Ever since its critically acclaimed release in 2017, several subsequent open world games have been compared toBreath of the Wild. To its credit,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildmade a huge effort in bringing open world games forward with innovative design. Since then, several games likeAssassin’s Creed OdysseyandGenshin Impacthave borrowed elements of landmark-based exploration as well. Some have borrowed more than others, and nowImmortals Fenyx Risingis the next in line of games being compared toBreath of the Wild.
To these games' credit, getting compared toBreath of the Wildisn’t necessarily a bad thing. Drawing inspiration from one of the best open world games in the last three years is a solid approach, but some fans believe it’s more than just inspiration. Many will argue thatGenshin Impact, and nowImmortals Fenyx Rising,are just “rip-offs” ofBreath of the Wild, and just likeGenshin Impactbefore it, that’s not true forImmortalseither. This narrative has been spun several times now, and while there’s merit to the discussion, it’s not an accurate representation of these games.
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Immortals Fenyx Rising Brings Plenty New to the Table
For one thing, there’s a very clear difference between being formative and inspirational for a game.Breath of the Wilddid a lot of good things for the genreof open world adventures, but those features don’t have to be exclusive to that game. Landmark-based encouraging of exploration and other aspects of intelligent environmental design should be things every modern open world game should have. Part of whyBreath of the Wildwas praised so well was because it changed the formula in a formative way, whereas previous games likeAssassin’s Creedhad huge swaths of land covered in collectibles, missions, and an overabundance of content.
Now to some extent, there’s truth to comparingBreath of the WildwithImmortalsin certain aspects, but describing the game as a “rip-off” is a disservice to everything the game does differently. The combat in particular is vastly different, eschewing a simple and adaptable combat system for a more rigid fighting style full of special abilities that’s more similar toGenshin Impact’s combat. Not to mention the entire setting isa comical and/or satirical adaptation of Greek mythology, with Zeus and Prometheus cracking jokes as they tell the player’s story. For every comparison that could be made toBreath of the Wild,Immortals Fenyx Risinghas its own unique aspect worth celebrating too.
Genshin Impact Saw Similar Comparisons
This was the same argument spread aroundwhenGenshin Impactreleased as well. Again, despite the formative nature ofBreath of the Wild’s impact on open world games,Genshin Impactstill emphasized a lot about what makes the game unique. Similar toImmortals,Genshin Impacthas a more traditional action-RPG combat system with special abilities and elements of flashiness. The game’s story is far more anime-inspired, with a sizable cast of characters in the story. Not to mention the Gacha game mechanics for unlocking new playable characters for the party.
Both of these games can certainly wear theirBreath of the Wildinspirations on their sleeves, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that these games are still unique in their own respective ways. Little things like gliders and wings, or having a variety of selectable weapons to choose from,these are elements ofBreath of the WildthatImmortals Fenyx RisingandGenshin Impactborrow, but even those elements are given their own unique twist. Using landmarks dotted on the horizon, and framing the game’s world based on viewpoints, isn’t something intrinsically tied toBreath of the Wild, it’s just what makes a good modern open world game.
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An Unfair Narrative for Immortals and Others
For all intents and purposes, as much as the whole narrative of comparisons toBreath of the Wilddoes hold minimal truth, it doesn’t accurately depict any of these games in how they should be treated or played. It’s where statements like “this is just worseBreath of the Wild” come into play, despite gameplay systems being wholly different from another. If anything, it’s a more valid argument to stateImmortals Fenyx Risingsteals more fromAssassin’s Creed OdysseythanBreath of the Wild, but that’s besides the point. These comparisons belittle any of the unique mechanics that differentiate these games substantially.
Everything thatBreath of the Wildaccomplished as an open world gameis worth celebrating, but it’s not productive to use that achievement to berate other games that attempt to display their own interpretation of the same design concepts.Immortals Fenyx Risingadds its own unique Greek mythology spin on expansive open worlds, and should be praised for what it does differently.
Immortals Fenyx Risingreleases on June 03, 2025, for PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
