Operation Backlog Completion 2025
Sep 092020
 

Nintendo is still dropping surprise announcements (by now we’ve probably had enough to fill a Direct), and yesterday’s was something no one saw coming: a new Hyrule Warriors game that is a canon prequel to Breath of the Wild.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is set 100 years before the events of Breath of the Wild, during the battles leading up to the Great Calamity.

These events are discussed and briefly glimpsed during Breath of the Wild, but never in much detail. Now we’ll be able to play through those events as Link, Zelda, the four Champions, and probably several other characters as well.

Now, I never finished Breath of the Wild. I tried it, and I enjoyed parts of it, but the open world format just didn’t work for me. I took a break from it and never felt the urge to return. This prequel sounds like it could be interesting, though, and it looks great!

It’s a Musou game, so it’ll be a lot more focused on action than regular Legend of Zelda games are, but the official press release says “players will also solve environmental puzzles, unlock weapons and skills, craft materials, visit shops to obtain items and use the power of the Sheikah Slate,” so that sounds cool.

Maybe I should play my copy of the first Hyrule Warriors before getting this (although I have the Wii U version, much to my dismay since I never got around to it before the Switch version came out with more content).

And since more information about Age of Calamity will be revealed on September 26, I can’t help but hope for a Koei Tecmo partner showcase with details about that and a release date for Persona 5 Scramble.

Anyway, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is due out on November 20. Are you interested in it?

Aug 172020
 

The latest unannounced game to be mysteriously listed online is a Switch version of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, which briefly appeared on Amazon UK over the weekend.

(It’s gone now.)

I played the original Skyward Sword on the Wii, and the special Zelda-themed Wiimote that came bundled with it is still the one I use today when I play a Wii game.

Lots of fans criticize Skyward Sword, but I liked it. I thought the motion controls added an interesting twist to combat, and I actually really liked how the hub area was handled.

In fact, while I enjoyed A Link Between Worlds decently enough, Skyward Sword is probably the last new (not counting remakes/remasters) Zelda game I really had a great time with, which I’m sure puts me in the minority of fans.

I don’t know if I’d replay it with all the other games I want to play, but I’d be happy to see Skyward Sword get a remaster.

Some fans think a remaster would need to be completely redone in order to work on the Switch without the motion controls, so that it could be played in handheld mode. There have been some docked-only Switch games, including Super Mario Party, but maybe they wouldn’t want to do that with something as major as a mainline Legend of Zelda game.

And since remasters sometimes include quality-of-life improvements and other enhancements, some player who disliked parts of Skyward Sword are hoping a remaster could improve some of its issues, like Fi’s constant help.

It’s still just a rumor, so there’s a chance we won’t see a Skyward Sword Switch remaster at all. Killer7 was recently believed to be coming to the Switch, but that was refuted. There’s still been no word either way about the potential No More Heroes remaster.

Maybe we’ll hear about them both at the next Nintendo Direct?

Right now we’ve got an indie showcase scheduled for tomorrow, but who knows what will come after that? I hope we’ll get some exciting new announcements from Nintendo soon.

Would you play a Skyward Sword remaster if it was brought to the Switch?

Mar 292019
 

While I mainly think of Monolith Soft as the developer behind JRPGs like Baten Kaitos and Xenoblade, they have a supplementary studio in Kyoto that works with Nintendo on other games.

The Kyoto branch worked on three games in the Legend of Zelda series: Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds, and Breath of the Wild.

Now, it appears they’re getting ready to work on another. According to the translation from Gematsu, Monolith Soft’s latest job post is looking for technical artists, programmers, planners, designers, and a project manager for work on a title in the Legend of Zelda series.

With the Link’s Awakening remake coming out this year, does this mean the announcement for the next major Legend of Zelda title will be coming soon? I can see it being announced at E3.

This also should be the third game Monolith Soft is currently working on, since they were previously hiring for a new Xenoblade game and they have a new fantasy IP in development as well.

When do you think the new Legend of Zelda game will be announced?