Hyrule Warriors Reviews
Hyrule Warriors meets and exceeds any expectations set for the game. It offers a ton of gameplay through unlockables and various modes, and will entertain with its Zelda fan-service. However the gamplay is still repetitive and non-fans will likely want to avoid.
If hack-n-slash games are your jam—or you can tolerate them but really just love The Legend of Zelda in all its iterations—then Hyrule Warriors is a more-than-worthy warmup for Link on the Wii U.
Hyrule Warriors wasn't a game I expected to fall in love with, but thanks to its oodles of Zelda fan service and shockingly engrossing gameplay, upgrades, and modes, it turned into something very special that lives up to the Zelda legacy. It's easy to dive into and has enough variety that it doesn't really get old over the dozen or more hours you can spend with it. If Nintendo crossovers are always this polished and fun, I welcome many more of them.
At the end of the day, what elevates Hyrule Warriors to greatness is its seemingly endless fanservice. Whether it's an obscure cameo, a cucco counter attack, or even just an awesome finishing move, the game is rife with glorious slices of Zelda goodness.
Hyrule Warriors brings the worlds of Zelda and Dynasty Warriors closer together in a fun, repetitive action game.
This aggressive version of Zelda can become repetitious, but there are reasons to keep fighting
It's certainly not perfect, but Hyrule Warriors' combat and treatment of the typically sterile Zelda franchise is just big, dumb, loud fun.
Hyrule Warriors can fall into the same trappings as any hack and slash, but the amount of effort that went into making it enjoyable for Zelda fans is staggering. This is one of the best couch co-op games I've ever played, warts and all.
Hyrule Warriors is a different kind of Zelda game. That doesn't mean it's any less fun. Amazing production values, addictive gameplay, a rich story and an overall sense of extreme quality, polish and confidence make Hyrule Warriors much more than a mere spinoff.
Hyrule Warriors delivers a wonderful Legend of Zelda action game with a large cast of familiar characters, identifiable worlds, a great upgrade/leveling system and endless amounts of action. It's far from a perfect game, especially in regards to controls and repetitiveness, but it's much better than expected. It has certainly raised the bar for the Dynasty Warriors series in regards to design.
Hyrule Warriors has brilliant Zelda fan-service, but is ruined by unimaginative combat and brain-dead enemies.
Hyrule Warriors doesn't pretend to be anything that it isn't. It does exactly what it says on the tin, producing what is probably the best Warriors game to date, and doing so by taking many of the best aspects of The Legend of Zelda and successfully incorporating them into the classic 1-vs-1000 gameplay. The fan service is astonishing, the level of detail very welcome indeed, and the action can be truly satisfying, with the various bosses going a long way to making the repetitive action seem quite refreshing at times. A triumphant mash-up indeed.
Hyrule Warriors offers an intriguing blend of both the Zelda and Dynasty Warriors series, making for an experience that fans of either series can thoroughly enjoy. It stays true to the Zelda series' lore, sights and sounds, and combines it with the fast-paced, button-mashing action the Dynasty Warriors series is so well-known for.
The latest entry to the Zelda franchise, Hyrule Warriors is a game that lives up to the hype. The combination of innovative gameplay and immersive graphics makes this title a must-have for pretty much anyone who owns a Wii U.
Hyrule Warriors is a well-made, sometimes simultaneously dumb and brilliant good time.
Hyrule Warriors is a success. It enables Nintendo to explore the Zelda cast and world in large scale conflicts, while also offering fans an avenue for rampant nostalgia. The game only falls down due to the documented trappings of the Warriors franchise and the fault of being the first of its line, even though it does make some brave attempts to improve on the template with this. If you have a penchant for the world of Nintendo's Hylian hero, and don't mind the repetition of its design, then Hyrule Warriors undeniably offers an entertaining and satisfying way to engage in large scale quasi-tactical Hyrulian combat.
If you love all things Zelda and your button-mashing thumbs aren't yet sore, then Hyrule Warriors is definitely one for your collection. Otherwise, you're not missing much if you skip it.
Hyrule Warriors is basically a one-note experience, but it hits that note with perfect pitch. The Zelda universe works better as a musou button-masher than you might expect, and much of that success is down to Tecmo's obvious love for the subject matter. This isn't a patch on what we've seen of the next "true" Zelda, but it should tide fans over quite nicely until that one arrives.
When played in short sessions, Hyrule Warriors is mindless fun that celebrates the rich history of the Zelda series. However, your long term enjoyment of this game boils down to how much you like Dynasty Warriors, or hack-and-slash games in general, and whether or not you care about exuberant amounts of Zelda fan service. It more than delivers on both these points, but if either one of these is a turn off, this likely isn't the experience for you.
Hyrule Warriors has little in common with a traditional Zelda game. You don't solve any puzzles, you don't explore any dungeons, and you certainly don't break into anyone's house and destroy all of their pottery. Still, it definitely works as a spin-off that focuses almost entirely on action. It's fun to see Link and friends battle with the kind of glitz and glamour you'd expect from an episode of Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z. I'm not saying I'd want that in a real Zelda installment, but it works in this surprisingly engaging off-shoot.