Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity is more than a simple warriors game; it’s a prequel to the hit Zelda game, Breath of the Wild. This game tells the tale of what happened to Hyrule 100 Years before Breath of the Wild. It’s an important game because they only bring up the story briefly in Breath of the Wild, through past cutscenes. Age of Calamity tells a harrowing tale of Link’s journey to becoming Zelda’s knight. It tells the story of Link’s fight to be her knight and the crowning of the four champions from across the land. These stories weave together quite nicely because Hyrule is on the brink of calamity. Without calamity, the story might not weave together so nicely. This game could do with a little more darkness, but the game itself is still quite good.
Hyrule Warriors is a hack and slash game where players take on hordes of Monsters. Age of Calamity fits right in, as Link, especially during this earlier time, is capable of taking on many monsters. He’s brash and bold and will do anything and everything to protect the princess. While that is the same later, his power is unmatched one hundred years before. This game tells quite the story and has a solid cast of characters. Players get to see a few of the characters at their peak, which is exciting. The Sheikah may live for a long time, but by the time of Breath of the Wild, Link’s main friends are rather old. Impa is young and fiery and looks like her granddaughter Paya. Purah and Robbie also look different, and it’s nice to see them both with such impressive energy. The Champions are also on full display Urbosa, Mipha, Daruk, and Revali get their due. Players know who these four are, but they only get a glimpse at what they could do. It’s refreshing to get a real backstory for all of them. These characters help save the day and get a smidge of story, but this game rectifies that. These characters are worth knowing about, and I’m so glad they are playable in this game.
Players will run around the world of Breath of the Wild, taking down hordes of baddies. Fighting through waves and taking down particular monsters. The heroes all play a little differently, and it might take a while to figure out how to use some of them. This game is great because while the story is only about thirty hours, the playtime exceeds that. Players who want to experience all of it will spend countless hours doing so. The characters show off during the story, but when fighting, they are as impressive as they seem. Their special attacks are always the best because they highlight how cool they are. Using these attacks is also a great way to take down enemies that may be stronger than the rest. Using these attacks right can save the day. As a Warriors game, this one is a little different, and it’s great. Warriors games have bases that players have to take down. The world is rather segmented, and it works, but this one changes it up a little. This game is about as open world as a Warriors game can get. The stages are vast, and the bases do not hide behind walls players can see what they are getting into before they get into it. It fits right in with being a prequel to Breath of the Wild.
The map of the game is a solid recreation of the main game’s map. Instead of having multiple maps to clear, all of the activities in the game show up on the main map. The map quickly fills up after completing story missions or collecting a new character. It’s great seeing it fill up with new quests and activities. Players will collect Korok seeds just like in Breath of the Wild too. Hestu, who is playable, which is awesome uses these to upgrade Link’s inventory and himself. I appreciate the work it must have taken to hide these seeds in the multiple battlefields because there is already so much to see on them. The world pre calamity is bustling, and there are plenty of shops to shop in.
Players can upgrade their weapons at the Smithy, train at the training grounds, and buy numerous items from the many vendors. Players will collect rupees which they can use, like in the main series, to buy whatever they may need. It’s always good to collect as many rupees as possible because players will need a lot to max everything out. The game progresses with a leveling system, and the quests do get harder as the game progresses. Even being on the same level will not always help, and players want to level up higher before taking on certain quests. This game knows how to fight, and it will use all of the tricks in the book to take down the player. Some of the monsters in this game, such as the Lynel, have a lot of health. It’s best to guard and dodge to take them down.
The music in this game is great because the instrumentals are given more life with multiple instruments. Players can hear the electric guitar riffs and the power of the music courses through the game. While the songs normally are great, the remixes of the Warriors franchise are phenomenal. It’s amazing to hear songs sound so new and gives many a rush as they fight with them blasting. The voice acting is amazing too, and I’m glad; so many characters have voices. Breath of the Wild is the first Zelda game to have voice acting, and it’s an excellent step in the right direction. The characters are so lively that it helps to hear exactly how they speak. The voice actors speak clearly, and the voices fit the characters.
Age of Calamity is a fantastic prequel to Breath of the Wild. It might help players if they play Breath of the Wild first, but players can play them in either order. This game is an awesome warriors game, and I hope there are more from different eras in the future. If we could have warriors games telling more of the story of the franchise, that would be cool. The Age of Calamity is upon them will the player help Link and Co before Link sleeps?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided