Hyrule Warriors implements the gameplay of Omega Force’s Dynasty Warriors with the mythology of Legend of Zelda in a game that caters to one set of fans.
Reviewing Hyrule Warriors really depends on the sphere you analyze it in.
As a Dynasty Warriors game, it’s a polished, fast-paced hack n’ slash that has responsive controls.
As a Legend of Zelda Game, however, it’s an ugly stepchild in the historically significant Nintendo franchise. It doesn’t have any puzzles or open world freedom that Ocarina of Time or Wind Waker once gave gamers.
Either way you look at it, Hyrule Warriors is a flawed experience just playable enough to hold off players for Nintendo’s heavy hitters later in the winter.
Story:
In terms of actual story, Hyrule Warriors doesn’t follow your traditional Legend of Zelda game. It loosely implements Hyrule mythology with the brisk, brunt storylines that can be found in Omega Force’s long lasting franchise, Dynasty Warriors.
There’s enough here for players to keep going, as the more players slice and dice their ways through historical locations in Hyrule, the more playable characters they receive.
Just within the first few hours, players will be able to choose from a barrage of characters including: Link, Zelda, Sheik, Lana and even one of my personal favorites, Midna.
Gameplay:
Firstly, Hyrule Warriors looks gorgeous on the Wii U. If it’s the lust grass of Hyrule Field or dark rumble of the Palace of Twilight, developers Omega Force and Team Ninja have pushed the Wii U to it’s limits.
I did notice some more lag and rugged looking textures on the gamepad compared to the television screen, but the amount of detail the developers put on a small gamepad was impressive.
The actual gameplay, however, is not so gorgeous. Anyone that has touched a Dynasty Warriors game in the past will feel right at home, as each playable character is accustomed to a standard attack, a heavy attack and a simple special move. The formula is fine for those who just want to mindlessly slaughter thousands of grunts, but for those looking for mind-bending puzzles will be greatly disappointed.
Really, that’s not a knock on Hyrule Warriors. It was really never supposed to be a Legend of Zelda game and doesn’t try to be. It’s supposed to be a Dynasty Warriors with Legend of Zelda characters implemented into it and it does that well.
Final Verdict:
Is it a good Legend of Zelda game? No. Is it a good Dynasty Warriors though? Yes. Hyrule Warriors may not be a genre-defining experience, but it’s a perfect game if you and a friend wants button mash for a few hours on a lazy evening. It may not be worth sixty dollars, but as soon as the price drops, this easily could be a must-play for any fan of the hack n’ slash genre.
