Mashing the worlds of Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda and hack-and-slash series Dynasty Warriors turned out to be a stellar combination in 2014’s Hyrule Warriors, so a follow-up seemed inevitable based on the title’s positive success. This year finally saw a sequel emerge in the form of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, the title acting as a prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and featuring a diverse lineup of playable fighters from the Nintendo Switch title. Gameplay-wise, the installment assembles Link, Zelda, and the Four Champions as they face the forces of Calamity Ganon and combat waves of enemies in Dynasty Warriors’ typical over-the-top fashion.

Considering the game’s connection to Breath of the Wild and the popularity of the first Hyrule Warriors, expectations are expectedly high for the release of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. However, how is the game actually linking with critics? According to newly-surfaced reviews, Age of Calamity is getting a pretty warm reception for its stunning cell-shaded visuals, varied character roster, and satisfying fast-paced gameplay. However, the game is not without faults, as several outlets point out the action-packed prequel may not live up to the high bar set by Breath of the Wild.

Eurogamer – “Recommended”

“Zelda gets the Dynasty Warriors treatment once more, folding in inspiration from Breath of the Wild for the best musou spin-off yet.”

Game Informer – 75/100

“Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity looks a lot like Breath of the Wild, but it lacks the exploration and puzzle-solving elements that define the mainline Legend of Zelda series. Age of Calamity may not resemble a traditional Zelda game, but it’s not a bad time. The action is repetitive, but also relaxed and comfortable. It trades on your love for Nintendo’s classic franchise, and I was happy for the excuse to return to this version of Hyrule. I still feel like I’m chasing Breath of the Wild’s high, and Age of Calamity is a small solace.”

GameSpot – 60/100

“It’s strange to think of a bungled story leaving me so lukewarm on a Zelda game, even if it is a spin-off. But paying off its premise is the burden a prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is tasked with. The main reason I dove into Age of Calamity is because I love its world and the history it tries to remember. So for a game to retread them and proclaim to have something new to say when its inspiration’s most striking moments come from what it leaves unsaid is a big ask. But my problem with Age of Calamity isn’t that it fails to live up to that responsibility. It’s that it doesn’t even try. It doesn’t have the courage to see things through.”

IGN – 90/100

“Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity offers a welcome trip back to a world I’ve clocked hundreds of hours in. Its hugely varied roster of characters, solid combat mechanics, fun progression and clever adaptation of Breath of the Wild’s vision of Hyrule is a joy to play and discover. While there are some missed characterisation opportunities, Age of Calamity is still a blast from start to finish.”

NintendoWorldReport – 85/100

“Humorously, aside from the technical issues, a lot of my problems with Age of Calamity echo the ones I had with Breath of the Wild. The Divine Beasts are solidly the weakest part of the campaign and the inventory is a little clumsy to manage. That all being said, the totality of this Musou game is soundly enjoyable. The confidence on display in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity echoes the earned success Nintendo has found after Breath of the Wild and the Switch. This is a refined and tight action-packed experience that delivers an excellent mix of Zelda lore and creatively ridiculous brawler gameplay.”

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity releases for Nintendo Switch on November 20th, with a demo also available to play now. What do you think? Are you excited to get your hands on Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, or are you waiting for the full-fledged Breath of the Wild sequel in the works at Nintendo? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day!

If you enjoy this writer’s work, please consider supporting them by tossing a Ko-fi their way! Every little bit helps and aims to keep DFTG independent and free of bias. Thank you so much for your support! Eric Hall @ Ko-fi