Color Theory Entertainment

Note: This review was written in November 11th 2021. By then I had downloaded the DLC that clarified the story a bit better and I bought Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition on a discount. I didn’t complete either the DLC or DE, but I feel DE is better in some aspects. I also bought Age of Imprisonment, but I haven’t played it because I need to play Tears of the Kingdom first. Now here’s my review from about five years ago.

I’ve been aware of Dynasty Warriors for a while and even tried a free version of a PS4 game (or PS NOW I forget which), but it didn’t suck me in, either because I failed when I died or I lost an outpost. That’s sort of me in my youth, if I don’t succeed within the first level and/or world, it’s not the game for me.

Bizarrely, I downloaded the demo “and” bought a physical copy around the same time. In my PTO week off in October I wanted to figure out which game to play based on the demos. Part of the reason why I wanted the week off was because I wanted to play more console video games often. Before I was playing Picross games and agonizing on completing them. So I chose Kirby Fighters 2 and Age of Calamity. Out of the both, Age of Calamity sucked me in the most.

I seriously did not expect to like the game as much as I do. I liked cutting through thousands of enemies, I like the amount of characters you can play as, and just the amount of content that’s already there.

For those who don’t know the Musou genre, you cut down hundreds of enemies with whatever characters you like. But you also capture outposts filled with enemies and a miniboss. You can do your best to try to protects the outposts and guide around your teammates to stay in there while you go to the target. Although in this game, some outposts are optional and you can complete a mission without claiming them, unless that’s the goal of the mission. Some missions have time limits, item limits, you fight a gauntlet of bosses, one hit fail criteria, and others. 

However, what makes this stand out was how well it meshes with Breath of the Wild, right down to the graphical UI. You can use magic rods to stun enemies, as well as use the environment to create a greater effect. Flurry rushes return so you can drain the weak point gauge and unleash a stronger attack. Then there are the runes, basically everyone uses the slate, but they usually function in a different way. Sometimes you automatically do an attack often statis, sometimes you launch a giant bomb instead of multiple bombs, other times Cryonis barely works. (DAMNIT ZELDA) 

The only mechanics that don’t return are climbing and weapon durability. You can also customize Link’s outfit and colors, but the outfits no longer have effects. I don’t mind at all really, I think it’s more fun to make your own outfits than to stick with specific armor mechanics for hours in a specific place. Otherwise, I wouldn’t make Link into a fantasy style biker (Climber’s Bandana + Savage Shirt + Sand Boots) or run around with his shirt but with no pants and no consequences.

As I said, weapon durability is no longer a thing. Instead, you can upgrade weapons by merging with others, the pay off is usually the fact you can add seals for special attributes. Here’s a tip, if you want to fuse weapons to both level up AND add a new seal, the first weapon with a seal is the one that get added. Also, you are granted cooking recipes throughout the game so you can get different stat boosts before the mission starts.

As for monster parts, jewels, and new to this game, monster trophies, they don’t serve too much of a purpose, outside of side quests. But man, are there a lot of side missions and quests. In my experience with games, there are two types of side quests. Fetch Quests and optional bosses. There’s probably some story in there, but I just ignored them. But they do reward you with combos, special gauges, hearts, shop expansions, and outfits.

I’d rather not call the “lack of depth” on the combat a flaw, because I played multiple Kingdom Hearts games that usually have one button dedicated to attacking. Two is pushing the envelope for action RPGs! I’d rather have that than to have to break my controllers and thumbs with extra steps. Plus, it feels so satisfying to fuel up that special attack gauge and unleash it to KO all these enemies.

My own problems come down to a few controls. Even if you turn off the motion controls (which is probably worse than Skyward Sword by the way) or change the axis, aiming is like steering cows, while controlling the divine beasts felt like driving steel cows. Not to mention the lock on camera which should be good, but if you get into a corner everything is zoomed in you can’t see a thing. Plus frame drops, but that’s really minor.

The story also goes by pretty fast because I guess they didn’t want to replay the flashback scenes from the first game and it’s DLC. But still, a little more scenes and tie ins to BOTW would be nice. Here’s where I go into spoiler territory. 

NOTE: I’m still trying to find a proper spoiler tag feature so until then. Highlight the text in the black bars. If it doesn’t work please let me know.

The most confusing about the story is the little egg droid, later known as Terrako. It traveled in time to help the failed timeline. I get that part, but at the first cutscene, we see the cursed guardian shoot malice into the portal, and it’s the same time Link nearly got killed before being put in the chamber a hundred years later.

My pre thoughts was that the events with the droid ended up in a loop and the malice of the future was what caused the apocalyptic timeline. But then you see another Terrako supposedly corrupted by malice. Was that made by the wizard? Did he find it himself and steal it from Hyrule Castle? Or did it come from the future as well? The lore I got from this game that it’s the Terrako that got Maliced and turned into what’s known as Harbinger Ganon. So what if that’s the Terrako that travelled in time and corrupted by Malice at the same time? While that Terrako that joins you is the one from the new timeline, thus the Maliced Terrako actually made things worse by trying even harder for the apocalypse to happen with that wizard? 

But then, the Champions get saved by characters who met Link 100 years later. I have a hard time thinking that this Terrako travelled to the future at one point to recruit them, or that he just made portals in the future while in the past hoping that they would answer the call. It just seems a bit too convenient. I know a lot of people say that this kills the darkness of the original storyline, but you guys are forgetting one thing. Multiverse theory is a bitch. Even if Terrako created a new happier timeline, the main BOTW timeline is still there, and the sequel could still continue from that rather than continuing from Age of Calamity’s new timeline. I can see you guys asking to play out how the failed timeline went, and then get a new scenario that takes place after BOTW so that you can rebuild Terrako in the future, recruit your new allies as the next champions, and show them all returning to the past. That way, the saved timeline can still happen but have ironed out methods into doing so.

But oh well, those are the only major problems I have with the game. Plus, at least this game has a better final boss than BOTW. Overall, this was a fun time. For those of you who haven’t experienced a Zelda Musou, even a Musou in general, this was my first (beaten), and I think this should be yours too. It’s easy to follow, there’s not too much strategy and grind, not to say there is, and if you just want to go through the story and not worry about any side quests, it should be fast enough. Speaking of which, the reason why I didn’t buy the Definitive edition of Hyrule Warriors, was because I have heard horror stories on how long it takes to 100% that game. But this game should take a tenth less than that game. I’d say 100+ hours, not taking the DLC to account, which I haven’t bought yet.

So if you’re one of those guys who loved BOTW, but didn’t love the combat, then this is for you.

I’d say it’s a 4/5 star, even 5/5 star rating.

Future Note: It’s probably just 4 stars now. ★ ★ ★ ★