I cannot overstate how much The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild consumed me when I finally got into it. Sure, it took me a few attempts, but eventually, I understood why everyone else loved it so much, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. Its unique approach to open-world exploration, coupled with its soothingly beautiful apocalypse that is as melodic as it is melancholic, makes for a truly breathtaking experience unlike any other. Well, I say unlike any other, but that isn't quite true.

We've had lots of games like BOTW, including Elden Ring, which currently stands as the most notable example of a game inspired by Nintendo's magnum opus. We even have a sequel, although I often feel the less said about it, the better. However, while I certainly enjoy both of those, I'm after something a little more niche that encapsulates what made BOTW great while adding its flair and innovation and preferably lacks soulslike combat. Fortunately, I found it in a lesser-known yet amazing indie RPG that blew me away from the moment I started playing it.

The Knightling Is Indie BOTW

It Has Everything From The Open-World Exploration To Shield Surfing

I first heard about The Knightling through its announcement trailer, something that came as a surprise to me considering just how much I love its developer's previous game, Pine. It remains one of the best indie RPGs ever made, offering a gorgeously detailed open world that feels astonishingly alive thanks to its reactive factions that wage war against one another and have meaningful relationships with the player that open up new doors when they're positive and close others when they grow sour. It is an amazing game, and, much like The Knightling, one I highly recommend people check out.

The Knightling's announcement trailer did a pretty good job of selling me on the game, but ittedly, I forgot about it in the endless shuffle of video games. Launch after launch, announcement after announcement, it is increasingly difficult to keep track of everything, even the most incredible-looking indies that, alas, end up slipping under the radar. Nevertheless, I was fortunate enough to stumble across it during the Steam Next Fest, where it had a frankly ridiculously generous demo that allowed me to experience quite a substantial portion of the game.

In The Knightling's demo, you can explore a large region using your trusty shield that, in a very Breath of the Wild fashion, can be used to surf down or glide across the meadows and hills of its colorful fantasy world, complete side quests with quirky characters that feel ripped straight out of Hyrule, and bash the heads of enemies while venturing off the beaten path in search of hidden secrets. While it doesn't ape all of BOTW's best features, it does a pretty good job of taking what worked for it and taking it in a fresh new direction.

The Knightling Is Shaping Up To Be One Of 2025s Best RPGs

It Comes From A Very Talented Developer

I spent a good chunk of time in The Knightling's demo, and it made me realize two things. The first is, as aforementioned, that it feels very much like indie BOTW, and I mean that in the best possible sense. Twirlbound's previous game, Pine, also felt a tad Breath of the Wild-inspired with its sprawling exploration-led open-world and immersive elements. So, it is no surprise to see the team's love of BOTW carry over into their next, more ambitious game.

In many ways, The Knightling looks as if it has taken everything the team learned developing that game and a sprinkling of the creativity often found in Nintendo's first-party fare, to create something wonderfully unique. The second thing that I discovered while roaming the truly delightful world of The Knightling - it has some of the most impressive art direction I've seen in an open-world indie game in a while - is that this really could end up becoming one of the best RPGs of 2025.

Not only is every aspect of its exploration rewarding, constantly providing interesting platforming challenges with unique rewards found at the end, or diverting the player from the beaten path with collectibles and glowing orbs that can be used to upgrade the protagonist's abilities, but it is so full of life and spirit in a way that a lot of other open world titles, including AAA experiences, lack. Everything from the character designs, the way the world is laid out so functionally as if people really live there, and the heartwarmingly jovial tone had me completely gripped from start to finish.

More People Should Check Out The Knightling

It Has A Free Demo

Of course, if it isn't apparent enough, I strongly urge everyone to check out The Knightling, if only to see an exceptionally talented indie studio's take on Nintendo's boundless creativity. The demo I played is still available via its breakthrough hit Space Marine 2.

More importantly, I believe that now, more than ever, we need games like The Knightling. While I am certainly excited about a lot of the AAA games coming in 2025 and have already delighted in some of the year's incredible RPGs, like the mind-blowingly good Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, I can't help but feel like the best games often fall within the indie scene. Some of 2024's best games weren't the AAA fare, but rather titles like 1000XResist, Neva, Animal Well, UFO50, and, of course, the unforgettable and frankly wallet-busting Balatro. I think I own it more times than Skyrim.

While I can't guarantee that The Knightling will break records or become as beloved or talked about as either Breath of the Wild or Balatro, I do strongly believe that it will be a game that will strive that little bit more, take bolder risks, wear its inspirations on its sleeve, and attempt to offer an AAA experience with a tad more class and creativity. That's not to slight the AAA games releasing now, nor indies, but rather to say that The Knightling could very well end up being 2025's version of the groundbreaking Breath of the Wild.

Source: The Knightling/Steam