While the official sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is still far away, fans are at least getting a prequel in the form of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Of course, Hyrule Warriors may not satisfy everyone. Despite taking place in the same setting as Breath of the Wild, its hack-and-slash combat plays very differently to Breath of the Wild's more thoughtful gameplay loop.
Judging from the initial reviews, the game has garnered a mixed reception, with praise for the returning characters and world but many disappointed by the focus on combat and changes in the narrative. With a Metacritic score of 79%, it’s safe to say it’s not as good as Breath of the Wild, but should keep many entertained until a sequel comes out.
Chris Carter, Destructoid: “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity brings some of the same "Warriors" baggage along with it, but as someone who was always into these Omega Force romps, the juice was worth the squeeze. The story was genuinely enthralling throughout and it serves as a great companion piece for Breath of the Wild, while forging its own identity in many respects. I suspect a lot of the alterations are going to be controversial, but I like that they took some big swings and really went with it.”
Cam Shea, IGN: “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.”
Andrew Webster, The Verge: “For such a conflicted experience, it’s remarkable how well Age of Calamity works. No, it’s not a new Breath of the Wild, and fans coming to it from that perspective will likely be disappointed. (Luckily, a real sequel is in the works.) Despite some largely superficial similarities, the two games play completely differently. But some of those elements that made Breath of the Wild so beloved — a beautiful world, memorable characters, varied combat — help make an otherwise straightforward experience feel fresh and interesting. It’s not subtle, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t Zelda.”
Martin Robinson, Eurogamer: “If you're looking for an entertaining and cohesive addition to the Zelda canon then I'm not sure Age of Calamity will entirely satisfy either, with some hijinks in place that see it eventually move away somewhat from its initial premise - though if you're coming to a Zelda game for its story you're coming to it for entirely different reasons to myself, and I can't say I was ever particularly fussed by its wayward final act. What Age of Calamity does offer is a decent enough heroic arc across its various chapters, grounded in a world I already know and love. On that front, it most definitely delivers.”
Suriel Vazquez, Gamespot: “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.”
Ben Reeves, Game Informer: "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."
Matthew Castle, Video Games Chronicle: “This is an entertaining ode to Breath of the Wild that will comfortably fill the gap as we wait for a proper sequel. But it overachieves while it underperforms and that’s a tricky thing to judge. It makes you want to whip out your ocarina and play the Song of Time, teleporting to a point where there’s an updated Switch capable of doing the game justice. There’s greatness here, just out of reach.”
Gavin Lane, Nintendo Life: “The care and attention given to detail here is hugely impressive. We found performance to be adequate and, crucially, it didn't affect our enjoyment throughout — just be prepared for a slideshow once the pyrotechnics start in two-player co-op. In many ways, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity could be exactly the game you need right now. It offers a stop-gap opportunity to revisit a world and characters we adore. In a particularly calamitous year, Animal Crossing's calming alternative life was all well and good for a time, but there's definite catharsis in grabbing the Master Sword, sprinting out there and giving all the prowling nasties a sound thrashing. It's a story of old friends and enemies coming together to triumph over incredible adversity; yep, we'll take one of those now, please.”