It’s disappointing that she’s played so straight when this was an opportunity to do more with, well, all of the main characters, actually. Zelda, for instance, spends a big chunk of the time playing the one note she played in most of the memories in Breath of the Wild – namely, self-doubt that she’ll ever unlock her power and be useful. I’m not going to directly answer that question here, as the story should be yours to discover, but what I will say is that while many events transpire, and there’s plenty of high-stakes drama, the actual characterisation along the way is pretty lacking. Now, the Guardian itself is adorable, sure, but the time-traveling motif naturally raises the question of whether this prequel will follow the events as described in Breath of the Wild, or whether it will create its own timeline by altering the past.
The opening cutscene introduces us to a miniature Guardian who comes alive at the moment Zelda’s powers awaken – when all hope is lost – and then travels back in time to warn the heroes about what is to come. Perhaps the most significant new twist, however, is also likely to be the most divisive. Age of Calamity really does feel like a love letter to Breath of the Wild. We even get to pilot the Divine Beasts, and while these missions aren’t actually all that exciting, they’re still a good palate cleanser, as well as an effective way to bring Breath of the Wild’s backstory to life, and to make these lumbering titans feel more real than they ever did before. There’s a large cast of playable characters for one, letting you get a sense for how deadly Impa was as a young woman, or how skilled the Champions were in battle during their prime. It goes out of its way to include as many of the signature elements of that game as it can, from the bestiary and Sheikah powers, through to cooking, Koroks, clothing options and paragliding, and they really set the tone – but it doesn’t stop there.Īge of Calamity is able to expand upon this world in a number of areas too. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity really does feel like a love letter to Breath of the Wild.
The resulting game is a great fit for Koei Tecmo’s famous 1 vs 1000 gameplay, and also a fun new spin on a much-loved world. This is the story of the Champions, of Zelda’s struggle to awaken her power, and of the resurrection of Ganon.
Like the previous Hyrule Warriors games, this is Zelda as seen through a Dynasty Warriors lens, but the key difference here is that Age of Calamity’s premise takes us back to the events of The Great Calamity referenced throughout Breath of the Wild. If there’s one thing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild fans want, it’s more Breath of the Wild, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is here to give us… something kinda like that.
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