Zelda Meets Studio Ghibli In Huge Free 300-Hour Open-World RPG

Published Aug 26, 2026, 12:30 AM EDT Tom Wilson is a Gaming Features Writer at Screen Rant. Over the past five years, Tom has worked as the Editor-in-Chief at The Game Crater, as a Staff Writer for GamingIntel, a List Writer at TheGamer, and, of course, as a Senior Writer at ScreenRant. Tom has experience writing reviews, guides, news, and features, and has been responsible for teams of writers, training them and editing their work. Tom graduated with a Masters in Multimedia Journalism, and has since gone on to build up his portfolio of games journalism work. It is no surprise that the Studio Ghibli aesthetic has found its way into video games, especially those inspired by the Legend of Zelda series. Its influence can be felt across all media, with Miyazaki and Co.'s unique visual style inspiring generations of animators to deliver groundbreaking films and even being utilized officially in games like Magic Pengel and Ni No Kuni. It has translated beautifully to 3D open-world spaces in the past, and continues to do so in both the indie and AAA scene to this very day. Its increased prevalence in the video game space also stems from its prominent place in the cultural zeitgeist, as Studio Ghibli films continue to be relevant cultural touchstones globally. Fans want to see the aesthetic utilized more, both because of its striking beauty and its inherently cozy feel, especially in immersive video games in which they can completely lose themselves. Fortunately, there are now numerous games inspired by Studio Ghibli, including this astoundingly enormous 300-hour-long open-world RPG, which utilizes said aesthetic to deliver an experience that absolutely everyone, especially The Legend of Zelda fans, should try at least once. This Massive Open-World RPG Blends Ghibli With Zelda There is, understandably, no shortage of games like Zelda, much in the same way as there will soon be no shortage of ones akin to a Ghibli movie. However, while there are undoubtedly fans of all eras of The Legend of Zelda, some fans will likely prefer one over the other, those being the linear, dungeon-focused era or the Breath of the Wild era. The aforementioned open-world RPG that combines both Zelda and Ghibli, naturally, falls into the latter camp, as it is, in many respects, a replication of BotW's best elements. The game in question is, naturally, Genshin Impact, the vast, incredibly popular, single-player open-world RPG that has largely dominated the free-to-play gacha market for the better half of a decade. Most people likely already know of Genshin Impact, but for those who've happened to miss out on it, have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of competitors that have crawled out of the woodwork in recent years, or previously hadn't made the connection between it and Ghibli, it is a legitimately phenomenal game that's worth at least a little bit of your time. Adopting the painterly aesthetic and warm, vibrant colors associated with Studio Ghibli's iconic aesthetic, Genshin Impact absolutely feels, at times, like one has been transported into the likes of Castle in the Sky or Spirited Away. It utilizes the striking contrast of nature versus industrial expansionism so commonly seen in Studio Ghibli films: its vast, towering European-inspired cities surrounded by a vivid sea of luscious nature, rolling hills, and dense forests. The game's developer has confirmed that several Genshin Impact regions were inspired by Ghibli, especially the villages seen in Inazuma. Genshin Impact Is The Dream Game For Studio Ghibli Fans With 300 Hours To Spare Of course, there is more to Genshin Impact than just its clear Ghibli inspirations. It's a sprawling, epic, open-world RPG packed with diverse region design, an abundance of unique characters each with their own abilities, an elemental-based combat system that's as flashy as it is deep, and numerous pieces of side content, much of which, like Breath of the Wild, is exploration-based. While there are undeniably elements of Genshin Impact that can feel shallow, it more often than not feels like a deeply rewarding experience that offers almost all of its content entirely for free. It is worth noting that across this 300-hour-long experience (which will only continue to get bigger and longer), there will be moments in which a rather lengthy period of grinding is encouraged to get through the more challenging quests and content. This grinding can obviously be ignored by purchasing in-game items with real money to get better characters, which has given the game a reputation of having fairly predatory microtransactions. However, much like the free trial for Final Fantasy XIV, there is so much of Genshin Impact that can be enjoyed before reaching that point completely for free without the need to spend any money at all. One can play well over 100 hours, if not more, before they hit the aforementioned need to grind, at which point they can likely quite happily move on to the next Studio Ghibli-inspired, Legend of Zelda-esque video game. Systems Released September 28, 2020 ESRB Teen / Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact Developer(s) HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo) Publisher(s) HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo) Engine Unity Platform(s) PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, iOS, Android Genre(s) RPG, Action, Adventure, Gacha, Open-World