue wouldn't arise since Psygnosis is now owned by Sony.
 
Mar 18, 2009 at 9:11 PM
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So it's Zelda with skill-based puzzles instead of those mentally-destructive ones?
 
Mar 18, 2009 at 11:18 PM
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Er not really: it is actually mentally disturbing puzzles and skill related frustrating ones. Sometimes they combine the two just to make you want to throw your controller through your TV.

For example: almost anything in the game with a sliding pillar of ice seemed designed to annoy and frustrate you. Some of these were on icy floors so controlling Alundra was not as easy as on other surfaces, and when you had the pillars where you wanted them you still had to use them as platforms to get to chests/switches/exits and if you fell off half the time you slid across the floor and knocked a pillar out of position.

Zelda's closest example for annoying positioning setting would be the Ocarina of Time's Water Temple. That would be Alundra's base annoyance level as many of its puzzles are much more irritating.
 
Mar 19, 2009 at 12:33 AM
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So... It's like the Icey gym in D/P?
 
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