Fans have been re-creating areas from the Nintendo classic Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time almost since the game originally released in 1998. In recent years we've seen 2D remakes of the entire game and stunning remakes of the game's Hyrule with the power of the Unreal Engine.
This creation from CryZENx is just the latest example. To call it beautiful doesn't do it justice. Not only has CryZENx taken Ocarina of Time's Temple of Time environment and given it a massive visual overhaul, but it's actually playable as well.
Just as in Ocarina of Time, kid Link can run around the environment, slash his sword, roll, consult Navi and more. It's all recreated with some stunning particle effects and top notch animation. You can even download it for yourself here (CryZENx recommends using keyboard and mouse controls).
Sure, it's not an Unreal Engine re-make of the entire game, but with the number of these that continue to pop up, smashing them all together just might come close. Can you imagine an entire, fully playable game that looked like this? It's enough to make a grown man cry.
Whenever another one of these re-makes is unveiled, it's simultaneously a blessing and a curse. It's awesome to see what Legend of Zelda could look like. But it's also painful to know that Legend of Zelda will never actually look like this. Sure, the franchise's cel-shaded visuals in recent years are gorgeous in their own right, but there is just something about the breathtaking particle effects and more realistic animation style seen in these Unreal Engine re-creations that have fans longing to see a game that looks like this made reality.
With a definitive release date still not available for Legend of Zelda Wii U and details scarce, these re-creations are all that fans have had to go on. No doubt we'll see a few more before Nintendo shines some light on their long-awaited next installment in the storied franchise.
