Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a game with a split personality. It has the looks, characters and hallmarks of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but the 1 vs. 1000 hack ‘n’ slash structure of Dynasty Warriors. With that in mind, when we were offered the chance to play up until the end of the game’s second chapter, we didn’t want to get just one preview of the game – we wanted an assessment of each half of this hybrid proposition. So, we brought together a Dynasty Warriors fan and a Breath of the Wild aficionado, and asked each of them to assess the game on how well it’s handling the style of the games they love. Here’s what they think: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/09/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-10-minutes-of-champions-divine-beasts-gameplay"]

Joe Skrebels - Executive Editor of News, (Somewhat) Unapologetic Dynasty Warriors Fan

Some people say there shouldn’t be such a thing as a guilty pleasure, but those people aren’t Warriors fans. It’s a series that is so obviously a bit broken that, anytime I enthuse about it, I also make sure to tell people that it might just not be for them. That’s why I still can’t quite believe that, after Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, the early signs indicate that I might soon be able to recommend a Warriors game with my head held high. As a committed player of Omega Force’s mainline series (Dynasty, Orochi, Samurai), I am more than happy to admit that they’re simplistic – run, slash, build special attack, use special attack, repeat. It's a simplicity I find intesnely relaxing, in a strange way. The real wonder of the mainline games, to me, is how they combat that relaxation becoming boredom in one key way: by offering literally dozens of characters who all perform that simple cycle in slightly different ways. As soon as I get bored of one, I have the choice of far too many more. Warriors spin-offs, on the other hand, have had a perennial issue – most of the licensed attempts to transplant that structure simply don’t have the character roster to keep up the fun for long enough. Age of Calamity should be the same old story – after two chapters and around five hours of play, I’ve unlocked 7 characters (Link, Impa, Zelda, Daruk, Revali, Mipha, and Urbosa). And despite that comparatively slim line-up, I’m surprised to say that not only has it avoided slipping into boredom, this is showing signs of actively bettering the mainline Warriors series I love. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=This%20is%20showing%20signs%20of%20actively%20bettering%20the%20mainline%20Warriors%20series%20I%20love."] The set-up is absolutely the same - run around a battlefield, murder / knock out literally thousands of enemies, fight some bosses, think very little. The look is the same, the UI is familiar, and (regrettably) the engine still regularly can’t quite handle the amount of action onscreen. But the key difference is in the options each of those characters comes with. Aside from standard, strong, and special attacks, each one has access to a wheel of Sheikah Slate abilities (each one subtly different depending on the fighter), and magic attacks gained by offing Wizzrobe mini-bosses. Better still, each character has a unique ability tied to the ZR button. Revali can take off (with a full separate airborne moveset), Daruk can burst magma columns he leaves behind, Mipha can effectively teleport to fountains she creates, Urbosa can charge lightning and release it in extra strong attacks. These are wildly different powers, which effectively change not just what characters can do, but how you’ll play the game as a whole. I can’t fully explain how different that is to the vast majority of Warriors games, and how refreshing I’m finding it to discover here. I will admit that I haven’t yet seen signs that these powers will change how I play through battles as a whole – options are still seemingly limited to running from objective to objective, with no sign (yet) of choices or secret encounters. Equally, the early characters - Link aside - are limited to a single weapon type, and thus moveset, each, which slightly reduces the weapon-based experimentation of later Dynasty Warriors entries. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-demo-battle-of-hyrule-field-gameplay"] But that said, the game’s overall structure also lends to a feeling of a more varied Warriors game – small, Breath of the Wild-inspired elemental reactions (ice spells do more damage in water, electricity effects are boosted off of metal objects), and cooking buffs mean you can prepare more thoroughly for battles than in most Warriors games, adding a patina of strategy over the ludicrous action within each mission. I’d love to see that interactivity extend to elemental weapons, although I’ve not yet come across any in the early stages. And it must reiterated that these are early stages. As part of this preview stage, Nintendo repeatedly told us this is a big game – I can’t yet see how big, but these first two chapters are multi-hour affairs with side-quests taken into account. There’s the possibility that the flow of new characters will slow, that those extra options will begin to feel limited. But I’m choosing to be hopeful – the very fact that I’m this surprised by a Warriors game is enough to have me desperate to see what’s beyond Chapter 2. Age of Calamity is a game that feels designed for someone like me – I’m an enormous fan of both its parent series – but even I didn’t expect to come out of it thinking that it could actually improve Warriors games as a whole. It remains to be seen if it can keep up that feeling across the full length of the game, but I’m hugely encouraged so far. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-screenshots-and-art&captions=true"]

Alex Simmons - UK Studio Lead, Breath of the Wild Aficionado

There’s a moment four or so hours into Age of Calamity that made the hairs on my arms stand on end, and caused flashbacks to watching Avengers in the cinema. Hundreds of Yiga warriors were closing in around Zelda, a capable fighter herself but woefully outnumbered on this occasion. Already at half health and with a Yiga Blade Master bearing down, things were looking bleak. But then a huge ball of fiery rock rolled in and sent enemies flying like skittles in a bowling alley, followed by a torrent of hair and lightning, sending electrical blasts through the crowd. Daruk and Urbosa were not about to let their princess down. Moments like this happen all the time in Age of Calamity, and as a Zelda fan who’s sunk hundreds of hours into Breath of the Wild, it’s a thrill I simply wasn’t expecting. While Zelda is a series dear to my heart, I’ve been cautious of anything other than its mainline games. I want a full-fat, authentic Zelda experience, not a dressed-up knock-off (I’m looking at you, Link’s Crossbow Training). The first Hyrule Warriors was okay, but as someone with only a passing knowledge of Dynasty Warriors it did nothing to scratch the itch either of those series’ provides. Age of Calamity is different. For starters it’s set in a world I’m very familiar with. Long after I defeated Calamity Ganon and discovered all the shrines, I spent hours exploring every inch of the kingdom of Hyrule. Whether it was trekking over the freezing Tabantha Tundra or riding across the lush Faron grasslands, soaking up Hyrule’s world and everything in it is remains one of my favourite things to do to relax and pass the time. Age of Calamity nails Hyrule, and in the two chapters I’ve played so far I’ve been to Zora’s Domain, Death Mountain, Rito Village, Gerudo Desert and more. And while the moment-to-moment action of Age of Calamity is very different to Breath of the Wild, the world is exactly as I remember, albeit set 100 years before. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=It%E2%80%99s%20as%20authentic%20a%20Zelda%20experience%20you%20could%20wish%20for."] More importantly, Age of Calamity tells the story I’ve been yearning to see (with all the characters I adore) since Breath of the Wild came out three years ago. In the original game, flashbacks provided a glimpse of what Hyrule was like prior to Calamity Ganon, but here, watching it play out around you, it’s as authentic a Zelda experience you could wish for. This is in no small part down to the little details, of which there are many. Every piece of fruit, every ingredient, even the recipes, are instantly familiar. And like Breath of the Wild, what you find depends on where you are. Chop down a tree on Hyrule Field and it’ll drop apples, which replenish health when eaten (baked apples are even more nutritious - sound familiar?); cut down a palm in Gerudo City and you’ll get a bunch of mighty bananas. Ingredients are used either for cooking or to unlock new locations. The entirety of Breath of the Wild’s expansive map is in Age of Calamity, but that doesn’t actually mean you can explore it all. Stables, shops and other points of interest appear as you progress. Some you can play, like training missions and challenges, in which you have to defeat a certain number of enemies within a time limit, using specific weapons or skills. Others provide an instant rewards such as unlocking a new combo, or a recipe, or additional hearts for a particular champion. The levels themselves are self-contained - it isn’t an open world - but they’re still sprawling, and all have familiar landmarks. Likewise, the enemies you encounter are instantly recognisable: moblins, lizalfos, keese, wizzrobes… They’re all here, but in far greater numbers than in Breath of the Wild. It’s not uncommon to face off against against hundreds of enemies and cutting through a pack of bokoblins is incredibly satisfying. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/28/54-things-breath-of-the-wild-fans-will-love-about-hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity"] Combat is simple - a combination of light and heavy attacks is enough to deal with basic enemies, plus there are special attacks, dash and dodge, and Sheikah abilities - and the gameplay loop of ‘fight grunts, face a boss and move on’ is straightforward, but I never once felt like it was boring or overly repetitive. Even though each hero has the same range of attacks, there are enough subtle differences to make one feel substantially different from the next, and playing as Revali is a very different experience than playing as Impa or Daruk. Age of Calamity also does a fantastic job of continually introducing something new and interesting, be it a story beat or a fresh take on something familiar. Forget Baby Yoda, young Prince Sidon is this year’s adorably cute must-have, and in my five hours of playing so far I’ve also used Magnesis to pull buried chests from the sand (yay!), Flurry Rushed a Lynel (which is just as satisfying here as it is in BOTW), ran away from Molduga, the giant creature lurking beneath the sands of the Gerudo desert, and wreaked havoc in Divine Beasts. Truthfully, the Divine Beast sections, at least the two I’ve played, are more of a curious distraction than anything substantial, but seeing them in action is still a thrill in itself. Frame-rate drops are an issue and the Switch sometimes struggles to keep things moving when you’re mowing down hundreds of enemies with an extravagant special attack. But it never bothered me too much, and Age of Calamity’s stylised aesthetic is as fresh now as it was three years ago. When I first saw the trailer for Age of Calamity I was surprised how faithful it was to Breath of the Wild, but doubted it could fill the gap waiting for its sequel. Now, having played it, it not only surpassed my expectations as a Dynasty Warriors game, but is a bona fide Zelda experience I’m excited to see more of. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

A PlayStation 5 launch advertisement has confirmed that Gran Turismo 7, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal are anticipated to launch in the first half of 2021, with Horizon: Forbidden West set to launch in the second half of 2021 You can check out the trailer on the PlayStation YouTube page here, which contains a small text note below the gameplay footage, confirming a number of launch windows for games that were announced in the run-up to the reveal of the PlayStation 5. Given that it says 'anticipated' first half and second half 2021, release dates could slip due to the ongoing pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic, delays and other logistical issues. We already knew that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was a "launch window" PS5 game after the news was revealed back in August, and Horizon: Forbidden West was announced to be coming in 2021 upon its reveal back in June. This just gives us some more clarity about when both of these games may officially appear. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=horizon-forbidden-west-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] The news that Gran Turismo 7 would launch in the first half of 2021 was also leaked via a Canadian PlayStation advertisement last week, but this is the first we've heard of a release date for Returnal, the new shooter from Housemarque which appeared briefly in the PlayStation 5 reveal stream back in June. The PlayStation 5 launches on November 12 & November 19 (depending on your region) worldwide. Preorders for the PlayStation 5 are currently sold out, but if more go up they'll be in our PS5 preorder guide right away. For everything, you need to know about PlayStation 5, check out our PS5 guide. Here's a guide to all the best PlayStation holiday gifts for 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

A PlayStation 5 launch advertisement has confirmed that Gran Turismo 7, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal are anticipated to launch in the first half of 2021, with Horizon: Forbidden West set to launch in the second half of 2021 You can check out the trailer on the PlayStation YouTube page here, which contains a small text note below the gameplay footage, confirming a number of launch windows for games that were announced in the run-up to the reveal of the PlayStation 5. Given that it says 'anticipated' first half and second half 2021, release dates could slip due to the ongoing pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic, delays and other logistical issues. We already knew that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was a "launch window" PS5 game after the news was revealed back in August, and Horizon: Forbidden West was announced to be coming in 2021 upon its reveal back in June. This just gives us some more clarity about when both of these games may officially appear. The news that Gran Turismo 7 would launch in the first half of 2021 was also leaked via a Canadian PlayStation advertisement last week, but this is the first we've heard of a release date for Returnal, the new shooter from Housemarque which appeared briefly in the PlayStation 5 reveal stream back in June. The PlayStation 5 launches on November 12 & November 19 (depending on your region) worldwide. Preorders for the PlayStation 5 are currently sold out, but if more go up they'll be in our PS5 preorder guide right away. For everything, you need to know about PlayStation 5, check out our PS5 guide. Here's a guide to all the best PlayStation holiday gifts for 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

UPDATE 11/10/2020: The Hasbro Star Wars Black Series Mandalorian electronic helmet is now available for preorder at Amazon. Life-size helmets have always been hot ticket items in the Star Wars collecting community, and Hasbro's Black Series line is pretty much the best bang for buck option around. Now Hasbro is adding another iconic helmet to that lineup - the Mandalorian himself. IGN can exclusively debut the Black Series: The Mandalorian Electronic Helmet, which is due to hit stores in Spring 2021. Check out the slideshow gallery below for a closer look at this upcoming release, along with new photos of the Din Djarin and The Child Build-Up Pack. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=this-life-size-mandalorian-helmet-is-the-ultimate-star-wars-collectible&captions=true"] The Mandalorian Electronic Helmet is a 1:1 scale recreation of Din Djarin's ever-present helmet, complete with a weathered, metallic paint scheme. Like the rest of the Black Series helmets, it's fully wearable and features foam padding and adjustable fittings. The helmet also includes a removable tactical light and red interior lights, both of which are powered by a single AA battery. The Mandalorian Electronic Helmet is priced at $119.99 and is available to pre-order now on Amazon. As for the Din Djarin/The Child set, this 2-pack release is notable for being the first Mandalorian figure to feature an unmasked head sculpt. It's also by far the most full-featured Mandalorian release from Hasbro to date, with nine accessories including Baby Yoda's hover pram, a removable jet pack and Beskar metal slabs. The Din Djarin & The Child Build-Up Pack is priced at $34.99 and should be released on December 1, 2020. It's available to pre-order exclusively through Target. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/07/the-mandalorian-season-2-ep-2s-side-mission-means-more-than-you-think"] This isn't the first time Hasbro has teased some drool-worthy new collectibles as part of the Mando Mondays promotion. They recently showed off The Mandalorian Retro Collection, with sculpts inspired by the original Kenner Star Wars figures. For more on The Mandalorian, check out IGN's review of the Season 2 premiere and brush up on Ahsoka Tano's story prior to her rumored live-action debut. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

UPDATE 11/10/2020: The Hasbro Star Wars Black Series Mandalorian electronic helmet is now available for preorder at Amazon. Life-size helmets have always been hot ticket items in the Star Wars collecting community, and Hasbro's Black Series line is pretty much the best bang for buck option around. Now Hasbro is adding another iconic helmet to that lineup - the Mandalorian himself. IGN can exclusively debut the Black Series: The Mandalorian Electronic Helmet, which is due to hit stores in Spring 2021. Check out the slideshow gallery below for a closer look at this upcoming release, along with new photos of the Din Djarin and The Child Build-Up Pack. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=this-life-size-mandalorian-helmet-is-the-ultimate-star-wars-collectible&captions=true"] The Mandalorian Electronic Helmet is a 1:1 scale recreation of Din Djarin's ever-present helmet, complete with a weathered, metallic paint scheme. Like the rest of the Black Series helmets, it's fully wearable and features foam padding and adjustable fittings. The helmet also includes a removable tactical light and red interior lights, both of which are powered by a single AA battery. The Mandalorian Electronic Helmet is priced at $119.99 and is available to pre-order now on Amazon. As for the Din Djarin/The Child set, this 2-pack release is notable for being the first Mandalorian figure to feature an unmasked head sculpt. It's also by far the most full-featured Mandalorian release from Hasbro to date, with nine accessories including Baby Yoda's hover pram, a removable jet pack and Beskar metal slabs. The Din Djarin & The Child Build-Up Pack is priced at $34.99 and should be released on December 1, 2020. It's available to pre-order exclusively through Target. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/07/the-mandalorian-season-2-ep-2s-side-mission-means-more-than-you-think"] This isn't the first time Hasbro has teased some drool-worthy new collectibles as part of the Mando Mondays promotion. They recently showed off The Mandalorian Retro Collection, with sculpts inspired by the original Kenner Star Wars figures. For more on The Mandalorian, check out IGN's review of the Season 2 premiere and brush up on Ahsoka Tano's story prior to her rumored live-action debut. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Update: A new PS5 FAQ covers the current issues with storing PS5 games on an external USB hard drive, saying a future update could allow that process. "No, players cannot transfer PS5 games to a USB drive," reads the answer to a question titled 'Can I store or play PS5 games from a USB drive?'. "PS5 games must be stored on the console’s internal ultra-high speed SSD for gameplay. Explorations for allowing players to store (but not play) PS5 games on a USB drive in a future update are underway." [poilib element="accentDivider"] PlayStation 5 currently doesn't allow you to install, store or play next-gen games anywhere other than its internal SSD. As noted by Digital Foundry, next-gen games can't be played from an external drive, and the console currently offers no options to move your PS5 games into external storage. When the internal SSD is filled, the only option given is to delete games to free up space. It's concerning given that the console comes with a relatively slim 667GB of usable storage space, and doesn't support SSD external storage (which could presumably play next-gen games) at launch. No window has been given for when an update will allow SSD storage. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/06/playstation-5-review"] Xbox Series X also cannot play next-gen games on anything other than its internal SSD and (expensive) approved external drive – but unlike PS5 it does offer the option to store games on external hard drives and transfer them back to the SSD without a lengthy download process. PS5 does allow PS4 games to be moved between internal and external storage. For more on PS5, we also have news on why PS5 doesn't seem to have custom themes, what its new Activity Cards are for, how the Create button differs from the PS4 Share button, and you can read our full PS5 console review. And if you're interested in the PS5's launch lineup, check out our Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales review and our Astro's Playroom review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.  

Xbox is reportedly looking to purchase Japanese game development studios, and has been in contact with both small and large developers. According to a report from Bloomberg, "several Japan-based game developers" of varying size have been approached by Microsoft to talk about acquiring their business. The developers asked not to be identified at this time due to the private nature of the talks. Bloomberg's sources make it reasonable to suggest that Microsoft is scoping out potential new Japanese developers to bring under its wing as part of the Xbox Games Studios brand, even after recently acquiring Bethesda and Zenimax for a whopping $7.5 billion. In response to the reporting, Xbox business lead for Asia Jeremy Hinton told Bloomberg that Microsoft "is always open to discussions with creators that are a good fit. Acquisitions are a possibility but there are no announcements to share at this time," the article reads. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-review"] It's part of what seems to be a concerted effort to crack the Japanese market – a region with which Xbox has had a complicated history.  A recent rumour that Microsoft is planning to buy SEGA started to circulate in the wake of the Bethesda deal, though that is very much unfounded for now, so do take it with a massive pinch of salt. In other Xbox news, we recently reviewed both of Microsoft's next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. If you want more details on the nitty-gritty, here's our comparative breakdown of the tech specs and features of both consoles. [poilib element="accentDivider"]; Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Xbox is reportedly looking to purchase Japanese game development studios, and has been in contact with both small and large developers. According to a report from Bloomberg, "several Japan-based game developers" of varying size have been approached by Microsoft to talk about acquiring their business. The developers asked not to be identified at this time due to the private nature of the talks. Bloomberg's sources make it reasonable to suggest that Microsoft is scoping out potential new Japanese developers to bring under its wing as part of the Xbox Games Studios brand, even after recently acquiring Bethesda and Zenimax for a whopping $7.5 billion. In response to the reporting, Xbox business lead for Asia Jeremy Hinton told Bloomberg that Microsoft "is always open to discussions with creators that are a good fit. Acquisitions are a possibility but there are no announcements to share at this time," the article reads. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-review"] It's part of what seems to be a concerted effort to crack the Japanese market – a region with which Xbox has had a complicated history.  A recent rumour that Microsoft is planning to buy SEGA started to circulate in the wake of the Bethesda deal, though that is very much unfounded for now, so do take it with a massive pinch of salt. In other Xbox news, we recently reviewed both of Microsoft's next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. If you want more details on the nitty-gritty, here's our comparative breakdown of the tech specs and features of both consoles. [poilib element="accentDivider"]; Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.