It’s been very satisfying to seeNintendotake more risks withThe Legend of Zeldafranchise and attempt something unique.Hyrule Warriorstakes theZeldauniverse and combines it with themusou-style action that caters to hordes of enemies.
Related:10 Games To Play If You Liked Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
HyruleWarriorswas incredibly successful for Nintendo, so it’s not surprising to hear that a sequel that acts as a prequel toBreath of the Wild, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity,is set to be released this year.Hyrule Warriorsis a highly polished package, but there are elements from the game that will hopefully be both carried over and improved upon in its follow-up.
10Need To Return: The Bazaar
Something that makesHyrule Warriorssuch a satisfying experience is the level of customization that it allows the player. Sometimes hack-and-slash style action games can be generalized to have simplistic and repetitive gameplay, but the Bazaar inHyrule Warriorsactively fights against this.
Rupees that are collected throughout gameplay can be applied in numerous ways,whether it’s to create newweapons, craft potions or badges that will boost stats in battle, or even just spend currency to increase Link’s level. HopefullyAge of Calamity’sBazaar will be even more thorough.
9Needs Update: Treasure Chests
There’s a lot to unlock inHyrule Warriors, with much of that coming in the form of different weapons, materials, and items. A lot of these are found via treasure chests, much like in the regularDynasty Warriorsseries.
However, the random and inconsequential nature of what shows up in treasure boxes can often be frustrating and feel punishing in a way that’sreminiscent of how gatcha games ormicrotransactionswork. This element tows a fine line, but there’s still more that could be done to make treasure chests feel more exciting than daunting.
8Need To Return: DLC Support
Nintendo’s reputation withDLCmaterial has been sporadic over the years, but the work that they did onHyrule Warriors’additional content shows that it’s possible for them to commit to the idea. Nearly ten robust DLC packs were released for the game, which feature numerous beloved characters, but also incorporate new features like a Boss Challenge mode.
Related:Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2 NEEDS To Make These Feature Changes
DLC support forHyrule Warriorsensured new content for the game for years after its initial release and it’d be a real disappointment to not seeAge of Calamityoffer something that’s comparable.
7Needs Update: Amiibo Support
There are plenty of cutting edge pieces of technology that Nintendo has incorporated into their video games that have seen various levels of staying power.Nintendo’s Amiibo haven’t been a perfect experiment, but they’re still desirable and continue to be incorporated into games.
It’s been confirmed thatAge of Calamitywill feature Amiibo support and that more of the Champion Amiibo will be released.Hyrule Warriorsused Amiibo, but for incidental things, like extra weapons and items. Amiibo is still polarizing, but it’d be nice to see it put to better use and feel like more than an extra.
6Need To Return: Local And Online Multiplayer
The Legend of Zeldais a series that’s primarily featured games that cater towards single-player adventures. However, over time theZeldaseries has slowly opened itself up to multiplayer concepts in various capacities.Hyrule Warriorsis an exciting experience going solo, but it’s the type of chaotic gameplay that truly benefits from multiplayer support. The firstHyrule Warriorsfeaturedco-operative play, both in a local and online capacity.
This seems to be returning inAge of Calamity,but hopefully it won’t be compromised or feel like a step backwards from what the original game delivered.
5Needs Update: Gold Skulltulla Quest
It’s typically not a bad thing when additional content is included for no extra charge, it’s just hopefully not something that feels like a waste of time.Hyrule Warriors'100 Gold Skulltula challenge scatters tokens throughout Adventure and Legend mode after enough enemies are defeated, which will in turn unlock additional character artwork.
Related:5 Ways Breath Of The Wild Is The Best (& 5 Things Other Zelda Games Do Better)
The extraquestis a nice idea, but the payoff could be betterand there could be more involved with the idea than simply the elimination of enemies. More thoroughly hiding these tokens and providing a greater incentive for them could make a huge difference.
4Need To Return: Diverse Characters And Gameplay
Perhaps the most enjoyable thing aboutHyrule Warriorsis how deep it digs into the lore of theZeldaseries. The game features basically everycharacterthat fans could possibly want,some of which are surprisingly niche appearances and others are just fun and crazy, like the ability to play as a Giant Cucco.
Hyrule Warriorsfeatures over 30 characters, all of which actually feel distinct and offer unique gameplay styles. That’s a hard precedent to top, but hopefullyAge of Calamitywill also broaden its focus and not just purely look atBreath of the Wildlore.
3Needs Update: Leveling Up System
To be clear, the leveling up system inHyrule Warriorsis a fantastic concept and it’s never a bad idea to incorporate moreRPGelements into a title of this nature.However, the level system could be pushed more and turn a good idea into something great.Hyrule Warriorsallows characters and weapons to level up and grow stronger, but this could come into play beyond simply boosted stats.
The level system could go further with ideas like new abilities being learned or even new characters that can be accessed upon reaching a certain level, not unlike an evolution system.
2Need To Return: Adventure Mode Map
The main campaign that’s featured inHyrule Warriorsis experienced in the game’s Legend Mode, but that’s just one of several gameplay modes that the game makes available. Adventure Mode is arguably the most complex and fulfilling, with it taking an approach that’s not unlikethe challenge board from theSuper Smash Bros.series.
Adventure Mode translatesHyrule Warriors’gameplay to an objective-based map that brings a lot more strategy into the game. It’s a fresh spin on the game that’s packed with extra content and honors the aesthetic of the originalLegend of Zeldain a clever way.
1Needs Update: Challenge Mode
Hyrule Warriorsoffers a very experience right from the start, but the game’s Challenge Mode is something that got incorporated later. The new mode adds plenty to the game, but it still feels flawed in its execution. The main principle behind Challenge Mode adds the extra element of rupee collection into the hack-and-slash action.
There’s a lot more that could be done in this area than purely the hunt for rupees. Taking more of the objective-based ideas from Adventure Mode would makeAge of Calamity’sChallenge mode more challenging.
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