Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm

Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm, from 2020, expands the world of the first game into a more open form, where the hero moves across a sprawling map, completes side quests, gathers equipment, and fights in action battles with a clearer, smoother system than its predecessor. Instead of an isometric view, it offers a fully three-dimensional environment with a behind-the-character camera, which brings the game visually and in feel closer to a small console RPG.

Controls rely on a virtual joystick and contextual buttons, with gamepad support also available, so even players used to classic console controls can handle the more demanding battles involving blocks, dodges, and attack combinations. This time, Cornfox & Bros. bet on more prominent story cutscenes and a more elaborate world with its own mythology and a host of characters, moving the game closer to a small open-world RPG than to the first game's linear adventure. Exploring the world is rounded out by side characters with their own stories and crafting systems for upgrading weapons and armor, giving the player motivation to stray from the main storyline.

Visually, it is one of the most technically ambitious titles of its genre on mobile, with detailed environments, dynamic lighting, and smooth animation that holds a stable frame rate on more powerful phones. The game launched as a paid app with no ads, following the same philosophy as its predecessor - a one-time purchase in exchange for a complete experience with no further squeezing through microtransactions after release.

Why play it: Ideal for fans of the first game and newcomers alike, for anyone who wants a larger-scale Zelda-style action adventure on mobile and appreciates a paid model with no ads or purchases.