The creation of video games has come a long way, even in a short time. With many game development engines like Unreal and Unity, now is a great time for those interested in creating their own games, whether professionally or not. It’s also possible to use a modern engine to breathe new life into older versions, which is exactly what this fan has done with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64, Ocarina of Time has understandably aged over the last decade and a half, but that’s where developer CryZENx comes into the picture. A recent video posted on his YouTube channel shows what the game looks like made in Unreal Engine 5the latest iteration of Epic Games’ powerful development tool.
Specifically, the images are meant to show off the water effects, which, through the much more up-to-date engine, look absolutely spectacular. As Link can be seen wandering the shorelines, splashing in the sea, and even diving down to show viewers what’s underwater.
It is a sign of the power of Unreal Engine 5 and the skill with which he has brought this game from nearly a quarter of a century into the modern age. It’s also not the first time CryZENx has done something like this. He has also recreated Ocarina of Time in Unreal Engine 4. Even though that remake was made in the previous version of the engine, it still looks amazing, especially when compared to the graphics of the original N64 title.
Unreal Engine 5 was released a couple of months ago and is intended to usher in the next stage of video game development. Although it is being used to create several AAA titles, such as Redfall and the new Witcher game, the CryZENx video demonstrates that it has a lot of use for recreating old-fashioned but still beloved games and seeing what they would look like today.