Under the Island Reviews
Under the Island is a wonderful trip down memory lane, both for millennials and Gen Xers who rode the highs of the 90s and for the games we played. It’s a love letter to top-down Zelda games, and the love is deeply felt in the creative mechanics and wonderful art style. The story may struggle to find footing, but the gameplay is the hero here. Armed with a hockey stick and a sense of urgency, Under the Island is a worthy play for folks looking for a nostalgia-laden adventure.
Under the Island isn’t charming enough in its graphics or writing, so its gameplay foibles can be forgiven, and this is ultimately a shame, as the game attempts an 11th-hour reveal musing about how easily people can be swayed by honeyed words and how that can result in utter devastation. With some patches and playtesting, this game could be at least bearable. To think, all of this could’ve been avoided by respecting an island’s culture.
With captivating pixel art and a world full of paths and secrets, Under the Island succeeds in building a great sense of exploration and manages to give the player the freedom to discover things on their own without leaving them lost, providing plenty of help for those who need it. It's a competent, charismatic, and fun Zelda-like, but it may disappoint those looking for exciting combat.
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Under the Island is presented as a cozy version of that style of action adventure game, which doesn’t really result in the sort of game that comes to mind as a cozy game. It’s more like a Zelda game that isn’t super aggressive to challenge your skills and has a lot of variety to its dungeons to subvert your expectations.
Under The Island is the best game I have played this year so far. That is not something I say lightly. It captures the magic of classic 2D Zelda adventures, especially The Minish Cap, while adding its own quirky humor and heartfelt storytelling. The tools are inventive. The puzzles are clever. The world is full of secrets that reward curiosity. It is rare for a game to maintain that sense of joy from start to finish. There is something special here.
Under the Island wears its 2D Zelda inspiration proudly on its sleeve and pulls it off exceptionally well, with a great game and stunning modern pixel graphics that feel like Saturday-morning cartoons from the '90s.
Just like with my kids' elaborate games and worlds they think up, it may not all make sense, but it didn't stop me from having a great time. Under the Island is a fun and often wacky adventure game that wears its heart on its sleeve and does right by its inspirations. It's a game that begs to be explored from top to bottom, with the intent of giving the player something to find or do at nearly every turn. I loved my time on Seashell Island, and I think that plenty of other people will too.
Under the Island was a super fun story to play through, and I wish anyone who sees this and is looking to dive into a 90s nostalgia trip through a new and vibrant world gives this title a chance!