As a lifelong gamer, I’ve always been drawn to the expansive, immersive worlds that open-world games offer. The freedom to explore, the thrill of discovering new quests, and the satisfaction of uncovering every nook and cranny of the map are experiences that are hard to match. So, when Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was announced, I was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. I couldn’t wait to dive into the world of Hyrule again, to experience the prequel to the epic Breath of the Wild.
But as I started playing, I realized something was different. The world didn’t feel as open, as expansive as Breath of the Wild. It was like switching from an open field to a maze, where you’re guided along a set path. I found myself wondering, “Is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity open world?” And I knew I wasn’t alone in this. I could imagine other gamers, like you, having the same question.
That’s why I decided to put together this guide. In it, we’ll explore:
- Whether Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is an open-world game
- How its open-world nature differs from Breath of the Wild
- How it’s similar to Breath of the Wild
- And how the world map overmap, where you choose your mission, is essentially identical to Breath of the Wild’s map
So, grab your controller, put on your gaming headset, and let’s dive into the world of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Keep reading, adventurer, because we’re about to embark on an epic quest for knowledge!
Is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Open World?
The world of gaming is a vast, ever-changing landscape, much like the open-world games we’ve come to love. One of the most anticipated questions in the gaming community has been whether Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, the prequel to the critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, follows the same open-world formula. It’s like asking if a new sequel in a beloved book series will continue to captivate us with the same narrative style.
According to Game8, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is not an open-world game. While it may be a prequel to the open-world Breath of the Wild game, it doesn’t follow the same open-world structure. Instead, it focuses on battles happening in confined maps, rather than free exploration. It’s like playing a game of chess, where the board is set, and the pieces have their designated paths, rather than a sandbox where you can build and explore freely.
Warriors games, including Age of Calamity, are known for their smaller map design. The game features several small maps called Battles that can be played all over Hyrule, with the main story revolving around these maps. It’s like reading a book with chapters that follow one after the other, rather than a choose-your-own-adventure novel where you can jump around the story.
Each map in Age of Calamity comprises linear objectives that need to be fulfilled. It has quest markers where the player needs to go and fulfill actions. Once the time limit ends, or the mission is completed, the player leaves that stage. This structure is more akin to a series of quests or missions, rather than the sprawling, open-ended exploration found in open-world games.
How Does the Open World Nature Differ from Breath of the Wild?
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild redefined the ‘open world genre’ by giving players the freedom of exploration and choice, even for doing the main quests. It’s like being dropped in the middle of a forest with a map and compass, and you can choose which path to take, which mountains to climb, and which rivers to cross. You can even go straight to the final boss with starting equipment, should you so desire!
In contrast, Age of Calamity is more like a guided tour, where you’re led from one point of interest to the next. The game focuses on battles happening in confined maps, rather than free exploration. It’s like being on a rollercoaster ride, where you’re taken through a series of thrilling loops and turns, but you can’t deviate from the track.
Moreover, the maps in Age of Calamity appear linearly one after the other, further proving that it is not an open-world game. It’s like following a set playlist of songs, rather than having the freedom to shuffle and choose your music.
How is the Open World Similar to Breath of the Wild?
Despite not being an open-world game, Age of Calamity does have a few small resemblances to Breath of the Wild. It’s like a spin-off TV series that has its unique storyline and structure but still retains some elements from the original show.
For instance, in Chapter 2, the player can choose to advance through the four Story Battles in any order. This choice is a callback to how the player can choose the order in freeing the Divine Beasts in Breath of the Wild. It’s like choosing which episodes to watch in a TV series, rather than following the chronological order.
Additionally, there are Korok Seeds scattered hidden around battles maps. The player can choose to look for them, but it is completely optional. Similarly, there are several optional quests and challenges that are completely optional, but completing them will reward with some bonus. This freedom of choice is an element of open-world games, although no one in their right mind would consider Age of Calamity to be a full-on open-world experience.
In conclusion, while Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity may not be an open-world game in the traditional sense, it does incorporate elements of choice and exploration that are reminiscent of its open-world predecessor, Breath of the Wild. It’s like a hybrid game that combines the structured gameplay of mission-based games with the freedom of choice found in open-world games. Now, let’s dive deeper into the gameplay mechanics and how they contribute to the overall gaming experience.
The World Map Overmap: A Mirror Image of Breath of the Wild’s Map
In the realm of gaming, maps are like the compass guiding us through the intricate worlds created by developers. They are the parchment that holds the key to our quests, the guide to our adventures, and the blueprint of the world we are about to explore. In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, the world map overmap, where you choose your missions, is essentially identical to the map in Breath of the Wild. It’s like looking at a reflection in the water, where the image is the same, yet the ripples add a different texture to it.
According to Gfinity Esports, the map in Age of Calamity is not an open-world map but merely stages with a clear beginning and end. It’s like a board game where you move from one square to the next, completing tasks and overcoming challenges along the way. However, the layout of these stages, the design of the map, mirrors the map of Breath of the Wild. It’s like playing a game of chess on a board designed like a map of your favorite city.
The map in Age of Calamity has been modified to benefit the gameplay experience. For instance, the Sacred Grounds, which have been left in ruins by a Moblin battle, extend to more pillars further on. The moss and grime that have taken over in Breath of the Wild indicate the passage of time. It’s like watching a time-lapse of a city, where buildings crumble, new ones are built, and nature slowly takes over.
Interestingly, Hyrule Castle, although covered in Ganon’s malice in Breath of the Wild, is relatively unchanged in Age of Calamity. The walls of Hyrule haven’t been breached, but the huge rock that sits between the walls has been obliterated. It’s like a fortress that has withstood the test of time, bearing the scars of battles past.
Despite these changes, the map in Age of Calamity retains the essence of the map in Breath of the Wild. The locations, the landmarks, the layout, all mirror the map of Breath of the Wild. It’s like walking down a familiar street, where the buildings have changed, but the path remains the same.
In conclusion, while the world map overmap in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is not an open-world map, it is essentially identical to the map in Breath of the Wild. It’s like a remix of a beloved song, where the melody is the same, but the arrangement adds a new flavor to it. Now, let’s explore how this map design impacts the gameplay and the overall gaming experience.
Conclusion
In the grand quest of gaming, we’ve journeyed through the world of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, exploring its corners and uncovering its secrets. We’ve discovered that while it may not be an open-world game in the traditional sense, it carries the spirit of its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, in its heart. It’s like a well-crafted sequel that pays homage to the original while carving out its unique identity.
To recap, we’ve learned that:
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is not an open-world game.
- Its open-world nature differs from Breath of the Wild in terms of structure and gameplay.
- It carries similarities to Breath of the Wild in terms of choice and exploration.
- The world map overmap, where you choose your mission, mirrors the map in Breath of the Wild.
- The game incorporates elements of choice and exploration reminiscent of open-world games.
- The map design impacts the gameplay and the overall gaming experience.
So, fellow gamer, as we close this chapter of our gaming quest, I invite you to continue exploring the world of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
What Next?
As a fellow gamer, I know the thrill of action, the satisfaction of completing a quest. That’s why I always want to leave you with something actionable to do after reading an article. So, here are some tasks you can take on:
- Play Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and experience its world firsthand.
- Compare the game’s map with that of Breath of the Wild.
- Try to complete the missions in different orders and see how it affects your gameplay.
- Look for the Korok Seeds scattered around the battle maps.
- Explore the optional quests and challenges for bonus rewards.