By Amanda with commentary by Rachel
On Monday night, Nintendo featured a special Nintendo Direct entirely about Hyrule Warriors. Though the game will not be released in America until September 26, as a Legend of Zelda title it naturally is sparking much interest. Yosuke Hayashi, producer of Hyrule Warriors, and Eiji Aonuma, supervisor of this title and producer of the Legend of Zelda series guide us through the new title highlighting Zelda trademarks, spinoffs on classic elements, and new features.
One of the most exciting developments in Hyrule Warriors is the list of playable characters. One size does not fit all when it comes to weapons and signature moves, which definitely lends it typical fighting game qualities. My first impression was whatever Link, Zelda is hot! Seriously. The females are much cooler—sorry guys. Zelda’s signature weapon is a rapier that forms arrows of light. And the new character, Lana, a sorceress of light adds to the list of strong, playable female characters.
One of the most exciting developments in Hyrule Warriors is the list of playable characters. One size does not fit all when it comes to weapons and signature moves, which definitely lends it typical fighting game qualities. My first impression was whatever Link, Zelda is hot! Seriously. The females are much cooler—sorry guys. Zelda’s signature weapon is a rapier that forms arrows of light. And the new character, Lana, a sorceress of light adds to the list of strong, playable female characters.
As a Zelda fan from the ripe age of five years old when I played the first two titles on the NES, I’m particularly excited about the adventure mode! This mode uses the original Legend of Zelda map from my favorite game in the series. As in the normal Hyrule Warriors play, each zone has its own unique victory condition, which then opens up adjoining rooms to exploration. Some weapons become available only when this mode is played, so both game styles build upon one another. | Rachel: Yep, those female characters truly are badass. For being in a dress, Zelda had some pretty sick moves, along with the entire ensemble of female characters in this game. The most curious aspect of this game to me is this supposed “storyline:” I want to know who this Lana girl is, where she came from, and why she’s important. I’m all for introducing more characters into a Zelda game, but I want her character to be purposeful. She seems really powerful, especially with that spell book. |
Honestly, for those of you who are less excited about this title because you feel that you’re losing some of the more RPG-like Zelda foundations, don’t worry. I think that this is an important step toward the open world Zelda we’ve all been craving. Character development shows the game developers’ expansion toward this new territory. Similar to other games such as Final Fantasy, characters will level up with experience and enhance skills through badge creation. Drop materials can be fused into badges that add specific qualities to each character. Weapons can also be developed, reflecting players’ strengths and tastes regarding battle style.
Rachel: I can only think that Lana will be the key between the three different Zelda titles being linked together – Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword. Since these games all fall on the same timeline (technically, Skyward is on every timeline), it would be interesting to see if Lana and her spell book can transport the Hero of Time to different eras. Or, maybe I’m just talking nonsense. | From what the Nintendo Direct showed, this game will be really rich. The little elements that give Legend of Zelda such a complex texture are also here. The wide variety of monsters historical and current in the Zelda franchise look to be all covered in the game. Cuccos go crazy after an attack as usual, but they are also another form of ally. Chopping grass, the bane of all our collective Zelda experiences when we wanted that damn expensive item, is back. New weapons. The moon from Majora’s Mask can be grabbed with the hookshot to attack enemies. Gold skulltulas hide here and there. With so many characters, badges, and weapons to unlock, I will surely spend way too many hours on this game. |
Hyrule Warriors will bring more fans into the fold. Casual gamers will most likely find this title more up to speed than having to spend hours playing that dumb Lorule baseball game just to get a measly heart piece. It is a unique addition to the world that shouldn’t disappoint longtime fans either.
Rachel: In any case, the game looks stunning, the use of items and weapon upgrades is intriguing, and that adventure mode with the classic Zelda map is praise-worthy. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds on September 26th.