2025: I'm playing through a barrage of Action-Adventures that star dudes with swords.

pepsimanvsjoe

New Challenger
Level 0
Joined
Feb 24, 2025
Messages
6
Reaction score
16
Points
52
swordguys.png

-----------------------------------------------------------
From The Legend of Zelda to Ys, Brain Lord to Beyond Oasis, and everything in between. I'm spending my 2025 catching up on all of the top-down action-adventure games starring guys who carry swords. As you can see from the collage above, I've already completed 27* games.
As a bonus, every game is getting a review on my blog. - https://pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/

The next three titles I plan on covering are:
Crusader of Centy, Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys, and The Magic of Scheherazade.

I made this thread to seek out suggestions for other games that fit the criteria. It doesn't explicitly have to be retro or a Zelda-like either. It could be something akin to Arcus Odyssey for all I care; as long as it's 2D, has a top-down view, and a guy with a sword is a playable character. Although, to be honest, I'm trying to avoid roguelikes, so preemptive apologies to all of the Shiren fans out there.

Thoughts and comments are also appreciated.


*26 if you count Ys 1 & 2 as one game.
 
Last edited:
Magic of Scheherazade has been on my to-do list for gaming, and I'd been playing Zelda: A Link to the Past for the first time (other than dabbling with the intro once) as of a couple weeks ago. Cool to hear from someone in a similar vein!

I'm not sure if it counts as an action-RPG compared to the other games, but maybe the Diablo clone called Darkstone? There's both a version on the Playstation, and originally it was on PC and can be found on Steam.
 
I don't recognize the green-haired guy in the middle. What game is that?
I was a big of 2D action RPGs myself, I've played most of these. I'll second Alundra, and don't sleep on Magic Knight Rayheart on the Saturn, it was made by (most of) the Phantasy Star IV team and is a lot of fun.
 
Alundra is on my to-do list. I just keep putting it off because damn it gets depressing. Terranigma is one that I'll save for later. I don't want to bend the rules too much by including a guy with a spear, but I've already covered Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia sooo...
I'll also look into Darkstone. Rogue-likes are out but Diablo-likes are definitely in. More PC suggestions in general are dope. The only rep I have so far is Dink Smallwood.


The green-haired guy is Eric / Alex from Shining Soul 2. I went with one of the alternate color schemes to add some... color to the collage.
 
View attachment 53169
-----------------------------------------------------------
From The Legend of Zelda to Ys, Brain Lord to Beyond Oasis, and everything in between. I'm spending my 2025 catching up on all of the top-down action-adventure games starring guys who carry swords. As you can see from the collage above, I've already completed 27* games.
As a bonus, every game is getting a review on my blog. - https://pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/

The next three titles I plan on covering are:
Crusader of Centy, Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys, and The Magic of Scheherazade.

I made this thread to seek out suggestions for other games that fit the criteria. It doesn't explicitly have to be retro or a Zelda-like either. It could be something akin to Arcus Odyssey for all I care; as long as it's 2D, has a top-down view, and a guy with a sword is a playable character. Although, to be honest, I'm trying to avoid roguelikes, so preemptive apologies to all of the Shiren fans out there.

Thoughts and comments are also appreciated.


*26 if you count Ys 1 & 2 as one game.
Do the fanmade dub of Ys IV on the Turbografx/PC Engine, it's very charming.
 
Does it have to be a man with a sword specifically?
ss_931b380e6a36debc084ff61e890ba126ff5157cb.jpg
Death's Door is a more modern Zelda like where you play as a Crow with a sword. There's also Hyper Light Drifter and Tunic as well on the modern end.
 
By the way, everyone mentions various Zelda games, Ocarina of Time, Link's Awakening, LTTP, Twilight Princess. And they are all great. But the title that doesn't get mentioned but I think deserves respect is Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link. It is like if Link met Dark Souls. It is super challenging but if you get into the game it can suck you in.

zelda2 title.jpg
link2.png
 
By the way, everyone mentions various Zelda games, Ocarina of Time, Link's Awakening, LTTP, Twilight Princess. And they are all great. But the title that doesn't get mentioned but I think deserves respect is Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link. It is like if Link met Dark Souls. It is super challenging but if you get into the game it can suck you in.

View attachment 53240 View attachment 53239
Does Rambo on NES also count? I mean, it's also a guy running with a sword (knife) with some RPG elements lol
ygk2w6xt5chz.png
 
Huh I never even considered Blood Omen. Good choice!
On sale at GOG right now for less than a buck.

I've played Secret/Trials of Mana too many times to count, so I wanted to focus on other stuff first.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Connect with us

Featured Video

Metal Max Xeno (VITA) Translation

Latest Threads

Why are psp harry potter games 20fps?

I understand the PlayStation 1 was kinda weak cuz sometimes it was 30 to 20fps but why psp?
Read more

Raven Roll Call! (Armored Core)

"I'll tear my way through the ranks like an alley cat with a KATANA!"
Cosmiken...
Read more

What is your favorite anime at the moment

Anime has become better and more interesting in recent years and is now indispensable, there is...
Read more

One episode of Devil May Cry was all I needed...

...IT'S AWFUL. IT'S FUCKING AWFUL. This is yet another entry in the field of Capcom games that...
Read more

What are the most beautiful songs you ever listened to?

It can be music from any rhythm, culture, game, movie, anime, anything, I just want to know what...
Read more

Online statistics

Members online
178
Guests online
289
Total visitors
467

Forum statistics

Threads
6,191
Messages
157,325
Members
397,915
Latest member
Samueljognkkkk

Support us

Back
Top