“It’s dangerous to go alone. Take this.” The very first Zelda game, The Legend of Zelda, is a classic that set the tone for many games that followed. It’s a fun challenge from beginning to end, even going so far as to have an alternate mode called Second Quest that offers even tougher challenges for hardcore gamers. With all this and more, it’s no wonder why this game is a classic that became the golden standard in the game industry. Why not give it the TLC it deserves with a glow up in Unreal Engine 4? That’s exactly what talented fan Lloyd Empty did.
Sometimes Nintendo releases an older Zelda title that gets the remake treatment. Such games like The Wind Waker or Twilight Princess have received the slight upgrade like Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD, while others have seen a bigger one with quality of life improvements like Ocarina of Time 3DS and Majora’s Mask 3DS. Then there are games that get the whole system boost such as Link’s Awakening for the Switch. With all these titles, many fans have been waiting for the next game to be released or remastered from Nintendo. Others however have taken matters into their own hands and done it themselves. One such person is the talented fan developer named Lloyd Empty, who has taken the very first Legend of Zelda for the NES and remade it using Unreal Engine 4, titled The Legend of Zelda: Era of Decline.
The amount of detail that it goes into making a game like this is nothing short of incredible. You can’t deny the brilliance that shines forth with some of these fan made projects. Some of them are so good that even companies will pay attention, like the case with Sega and Christian Whitehead. Christian is a talented individual that Sega eventually hired due to his skill with game development that garnered a lot of attention. It lead to him to making the critically acclaimed Sonic Mania. Lloyd Empty has done an amazing job with this classic Zelda remake. If you want to take a look at the game, Lloyd Empty has produced a beautiful trailer on his Youtube page that you can watch down below.
Lloyd Empty has spent the last couple years developing this remake and it shows. The attention to detail is in everything from Link being left-handed straight down to him having the shield with the cross on it. It even comes with its own original soundtrack by composer Alcibiade that is some of the best fan music remixes you will hear. While the game isn’t quite complete, players can experience the beta for now. The project is fan made and non-profit. It’s definitely worth checking out while you have the chance. Just remember, the journey is dangerous, so don’t go alone.
