Under The Island review: a cozy Zelda-style adventure

The Legend of Zelda games are grand adventures, but they can also be very comforting, with quaint villages to explore and warm landscapes to take in. Under The Island takes that idea a step further. It still offers the sense of exploration and puzzle-solving that makes Zelda games so satisfying, but it also takes place in a cozy, lighthearted world with an energy reminiscent of Stardew Valley. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to hang around in even when you aren’t slaying monsters.

The game puts you in the role of Nia, a new resident on the seemingly normal Seashell Island. But soon it becomes clear things are much stranger than they appear as Nia is pulled into saving the island from sinking into the ocean. In the grand tradition of Zelda, this involves traveling around the island to collect important objects, and while Seashell may be a relatively small island, there’s a lot going on; forests and beaches filled with monsters, dungeon-like buildings with plenty of puzzles to solve, and townsfolk who always seem to be in need of a hand.

Under The Island plays a lot like the 16-bit era Zelda games — think A Link to the Past — which means it’s a 2D action-adventure game with lots of puzzle solving. Instead of wielding a sword like Link, Nia has a hockey stick, but it works much the same. You can use it to bash enemies, hit switches, and cut grass in hopes of finding cash or health. Over the course of the game you’ll unlock new weapons and abilities that further open up the game in a literal sense. Bombs will reveal hidden rooms, while a fire-spewing flower can ignite vegetation that’s in your way. The gameplay is a mix of action and puzzle solving, as you have to not only defeat enemies but figure out how to use your various items and abilities to get around the island.

From this familiar core Under The Island does some interesting things. Most notable are its very creative boss battles. I don’t want to spoil too much, because the surprise is part of the fun, but as an example, the first such encounter doesn’t have you facing off against some gigantic monster; instead, you’re helping monsters put on a concert. You have to sort out the lighting, fight off legions of fans, fix an elevator, and more to ensure things go smoothly. It sounds weird, but it uses the same mechanics as an elaborate boss fight would, only in a completely unique context. And it shows how Under The Island is more than just another Zelda-alike.

The other notable thing about the game is just how chill it is. Sure, you’re saving the world, but that doesn’t mean the vibes need to be off. It’s the tone that reminds me of Stardew or even EarthBound: a little bit silly, very playful, and a nice mixture of the real-world and the supernatural. This is expressed in pretty much every aspect of the game. The enemies include walking onions that wield leeks as weapons and squirrels that throw explosive pinecones, and you can refill your health by slurping ramen, which you can buy from a restaurant on a hot-air balloon. This is also a game where I would recommend talking to everyone and not skipping through the dialogue, because there’s some very funny writing. At one point I met a band of skeletons who were singing Billy Joel.

There are obviously plenty of Zelda-style indie games out there, but few manage to balance nostalgia and inventiveness the way Under The Island does. Even fewer manage to do it while being so damn charming.

_{Under The Island is out now on PC, Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox.}