Any direct sequel/prequel to a hit game is going to be incredibly over judged and over-exaggerated. Legend of Zelda/Breath of the Wild fans are gagging for new information for the follow-up to the Nintendo Switch launch title. Enter Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
The major issue with Age of Calamity is that it is simply a Dynasty Warriors game with better cinematics, story/lore and a lick of paint. Rather than taking the title for what it is, people seem to be looking to the latest Hyrule Warriors as a beacon of hope for Breath of the Wild 2.
The major plot device, and arguably a cop-out, is the inclusion of time travel. Whilst The Legend of Zelda cannon isn’t a stranger to time travel mechanics, it’s a letdown. Rather than relying on possible retcons, it would have been nice to just see how the Age of Calamity happened. It would have taken little effort to pop in some easter eggs or clues to future plot points in a normal timeline. It feels unnecessary.
Hey, Listen!
Controls are tight enough, with face buttons being reserved for standard combat and shoulder buttons toggling special abilities for face buttons. For example, Link can use bombs from his Shiekah slate then head into the fray with standard attacks. The Dynasty Warriors formula works in this regard.
Mechanics have been lifted from Breath of the Wild also such as parrying, which leads to a powerful counterattack. Movesets play to character traits, with Impa being a Sheika powerhouse compared to the swordplay and weapon juggling Link. All warriors feel different which adds to the game’s replayability.
A Lack of Malice
Whilst Kaboblins are cannon fodder, some low tier enemies feel overpowered. Having a sub-boss battle with a Wizzrobe is ridiculous. Imbuing the rogues’ gallery with Malice from the start instead of part way through would have provided a more lore-friendly experience. This would link to Blight Gannon boss fights in Breath of the Wild nicely.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamitys’ performance shows the cracks in the ageing Switch hardware. Frame rates fall when in busy environments. This is disappointing when looking back to the original Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition on the same console.
Aesthetically Pleasing?
Dynasty Warriors has always excelled at multiple enemy fights whilst keeping frame rates in check. Maybe this was a trade-off for an authentic Breath of the Wild aesthetic. All textures and character meshes are true to the source material, which is very impressive given the genre flip.
After the first couple of hours, the gameplay falls stagnant. This is nothing to do with The Legend of Zelda franchise. Dynasty Warriors games have hardly changed over the years and soon turn into supermarket sweep titles making players beg for the end. It’s nice hearing the familiar sound effects and soundtrack to Breath of the Wild, with a Dynasty Warriors over the top twist of course.
The gameplay choice suits the timeline placement of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity well, but players need to accept this game for what it is. This is not a new Legend of Zelda title, although the plot does have some cool twists and turns along the way. It’s not an essential play though.
