Look, it's not really Zelda-like gameplay without clever puzzles, and item gathering that affects said puzzles.
And CoD did not really have much of that. Though you were free to backtrack, there wasn't much left to do in a level once you passed by the first time... other than opening up other pathways to older levels.
SotN would be a closer pick. You were free to roam the castle, and certain items opened up newer areas.