Koei Tecmo gave us our first look at Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity‘s gameplay and playable characters as part of the 2020 Tokyo Game Show. The showcase introduced a new trailer highlighting the game’s four Champions, and we’re not crying — you are.
Age of Calamity‘s gameplay draws from the original Hyrule Warriors. Players defend key locations from monsters, rescue fellow fighters in need, and annihilate hordes of enemies with over-the-top attacks.
But there’s a Breath of the Wild twist.
Special attacks in Age of Calamity use rune powers from the Sheikah Slate — bombs, stasis, freezing, and the like. While they can turn the tables on foes in an instant and are vital for breaking the shields of stronger enemies, they have recharge times just like in Breath of the Wild.
Age of Calamity tells the story of what happened to Hyrule when Calamity Ganon broke free and devoured the land. Battles and environments revolve around that story, so, for example, players get to see the entirety of Hyrule Castle Town before it became a ruinous shell.
There’s only one way this story can end, but the new Hyrule Warriors looks set to add plenty of unexpected elements as well. The brief gameplay demonstration teased the Baby Yoda of Zelda, the small white egg Guardian that apparently follows Link and co. in battle.
As expected from a Breath of the Wild prequel, Age of Calamity adds the four Champions of Hyrule as playable characters, and then some. Young Impa takes the field, using talisman magic to befuddle and destroy her enemies. More characters will be revealed before Age of Calamity releases on November 20.
Those with Breath of the Wild save data on their Switch systems will unlock the Trainee Wooden Sword for Link, a weapon that sometimes blocks attacks. This is alongside the pre-order bonus of the Lucky Ladel DLC weapon.
Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity news in the coming weeks.
