In a surprise announcement by the big N recently, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was revealed in a seven-minute YouTube presentation. Serving as a third-party prequel to the Nintendo Switch launch title ‘Breath of the Wild’, why should players be excited for yet another The Legend of Zelda Spin-off?
Hyrule Warriors Set 100 Years Prior to BotW
Breath of the Wild was set against a battle-scarred and defeated Hyrule, thanks to the succession of Calamity Ganon. Whilst its narrative touches on the incredible battle(s) surrounding this hostile takeover, we actually know very little about it. Nintendo has been working closely with the Warriors team at Koei Tecmo to make sure this is a story to remember.
It’s Canon
With the Breath of the Wild development team and Nintendo working closely with the Age of Calamity development team, it’s safe to say that the events of the second installment of Hyrule Warriors will have barrels of canon. From the trailer, we can see that attention to detail is a key focus. The fierce rivalry between Link and Rivali is clearly shown for example.
Original BotW assets are being used
Whilst it’s unclear to what extend Breath of the Wilds mechanics are being used, it’s assets are clearly on show. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is clearly inside the game world, providing new levels of immersion that no previous Warriors title has seen before.
1000 vs. 1 Gameplay
What better way to portray an all-out war than with a healthy dose of Warrior’s carnage. Not only is this a fun gameplay mechanic, but it gives developers an opportunity to show how powerful Link and his allies were before Calamity Ganon took his grip of Hyrule.
Link doesn’t need his Sheika Slate
If fans look closely at the trailer, Link doesn’t seem to have his Sheika slate equipped when spawning a Bomb. For anyone who’s played Breath of the Wild, this is a big deal. How does Link manage to do this? Maybe his links to Sheika technology run deeper than we originally thought?
Character Development
We saw the King of Hyrule and we certainly touched on the back-stories of Hyrule’s champions and their Divine Beasts. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity gives players a chance to see another side to these characters. It’s safe to say that their personalities pre and post-war will differ dramatically.
Links Discovery of the Master Sword
How did Link originally find the Master Sword before his crippling defeat during the Age of Calamity? During the trailer, Link is seen wielding a Soldiers Broadsword in standard armour and no sign of a champions tunic. Hyrule Warriors will most likely cover this important plot point.
Seeing Hyrule Before it Was Destroyed
Imagine the game world of Breath of the Wild with no ruins and as it was before the Age of Calamity. This will be the setting for the new Hyrule Warriors title, which is a treat in itself. The trailer shows off Castle Hyrule in all of its former glory, perhaps we’ll be able to explore during Gameplay?
The Original Voice Cast Returns
Nothing breaks immersion more than a new voice actor mid-way through a franchise of games, certainly, ones so closely Linked (See what I did there?). It seems that the voice cast of The Breath of the Wild is returning for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Again, attention to detail is ridiculously high for this game.
Links Backstory
Maybe we will be able to jump into the backstory of Link? Where did he come from? Who was his family? Does he know about the reincarnation of the Hero legend fully? Hopefully, Nintendo has addressed this.
New Sheika Technology
The Age of Calamity wiped out not only buildings and life but also knowledge. It looks like Hylians didn’t understand the full extend of Sheika technology before the Age of Calamity. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a perfect opportunity to flex that Sheika muscle and creativity, let’s hope the team hasn’t missed this opportunity.
Linking Ganon to Breath of the Wild 2
You’re not a legit Legend of the Zelda fan without trying to figure out who is the energy leaking mummy at the end of the Breath of the Wild 2 trailer. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity would be a great way to tease fans even more regarding Ganon’s Gerudo / Human form. For example, he could make a surprise appearance before calamity Ganon appears. After all, in recent titles, he made all initial appearances as a Human.
Do you think the next Hyrule Warriors game is a big deal? Let us know in the comments!
