Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Reviews
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a satisfying musou hack and slasher, but that style of gameplay can only stay fresh for so long. The carry-over from Breath of the Wild, specifically the strong art design and rich lore, should keep the hardcore crowd invested until the end, though.
Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity delivers on many grounds, delving deeper into the story of Breath of the Wild while also going and delivering a deeper take on the tale. Its combat is solid and you'll have fun testing out the various characters that arrive to help you.
I legitimately both love and hate this game. I love it because of everything it does right (basically everything it does), and how it feels like more Breath of the Wild on an epic scale. But I also hate it because of what it does with the plot, and what it could have been. Granted, I’ve come to terms with the latter and it’s one of my favorite Warriors and Zelda games.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity makes some clever improvements over the original Hyrule Warriors, but ultimately feels a little more separated from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild than many fans might have expected. Despite some messy design choices, it still manages to provide a polished and satisfying experience in the Warriors line.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity will appeal to Breath of the Wild fans, but it may not reach beyond that niche.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity fails to deliver any meaningful fantasy through its story or its gameplay.
I can't say I hate Age of Calamity, but I am saddened by it, and how little it did with the intriguing potential it had.
The franchise’s dumb, bland protagonist may be a familiar staple, but it’s also a link to the past Zelda ought to have left behind by now.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity bridges the time until the release of Breath of the Wild 2, but unfortunately only briefly. While the environment and enemy types may seem varied at first, you become dulled as the game progresses. However, the search for crogs or the prey hunt for special items and weapons remains particularly motivated. There are more than enough side tasks to complete. Besides the simple booty hunts, you can also sit down in the huge colossuses to defeat even more enemies in a short time. But especially when a lot of enemies appear on the screen, the performance of the Switch can reach its limits. All in all Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a decently made Warriors game that you will have fun with if you are a fan of such Musou titles.
Review in German | Read full review
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity delivers a very top-notch musou experience, one that takes both franchises very seriously. However, Zelda fans expecting something along the lines of Breath of the Wild are in for a very rude awakening.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity llega para consentir a los fanáticos de The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Su sistema lleno de acción frenética se disfruta sin complicaciones y la narrativa ayuda a mantenerte pegado al control. Lamentablemente, no es perfecto y sufre problemas técnicos que, aunque no son graves, afectan la experiencia, sobre todo en el modo cooperativo. Una buena opción si te gusta el género Musou.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I loved my time with Age of Calamity, even the hours and hours I spent in the post-game. There’s so much to do, and it rarely feels repetitive. The wealth of characters and places to explore really set itself apart from other spin-off games in the Warriors franchise, and you get to rediscover a fully-realized Hyrule once again. The map design and mechanics really capture the magic of Breath of the Wild, even when it comes to combat. Although the story might not be what you want it to be, there are some really great moments that highlight certain characters, especially Zelda. The loot and weapon system is also fun, with endless amounts of customization when it comes to upgrading your characters. I’ve been obsessed with this game since it came out, constantly wanting to get back to it and try to 100% it—and I usually never feel compelled to fully complete a game like that. I cannot recommend this game enough if you’re a Zelda fan, especially if you loved Breath of the Wild.
Of all Musou genre titles out there, this Zelda spin-off of the original The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is not just a reskinned Mosou series but a complete package full of cutting-edge animation and strategic properties to interact with. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity leaves a mark for fans and enthusiasts of all Zelda franchises as well as those who enjoy Mosou style of mass hack and slasher action genres. There are some technical hiccups when there are too many objects and enemies, but it is well forgiven due to the highly polished level of the game as well as some of the background explanations and additional storylines to fill in the gaps of some of the question marks from BOTW. If you want to experience the full circle of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, we recommend you play BOTW to the fullest and see its ending first.
Review in Korean | Read full review
While the Musou genre remains divided outside its developer’s homeland, it still gives players an anticipated follow-up to one of the biggest sequels of a generation. While we all impatiently await Link and Zelda’s return in Breath of the Wild 2, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is sure to leave Zelda fans salivating.
Even if Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is more The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild than Dynasty Warriors, both games are present. The gameplay is still an odd mix of mindless fun and engaging challenge that makes it really fun to play. It would be nice to see more done with the concept, though there is only so much that can be said for the concept. Perhaps the best way to put it is, given the concept, it's the best possible outcome and that is really all that matters.
Beyond its technical limits, Age of Calamity is a welcome addition to the Legend of Zelda lore, even if it adds more timeline questions than it answers. The story's branching history will surely upset some timeline purists, but the game mitigates those concerns with a well-told story. Fans are finally given a version of Zelda they've wanted to see for years, and playing at the capable princess is a gift I will never forget. The story's emotional tale is one that I am eager to explore again, and it has reinvigorated my interest to replay Breath of the Wild. This works out perfectly for Nintendo given how the company is currently developing a sequel to the original. And if that follow-up puts as much care into its characters as Age of Calamity does, then fans are in for a delightful treat.
As most fans of musuo style games can agree, there is one glaring issue with Age of Calamity, and that is the issues with framerate. Look, it is understandable that a game with an active battlefield can run into problems. When I found myself fighting against smaller groups of enemies, I would not have any issues whatsoever.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a good musou game that well fits in a tiny bit of the Breath of the Wild formula, but especially the art. Oh, and it's one of the few musou games where I actually care about the story.
Review in German | Read full review
As a Musou game, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is enjoyable. Narratively, on the other hand, it pulls every punch and is completely underwhelming as a prequel to Breath of the Wild.
I loved my time with Age of Calamity despite some of its issues. It's a memorable journey with a compelling story and fun, but flawed, gameplay. And a great game for fans of the Zelda series, while we wait for the Breath of the Wild sequel.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review