Squire Grooktook wrote:^^^Alcahest is zelda like, but *very* arcadey. Few puzzles and exploration here, but it's actually a (somewhat lengthy) stage based arcade gauntlet, based around 1cc's. Has a bit of signature HAL Laboratory surprisingly brutal impact and violence on some specials, and gorgeous ost.
Oh yeah, I played it a couple months back, and was trying to recall the name of the game to post it, and it just happens that it was this game. It is pretty sweet indeed, though it really has a penchant for the warp tiles (or jump tiles, in this case). The NPC partners also make it even better.
Another game I forgot about is Addams Family Values (SFC).
Although just looking at the name, you'd expect a shitty licensed mess, it's actually a pretty nice game, and very Zelda-like. Worth a look at least.
By the way, I wasn't sure if you (mamboFoxtrot) wanted 8-bit games as well, but here's a few others.
Esper Dream & Sequel (FDS/FC) -- By Konami. While they are more like RPGs at heart, and enemy battle take place in a different map (like an RPG, but instead of random enemies, they appear on-screen, and you'll enter a battle if you touch them), they are pure action battles, much like Zelda, etc, so also worth a look. The sequel is better.
Ai Senshi Nicol (FDS) -- Also Konami, top-down action, similar to Blaster Master's on-foot areas, but more refined
Golvellius (SMS) -- By Compile. Decent game as well, with some vertical shooting sections in-between
Grand Master (FC) -- A bit rough around the edges, but pretty fun nonetheless. You keep your EXP/Level when you die, so even if you can't beat each level on 1 sitting, it gets easier with each continue.
Sumez wrote:Arcus Odyssey looks pretty badass, but I got extremely disappointed with it when I finally got it. I don't really remember why, it just wasn't fun to me. It's also extremely difficult. As far as I remember you pretty much need to avoid all combat that's not absolutely necessary, so having an exact route throughout each stage feels like it's not just preferred, but pretty much necessary.
It certainly is a bit rough around the edges.
The game is pretty geared towards ranged attacks, as even the sword character, whom you'd expect to use close-range slashes, just sends some slash-like projectiles from his sword.
They also put the shield & attack on the same button (press for attack, hold for shield), which doesn't help.
The attack gets some lag, and takes a bit to come out (especially noticeable on the whip character), and while the shield is nice (it blocks most things, I believe, even close range attacks), you lose the ability to move when using it, and since they share a button, you need to choose to either attack or block.
Worse, even if you attempt to block enemy projectiles, so that you can close in for the kill, they usually throw them in such quick succession, that you can't avoid getting hit if you intend to kill them (though NPC partners can help with this, like the homing magic dude on Stage 2).
There's also no reward whatsoever for destroying enemies, other than getting score. But since enemies will respawn immediately after you scroll the screen a bit, score is pretty irrelevant anyway.
Also mildly annoying, is that while there are healing items scattered on each stage, you can't hold them, and they're used as soon as you pick them up (whether you need them or not), something which also happens in Grand Master (FC). The worst part of it, is that you can't tell what a treasure chest contains until you pick it up, or know in advance, from previous playthroughs.
Its isometric, dark-age themed action, does remind me of Data East's Dark Seal series (well, the 2 games in the series).
I actually played its MD version immediately after I & II Complete (Windows), despite dying to start Felghana... wanted historical perspective, I guess. I don't remember dislking it, but neither can I remember very much of it at all. Other than the usual superb OST, which came out pretty well on MD if I recall, and one overriding negative - its feebly chopping sword attack. I don't demand first-rate action from less arcade-geared slashers, but I do need some personality... not even something really excellent like Zelda II's nimble duelling, even Faxanadu's brutally simple wall-slamming skewers will do. Put me off revisiting it to this day. Although I have to admit, just typing this has made me want to go back and see if I feel any differently. Been like a decade.
Unless it's a CVIII/NGIII kinda situation. Then, I'm kinda FOOKED with no NES atm! And my chronic inability to really get it up for ROMZ I don't own. 
I gotta be GOD HARD to bother these days! 
