Game review: Cadence Of Hyrule is the weirdest game of Zelda

Nintendo teams up with Crypt Of The NecroDancer, the indie favorite, to create an unexpected crossover with a fantastic soundtrack.

Preview and interview of Outer Worlds – "We wanted to be a fun game"

Cadence Of Hyrule – The NecroDancer Crypt with The Legend Of Zelda not only has the longest name of all games this year, but may well become the strangest version of 2019. Not just in the sense that it's a mix of rhythmic action and mocking, but also that Nintendo has given the keys to one of its most appreciated franchises to an obscure independent developer. It seems unlikely, but in the moments following the game, you realize that Brace Yourself is an extremely safe pair of hands.

Crypt Of The NecroDancer was released in 2015 and although it has received positive reviews, it has never been particularly publicized. If Nintendo were to create a crossover with any independent game, there would probably be a dozen more obvious choices, but Brace Yourself Games had the guts to ask if they could create a Zelda-themed DLC for the original game and, in one way or another, the project has evolved. in a complete autonomous game.

The final result looks like The Legend Of Zelda (more precisely A link to the past) but behaves like Crypt Of The NecroDancer, retaining many of the spooky elements of the original, even fitting into a world resembling and working like a 2D traditional. Zelda. This more than compensates for those who do not have natural rhythm, allowing everyone to enjoy not only the game, but also the stellar soundtrack.

Cadence Of Hyrule is presented as a complete and equal crossover. The main character of Crypt Of The NecroDancer, Cadence, has been transported to the world of Hyrule to help Link and Princess Zelda overcome the new character Octavo, who is in possession of a lute. magical. four submarines with similar powerful magical instruments. The story has a slight twist towards the end, but as in all Zelda games, the plot is not really important.

Although Cadence is technically a playable character, you play most of the game as Link or Zelda, as they tour Hyrule in the manner of a normal 2D Legend of Zelda game. There is a rotating-screen outdoor world to explore and several dungeons, but all cards use a grid-based motion system so you can move in discrete steps. Steps that, if there are monsters in the corner, must be followed to the rhythm of the music, which is not so important when moving, but it is essential to be effective in the fight against enemies.

There is a simplified "fixed beat" system that you can activate that allows you to play the game more like a normal Zelda, but, normally, fighting monsters works as a kind of impromptu rhythmic action mini-game. There is almost an amount of maneuvering similar to chess when you try to contact a monster at the same time as a beat while avoiding their attacks, which always unfold in a predictable way (provided you memorize them). and the direction.

As strange as it sounds, it works extremely well in practice, aided by wonderful remixes of famous Zelda tunes that are a pleasure to face. The gameplay is also incredibly deep when you set up combat tactics on the fly as you access each screen, prioritizing enemies in terms of dance moves and threat level.

Although the main gameplay is closer to Crypt Of The NecroDancer, huge efforts have been made to ensure that it looks like a real Zelda game. SNES-style graphics are as good as music and all the more impressive as cards are procedurally generated for each new backup, while dungeons are randomized each time you return.

Death is less punished than in Crypt Of The NecroDancer, but you lose all your rupees and nonessential items to your death – even if you keep the diamonds that are used as extra currency in the stores. There is also a full range of Zelda gadgets and equipment to use, including the trusty hook and boomerang, as well as Cadence's shovel and spear.

Although the price may seem high for what is essentially an independent game, the production values ​​are excellent and all is impressive, to the point that there is even a cooperative mode where you can play everything with a second player.