23 Best Games Like Botw That You Should Know Update 03/2024

Games Like Botw

Breath Of The Wild may not be Breath Of The Wild 2, but these games are sure to satisfy your gaming cravings while you wait for the next in the series.

There’s a good chance you have a Hyrule hangover from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s woods and plateaus. The vast open universe of Nintendo’s games, after all, has some of the most memorable discoveries, puzzles, and antagonists of the last decade.

Even though Breath of the Wild is one of the best-known games in the world, there are plenty of others with wide environments, fantastic monsters, and nooks and corners to be discovered. Here are 10 other games with large terrain, swords, and shields, or a combination of the three. They may not be Breath Of The Wild, but they’ll certainly fill the void as we wait for the sequel.

Mark Sammut updated the article on January 29, 2022: Although Breath of the Wild has received critical and financial acclaim, there is a dearth of similar games on the market. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s open-world Zelda game is a really unique experience that will be spoken about for decades to come, in the same vein as that game. Breath of the Wild’s environment design, combat, and exploration all share a lot in common with other games, even if there aren’t many copies of the game out there. More games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild have been added to this list.

1. Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey

The year 2017 was an outstanding year for Nintendo. One of the company’s best-known and most popular consoles was released, coupled with two of the best games ever made. Breath of the Wild was the first game to be released with the Switch, followed by Super Mario Odyssey later in the year.

Super Mario Odyssey, like Breath of the Wild, contains a wealth of hidden treasures for the player to discover. It makes for an amazing platforming title where players have all the flexibility in the world to accomplish challenges and access the amount of content that lies beneath.

In the same way as Breath of the Wild modernizes The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Odyssey does the same with the Mario franchise’s prior 3D games. However, the two games are not exactly on the same level.

2. Monster Hunter Rise

As a result of Monster Hunter World’s success, the Monster Hunter series has seen a steady increase in popularity in recent years. As a result, it’s not surprising that Monster Hunter: World: Rise was met with such enthusiasm.

The latest Monster Hunter game is an amazing addition to the series. It’s a natural for a discussion of games like Breath of the Wild because of the challenging combat and rewarding exploration. Hunters can use all of their skills and knowledge to take out the enormous animals that lurk in Monster Hunter Rise’s limited, explorable zones.

Unrestricted exploring in Breath of the Wild provides players with some truly spectacular experiences. Since the release of Skyrim, most gamers haven’t felt anything like this.

3. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Skyrim has remained one of the best open-world RPGs to date. A gold mine was discovered by Bethesda, and it hasn’t stopped since. Though Breath of the Wild puts a lot greater emphasis on narrative than Skyrim, the latter shines best when viewed as a free-form game that players can explore.

4. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey & Valhalla

Assassin's Creed Odyssey & Valhalla

Since the release of Syndicate, the Assassin’s Creed franchise has had a big rebirth. After a while, the games in the series began to add more RPG mechanics and fantastical aspects, and Odyssey was the first to truly qualify as an RPG.

Assassin’s Creed fans have been clamoring for a tour through ancient Greece for a long time, and Odyssey delivers. Fans who can get past the game’s overstuffed material will find themselves with one of the series’ best efforts.

This is the most recent Assassin’s Creed game, and it’s a no-brainer suggestion for anyone who want to explore a Viking world. Fans of RPGs (particularly Breath of the Wild) can look forward to a magnificent open world full of mystery and sidequests combined with a finely knit tale.

5. Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Legends of Arceus transforms Pokemon in the same way Breath of the Wild did for Zelda, but with a map divided into biomes. With its 2022 launch, Game Freak introduces some major alterations to the Pokemon universe, which have been part of the series since its inception more than 30 years ago.

Check out this article on the number of Pokemon in Arceus’s Legends: How Many Exist?

Pokemon combat and catching are reworked in Legends: Arceus, with new features that increase the player’s engagement while increasing the level of uncertainty. Legends: Arceus’s visuals aren’t quite as amazing as Breath of the Wild’s, but the game is still a lot of fun, and that’s what matters.

6. Final Fantasy 15

Final Fantasy 15 was eventually published to the general public after what seemed like an eternity. Shades of the game’s lengthy development time can still be noticed in the finished output.

However, despite these shortcomings, Final Fantasy 15 has a lot to offer. It doesn’t matter how simple the game is, the open environment is stunning and the fighting is fantastic. Fans of Breath of the Wild will find some familiar elements in Final Fantasy 15, even if the comparison to The Legend of Zelda is a stretch. The first half of FFXV allows players to roam a vast and beautiful world while occasionally delivering plot arcs. In the second part of the game, the story begins to take center stage.

7. Windbound

Windbound’s stunning aesthetics should be enough to conjure up pictures of a bleak Hyrule in your mind’s eye alone. How does Windbound stack up against its competitors in terms of visuals and gameplay?

This is a game about surviving in the wilderness, and it’s a tough one. This is largely due to the protagonist’s ravenous hunger and the roguelike aspects introduced on certain difficulty levels. Breath of the Wild’s sparse plot does not guide or direct the player, although Windbound does provide objectives for each chapter.

8. Hob: The Definitive Edition

Hob The Definitive Edition

Hob bears a striking resemblance to Breath of the Wild. How about a stylised open world full of mysteries and baddies in disrepair? Check. Is this the beginning of a cryptic story? Double-check. Having your arm devoured by a carnivorous plant, you’re introduced to a mechanical appendage that becomes the game’s defining feature. That may be a Hob-specific characteristic.

One of the best Nintendo Switch games to date, Panic Button’s ten-hour adventure is both engrossing and tough. While Breath of the Wild’s world may not be as large or epic as this one, it’s nonetheless a beautiful and challenging place to explore. When navigating the trees, why not rip off your arm and become a short hooded cyborg to explore a strange land?

9. Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles

In terms of adventure games, Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles is one of the purest examples you’ll find. The player is stranded on Gemea, a serene island full of friendly locals, placid wildlife, and nothing in the way of peril.

See also: Metacritic’s list of the 100 Greatest Adventure Games of All Time

Even while new sections are blocked, Yonder never forces the player into action, but instead encourages them to handle things at their own leisure. There appears to be some sort of narrative behind this. Although it lacks the combat of Breath of the Wild, Yonder is an excellent exploration game.

10. Moonlighter

Have you ever dreamed of working as a shopkeeper during the day and becoming a vigilante treasure hunter at night? This old-school dungeon crawler from Digital Sun is exactly what gamers sign up for.

In some ways, Moonlighter is more reminiscent to older 2-dimensional Zelda games than Breath Of The Wild, yet it’s impossible not to get swept away by protagonist Will’s thirst for adventure. This book is challenging, unique, and full of heartwarming tales about pursuing your dreams with all your might. With no princesses or prophecies, the swordplay and story will help ease Breath of the Wild cravings..

11. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a fantastic open-world RPG, despite its grittier and darker parts. It’s also the perfect moment for players who haven’t tried it yet to do so, as it’ll get them in the mood for the next season of Netflix’s The Witcher, which will be released next year.

Things You Didn’t Know About The Blood Moon In The Video Game Breath of the Wild

The Witcher 3 is a fantastic game to play if you enjoyed Breath of the Wild’s enormous environment, magical animals, and compelling plot.

12. Effie

Effie

Galad, a combination of Zeus, Link, and Captain America, is the protagonist of this 3D action-adventure platformer from Inverge Studios. A witch with entitlement issues afflicted him with old age, and now he must embark on a quest to clean some gems and reclaim his younger, sexier self.

It’s a lot of platform leaping, shield pounding, and boss-outsmarting, but it’s a lot of fun to go on this adventure. Puzzles are scarce, but this is a playful adventure with no lack of pleasure (or unique level design). Galad, on the other hand, is dressed in green and carries a shield.

13. Okami

It’s never been a better time to “brush up” on some 3D action-adventure as the Japanese Sun Goddess Amaterasu. The coupling of the white wolf and black brush has never been more enjoyable than in this Nintendo Switch port of Capcom’s 2006 classic.

Okami, at first appearance, appears to be a rather easy target. This is a long and epic journey, with a winding plot and an immense world. It may not seem like a strong comparison to Breath of the Wild, but once they begin playing it, it’s difficult to find anything to complain about.

14. A Short Hike

For games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a short hike might not seem like the most natural choice. This is because of the short duration, the smaller world, and the lack of combat. This game follows a bird as she makes her way to the top of a park trail in the hopes of getting cell phone reception. Getting there is completely up to the player.

A Short Hike and Breath of the Wild share this sense of freedom, making them games about the trip rather than the destination. A Short Hike will likely appeal to those who appreciate going into Hyrule only for the purpose of exploration and traversal.

15. Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn (2017)

At around 500 AD, humans appear to have forgotten to save their progress, leaving them on a post-apocalyptic Earth. The natural world, on the other hand, appears to have missed the memo, as humans are forced to contend with enormous mechanical animals that are freely roaming the planet, and the world is still scarred from humanity’s demise as the dominant species.

The open-world action RPG from Guerilla Games is also notable for a number of other things, most notably: a fleshed-out heroine, difficulty, and robot dinosaurs. Despite the fact that this futuristic take on Hyrule doesn’t feel anything like Hyrule, the addictive gameplay and poignant tale make it feel like it does.

Horizon Zero Dawn’s sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, will be released on February 18, 2022, for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

16. Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King

To put it another way, this title plays out more like Link’s Awakening than the moment when Link first awakens in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Lily is the heroine of Castle Pixel’s 2017 novel about a wicked king who has been put to sleep by his evil brother and a newly ornamented knight who fights to save the kingdom.

Even while it has the feel and sound of an old-school RPG, with 8-bit pixel art and a sprawling open world, this game is far more current thanks to its clever allusions to more recent titles. In the meantime, users may experience a nostalgic burst of classic tunes and easy sword slashing while they wait for Breath of the Wild 2.

17. Darksiders 2

The clever pun in the game’s title is by far the most compelling reason to play Darksiders 2. Aw, it’s so beautiful. Another reason is the game’s unusual combination of RPG mechanics, a large area, and a series of very enjoyable boss battles. And those, too, are magnificent. If all this wasn’t enough, the rebirth of death’s trip also includes an enormous amount of DLC to expand on the already epic voyage from 2012.

An M-rated adventure with a “Zelda-like” battle system, as well as an expansive world to explore, made this the first 3D game to earn the “Zelda” label. As long as someone has completed Breath Of The Wild but not Darksiders 2, they’ve discovered how to keep the open-world hype alive.

18. Oceanhorn: Monster Of Uncharted Seas

Oceanhorn Monster Of Uncharted Seas

It’s possible that Cornfox & Bros.’ 2013 journey will look familiar. Mainly because it’s a bizarre offspring of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and Breath Of The Wild. According to some, this is a straight copy of Zelda, because of the numerous similarities. It’s possible that this news may satisfy those who were hoping to find something to take the place of a Zelda game.

Seafaring, swordswinging, grass chopping, vase throwing, island exploration and messy hair are just a few of the activities that you’ll find in Oceanhorn. In spite of the fact that it’s a shameless Zelda rip-off, it’s still an entertaining indie adventure that gives a lot of value for the player’s money.

19. Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor

Shadow of Mordor is one of the few Middle-earth games that stands out from the rest. Rather than a fantasy action RPG, this is more of a training exercise for insurgents. All while wielding one of the most vicious versions of a sword ever devised for video games and wreaking havoc on Orcish civilisation.

However, this game is a captivating action game with enemies that want to be slain, and it’s darker and more adult than any Zelda game. Just be careful not to torture or enslave too many Uruks, or you might lose the ability to look in the mirror ever again.

20. Hyper Light Drifter

Vintage action game from Heart Machine features gorgeous graphics, addictive gameplay, and a melancholy narrative hinted at only through the game’s aesthetics. Player characters are pitted against menacing mecha, a plethora of projectile weapons and the surreal narrative of a rotting universe.

Combat necessitates mastery, storytelling necessitates introspection, and simply taking in the scenery necessitates nothing. Hyper Light Drifter is a must-play for fans of Breath of the Wild’s ambiance, mystique, and fantastic battle systems.

21. Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity

Hyrule Warriors Age Of Calamity

As a follow-up to the original Hyrule Warriors, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was launched for the Nintendo Switch. To be clear, the gameplay in the Hyrule Warriors games takes on the hack and slash approach of the Dynasty Warriors franchise, which is considerably different from Breath of the Wild.

Age of Calamity, a prequel set 100 years before the events of Breath of the Wild, depicts the Great Calamity, which makes it a strong recommendation. So, if you like the Breath of the Wild plot and are curious in its origins, you’ll want to check it out!

22. Immortals Fenyx Rising

Immortals Fenyx Rising, developed by the same team as Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, was released recently by Ubisoft. The Breath of the Wild-shaped hole in your life can be filled by Fenyx Rising, which has many similarities to Odyssey.

The game’s age range is greater than Odyssey’s, thus it may be enjoyed by both children and adults. Although the universe isn’t as huge as the one in Breath of the Wild, it’s incredibly deep, full with mysteries and myths from ancient Greece.

23. Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact

As a “Breath of the Wild copycat,” Genshin Impact stunned many by being more than just a cheap imitation. It’s unfair to label it a “clone” because it has so many unique gameplay features and experiences that make it its own distinct game. With each update, miHoYo has continued to expand on this world’s story and characters, as well as its gaming features.

Even so, Genshin Impact shares many parallels with Breath of the Wild, so it’s no surprise that Zelda fans will appreciate this new free-to-play game.