Novelty in Nostalgia | Deconstructing Tunic

Tunic released on March 16th, 2022, and received a smattering of comparisons to The Legend of Zelda and favorable critical reception. It is the culmination of a lifetime of gaming experience and a nearly decade-long development cycle by Andrew Shouldice and a handful of his very talented friends. It was brought to life through persistence and iteration, but it was fueled by insatiable curiosity and a love for discovery.
But just what is Tunic? Is it really just an imitation of Zelda, or is there something else to it? And if so... just what, exactly, is that something else?

Intro (0:00)
Story (5:48)
Visual (8:45)
Audio (12:20)
Gameplay (15:01)
Final Thoughts (29:10)