Ocarina of Time’s Lake Hylia Showcased in Unreal Engine 5
Posted on January 31 2022 by Chakell Herbert
Do you remember when you first set foot in Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and how blown away you were by the epic, vast world you were about to explore? That moment was pretty life changing for me as a kid. But, alas, the years have gone by; and though many long-time Zelda fans probably saw Ocarina of Time as a majestic and artistic masterpiece at the time of its release, the graphics of modern games sort of blow that N64’s art style out of the water. With that in mind, YouTube content creator RwanLink, who is known for his many outstanding Zelda animations, has recreated an absolute majestic showcase of Lake Hylia in the beautiful Unreal Engine 5. Having already redesigned Kakariko Village as well, this rendition of Lake Hylia is part of an ongoing series that, as RwanLink states in the description, “re-imagines different environments as if they exist in real life.”
This 13-minute video not only depicts Lake Hylia as whole, but also adds RwanLink’s new interpretation of a few cut-scenes between Link, Navi, and other beloved characters that portray the melancholy tones of this game’s story perfectly. There is also an original medley of “Serenade of Water” and “Hyrule Field” featured that brings all sorts of feels.
All I can say is that RwanLink’s steady, artistic hand that blends modern graphics while still evoking the nostalgic beauty of Ocarina of Time is absolutely unreal (pun intended). The textures, the lighting, and the emotions in his videos truly bring me back to 1998 and remind me how magical these areas in Hyrule were when I was young, and what I can look forward to in future entries in the series. I can only hope that we get an official release of the game in the fabulous Unreal Engine 5 one day. I would vouch for RwanLink to direct!
Don’t forget to check out RwanLink’s other Zelda videos on their YouTube page, including their Kakariko Village animation that was previously mentioned. Their work has made me cry more times than I care to admit (in a good way).
What do you think of video? Did you feel all of the feels? Let us know your comments below!
Source: RwanLink
Chakell (pronounced shuh-kell) is an associate editor for Zelda Dungeon! She has loved The Legend of Zelda series since she was a little girl because of its equal mix of princesses, besting bad guys, and heartfelt stories. Chakell lives in the overall tame state of Utah, but holds onto her childhood hopes to find an adventure in her backyard one day. She has a degree in English and is a full-time editor for a magazine. You can usually find her gaming (obviously), laughing with her husband, taking a long time to tell stories because she keeps getting distracted; getting sucked into books and podcasts; or snuggling her cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
