Alundra (1997)

This title is a top-down action-adventure game often compared to The Legend of Zelda, but with a darker tone and more mature themes, the MC is a young hero who can enter people’s dreams, exploring surreal, puzzle-filled dungeons tied to their subconscious fears. This was a very unique concept, and fortunately I managed to get myself a fan-made translated version of it, to Portuguese Brazilian, so I could understand what was going on in the story, this is how popular this game was here at the time. The game stands out for its challenging puzzles, rich storytelling, and emotional depth, its sprite-based graphics are detailed and atmospheric, and the soundtrack enhances the melancholy tone.

However, the high difficulty level, especially of the puzzles, can be frustrating for some players, even for today's standards, not to mention the language barrier I faced before I got my hands on the translated version, practically an impossible task to go through all of the game without understanding a word of it. Overall, Alundra is a cult classic, beloved for its ambitious design and mature narrative, and is a must-play for fans of action RPGs who enjoy a challenge and like the PlayStation 2D aesthetic, which is my case. I also recommend playing the second title, though this one is a standout, it is way superior than the sequel, I don't consider the second title a must play, but this one definitely is.

Another aspect that deserves praise is how it handles death, loss, and despair in ways that were unusually direct for its time. Several dream sequences are genuinely unsettling, dealing with themes like guilt, madness, and hopelessness, and they give emotional context to the puzzles rather than treating them as abstract challenges. Unlike many games of the era that kept storytelling light or symbolic, the MC confronts these ideas head-on, which gives the narrative a surprising weight and makes the villagers feel more like real people than simple quest-givers.

As for the gameplay, the combat is serviceable but clearly secondary to exploration and puzzle-solving, which is where the game truly shines. Precision platforming, timing-based traps, and multi-room logic puzzles demand patience and careful observation, reinforcing the feeling that progress is earned rather than handed to the you. While this design can feel unforgiving, it also makes every breakthrough deeply satisfying. Overall, this title feels like a game that trusted its audience to think, struggle, and reflect, and that confidence is a big part of why it remains memorable decades later.