Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Developers Discuss the Game’s Music and More!

When Breath of the Wild was released, there was some division amongst fans regarding the game’s soundtrack. Music is a crucial part of building atmosphere and adds to the overall enjoyment of the player’s experience. So, it is understandable that fans would be interested in the musical direction of Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity. As part of an interview with Japanese publication 4Gamer, producer of the Zelda series Eiji Aonuma, and Koei Tecmo leads Ryota Matsuhita and Yosuke Hayashi gave some insights into the game’s music:

“The sound of the game, while incorporating arrangements of Breath of the Wild’s BGM, feels different with a feeling of bravery. Please tell us about that concept.”

Matsushita: Our policy was to consider the sounds you hear while adventuring in the post-Calamity world of Breath of the Wild as hints like the tip of an iceberg, imagining the form it would have taken before being buried for 100 years, and then add the keyword “battlefield” to that.  The timing flows at different speeds in the free exploration of Breath of the Wild and right in the thick of battle in this game, and we aimed to express that in the music as well.

4Gamer then asked about the features that the developers liked themselves or that they wanted to be noticed in the game overall. Whilst Aonuma focused more on battle progression and story, Matsushita has a fondness for Remote Bombs it seems!

Aonuma: The simultaneous battle progression that is unique to Warriors gameplay is not a feature in the Zelda games which I make, so it was very refreshing to be able to experience that is a world comparable to that of Breath of the Wild. Also, I was able to enjoy seeing the story from a player’s point of view of the story from the Champions, Link, and Zelda meeting up through the Great Calamity which follow, saying, “I see, so that’s how it was,” along the way.

Matsushita: I already talked about the Remote Bombs, but I definitely want people to try destroying Bokoblin strongholds with them. I feel strangely accomplished and grateful when I see players instantly blow a carefully placed Bokoblin stronghold to kingdom come, like “Yeah, that’s what it’s all about” (haha.)

Modern game developers have a lot to consider when it comes to the length of a new Zelda title. Some fans are completionists and want to collect every possible item or power up their weapons to the max. Others, prefer to follow the story and simply enjoy their time battling monster hordes with Link and his friends. So, 4Gamers asked about the content and replay value too:

“About how much content can we expect in this game?”

Matsushita: I think you can enjoy 30 hours by just going through the story. If you take the detours for replay elements, powering up weapons, and so on, that time could more than double.

“What sort of replay elements are there?”

Matsushita: In the “Hyrule Challenge” which recruits aid and fighting support from all regions of Hyrule you can strengthen characters and liberate occupied areas.  And you can test your combat mettle in the “Battle Challenge.”

Through various elements, the axis of replayability over the long span is in the acquisition and strengthening of character weapons,  and the appropriate action will vary depending on how you power the weapons up, so I think you can enjoy different plans and setups for a long time.

The interview ends with a focus on the player and their enjoyment of the game. If you are not a fan of action games, Matsushita still insists to give Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity a try. Aonuma and Hayashi give interesting responses in regards to those who have played Breath of the Wild and those who haven’t. Will this make a difference to a Zelda fan who comes in cold?

“Lastly, how would you like the fans to enjoy this game?”

Matsushita: As an action game, difficult enemies and fights will present challenges to you, but you can select your difficulty setting, and we have provided other ways to take on strong enemies than technique alone.  So by all means, please pick this up and try it out even if you don’t consider yourself good at action games.

Aonuma: I think this game will be received very differently by those who have experienced Breath of the Wild and those who haven’t. Of course, I think that the depth of the story and experience will be synergistically added by enjoying the connection to the world of Breath of the Wild, so by all means for those who still have not experienced Breath of the Wild, and even for those who have completed it, it may be worth playing through Breath of the Wild again after having played through Age of Calamity. That may be taken as just Producer talk, but it is my honest impression as one player who enjoyed this game.

Hayashi: I feel the same as Mr. Aonuma, and my recommended order of play even for those who completed Breath of the Wild including its expansion pass is to try revisiting its world after playing through Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. I think there is a synergistic effect in playing both titles together, so please enjoy them.

It is always interesting to delve into the thought process of developers. So, what do you think about the music and replay value of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity? Do you share Matsushita’s fondness for Remote Bombs, and taking out a Bokoblin stronghold for fun?  Let us know in the comments below!

Source: 4Gamer

Translation by Dark Isatari