Nintendo confirmed today that the previously rumoured free demo for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is real and coming today, as well as the fact that players will be able to pilot The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Divine Beasts in the full game next month. As a prequel to Breath of the Wild, restoring those great, labyrinthine machines to their former glory for the inevitably doomed battle against Calamity Ganon is a logical and exciting gameplay inclusion.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was announced two months ago. Up until then, fans of the Zelda franchise were working on the assumption that the next installment to the series would be the announced sequel to Nintendo’s open world epic, which is rumored to be called The Legend of Zelda: Breath of Evil.
Alongside the game's other confirmed playable characters, fans of the franchise will also be able to get their hands on the four Divine Beasts when Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is released next month. In new footage revealed by Nintendo, gamers can witness the utter power of Divine Beasts and the destruction they can command. From Vah Medoh’s cannon fire making easy work of an enemy swarm to Vah Naboris stampeding through blockades with an electrical charge, the fire power that will be available to gamers is immense. Vah Rudania with its feet ablaze, ensures that no Guardian is spared, as the reptilian machine stamps through the lava filled landscape, while Vah Ruta uses its mighty trunk to release devastating icy jets of water upon its foes.
If waiting until November to have a shot at the latest game in the Zelda canon is simply too long, there is a free demo available to play. Confirming the rumours, Nintendo have revealed that the demo will be available to download on the Switch later today, and that progress made on the first chapter of Age of Calamity will be carried over to the full game when purchased.
With a host of confirmed enemies, both new and old, and a return to a beloved rendition of the Kingdom of Hyrule, fans of the Zelda series will have plenty to keep them entertained while waiting for news on the sequel to Breath of the Wild. It is unusual for one game to have both a prequel and sequel in production at the same time, but with the franchise turning 35 next year, it does not seem like Nintendo will be slowing down anytime soon.
The release of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity will compliment Breath of the Wild in a way no one expected. Although it will be saddening to know that no matter how well the gamers play, their demise will come. Just how Ganon managed to defeat the awesome power of the Divine Beasts is anyone’s guess; hopefully, this will be answered satisfactorily next month when Age of Calamity comes to the Switch.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity will be available for Nintendo Switch on November 20, 2020.
Source: Nintendo