The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope's End Credits Reveal House of Ashes

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope has a post-credits teaser for House of Ashes, the third game in this horror series, and it appears to feature Sumerian mythology and star Ashley Tisdale. Bandai Namco has yet to fully reveal House of Ashes, but RabidRetrospectGames has captured the trailer for you to take a look at what we can expect from the next Dark Pictures Anthology game that is scheduled for 2021. The new game appears to feature some form of military personnel and looks to take players underground to the titular House of Ashes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/29/the-dark-pictures-anthology-little-hope-review"] This tease was given in the same way that Little Hope was at the end of the first game in The Dark Pictures Anthology series - Man of Medan. These games are meant to be standalone experiences, rather than sequels, and developer Supermassive Games has said that it plans to release eight games under this banner. In our review of The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope, we said "tells a mostly one-note story with underdeveloped characters, and even a fun co-op mode can’t inject enough life to fix that. There weren’t enough meaningful consequences to the choices I made to inspire further digging into its box of tricks, which made additional playthroughs tough going, and the more generous amount of time you have to react to quick-time events deprived me of any gory deaths. A gorgeous setting and some genuinely frantic monster sequences save it from being a complete disaster, but this still feels like a step backward from the heights of interactive horror stories." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-most-terrifying-scares-in-video-games&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The Fans Preserving the Original Demon’s Souls Experience

I’m a huge fan of FromSoftware’s trademark design philosophy, having played most of what they’ve made many times over, and yet, it took the announcement of a next-gen, BluePoint-developed remake to finally give me the impetus to play through the original Demon’s Souls. Though massively excited by the idea of a next-gen Souls experience, one reimagined with unprecedented visual flourish and all the new shiny things next-gen can bring, I really wanted to play it within the context of the original. Playing the original Demon’s Souls was a terrific choice. While certainly less robust than what came after, often feeling like From’s Dark Souls dress rehearsal, once I’d dealt my final blow and made my decision as to the world’s fate, Demon’s Souls not only ranked super-highly for me amongst the other Souls games, but even helped me reconcile some of the lore elements I found less favourable in Dark Souls III. That said, I couldn’t help but feel something was missing. Though all Souls games are intentionally oppressive, lonely experiences, this one felt lonelier than usual. The reason? Its collective regional publishers—somewhat understandably—decided the running costs of its online services were no longer viable with dwindling users and, having already extended its life longer than intended, finally called time on its servers in February 2018. Because of that, my maiden playthrough of Demon’s Souls meant no in-game help from others - no messages from the community warning me of ambushes, no tips for upcoming enemies, and no trolls telling me to jump off ledges, which I secretly missed the most. Though in these games I usually opt not to call in help from other players (Darkeater Midir in Dark Souls III being the sole, ‘soul’-crushing exception), it felt weird having that cut-off as an option. It meant no tension from the possibility of invaders joining at inopportune moments, leaving me with occasional NPC ‘invasions’ that lacked the unpredictability of real humans, and I know that negatively affected the intended experience in one boss fight in particular. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=The%20Archstones%20is%20a%20free%2C%20fan-created%20private%20server%20that%20restores%20the%20original%20Demon%E2%80%99s%20Souls%E2%80%99%20full%20online%20functionality%20for%20PS3%20and%20emulators..."] After talking about this on social media, a friend recommended I visit the The Archstones if I wanted that ‘true’ Demon’s Souls experience. And to my delight, I discovered a free, fan-created private server that restores the original Demon’s Souls’ full online functionality for PS3 and emulators, plus a 7,750 member-strong Discord community full of passionate Demon’s Souls fanatics that still actively obsess over the original game. Though my first playthough was over before I discovered this service, I couldn’t help but start a new game plus to see how it worked. Within seconds of a simple change to my PS3’s DNS settings I was stepping back in Boletaria, but this time with the comfort of seeing other player’s active, ghostly forms, their dying moments, and messages telling me that ‘the real Demon’s Souls starts here’. Indeed it did. So how did this come to be? The Archstones is the work of Yuvi, a security engineer by trade, hailing from North America. Yuvi became a fan of Demon’s Souls with the western release, becoming aware of it with IGN’s own review but encouraged by the swelling positive buzz online. He wasn’t disappointed. “From the first 20 minutes, you knew exactly what you’re getting yourself into—a brutal and unforgiving game—but the difficulty never got to me, it only kept me going.” While Demon’s Souls focused on a dying world, it was the way its online elements made it feel alive that really captured him. “Demon’s Souls had some of the most memorable online moments I’ve ever had,” he says. “The world was alive thanks to bloodstains and messages. So many times I would believe a message only for it to lead to my death, or I’d watch someone else’s death play out and think ‘oh I can handle that’ and realise I was wrong.” [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=%E2%80%9CThe%20world%20was%20alive%20thanks%20to%20bloodstains%20and%20messages.%20So%20many%20times%20I%20would%20believe%20a%20message%20only%20for%20it%20to%20lead%20to%20my%20death%2C%20or%20I%E2%80%99d%20watch%20someone%20else%E2%80%99s%20death%20play%20out%20and%20think%20%E2%80%98oh%20I%20can%20handle%20that%E2%80%99%20and%20realise%20I%20was%20wrong.%E2%80%9D"] Like many others, he particularly enjoyed the invasion system and co-op. “I loved the thrill of invasions. I’m not usually a PVPer, but I always enjoy defending myself [in Souls games] and feel accomplished when I defeat the invader, or when I team up with others.” And this is why Yuvi felt the need to help save Demon’s Souls’ online functionality in the wake of its closure. “Demon’s Souls is an online-only game in my eyes,” he says. “From created a great world, but it’s a world enhanced by its online elements. They create fear and tension. Its interactions with allies and enemies are what made it really special.” When the news spread of the then-upcoming server shutdown, Yuvi knew he had to do something. “It hit me pretty hard as the online was essential to Demon’s Souls. Without it, it’s not the same, it’s no longer alive and that’s not as enjoyable to me.” Thankfully Yuvi was no stranger to the preservation of online games. It’s a subject he’s been passionate about for close to a decade and a half, having worked on revival efforts for City of Heroes and helping with various fan-translation projects, and importantly, he wasn’t alone when it came to trying to keep Demon’s Souls online. A Reddit user known as ‘ymgve’ had started gathering network packet captures and other data needed to recreate the game’s servers. “I wasn’t actively a part of this project at that stage due to some big life changes, but I was keeping a close eye on it,” Yuvi says. Within hours of the official servers going offline, ymgve’s test server went live, but quickly indicated he had no intention making it permanent, and that’s when Yuvi stepped in. “Right away I pledged to create, host and manage the Demon’s Souls server, and started working immediately on a permanent home for the Demon’s Souls online community. I had my server up and running a day later. As soon as ymgve brought his server down, everyone came to mine.” But how do people like ymgve and Yuvi backwards engineer what Demon’s Soul was doing? [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=%E2%80%9COne%20of%20the%20great%20things%20about%20Demon%E2%80%99s%20Souls%20was%20that%20the%20network%20traffic%20was%20sent%20in%20almost%20plain%20text%2C%20which%20made%20it%20a%20lot%20easier%20to%20understand%20how%20its%20elements%20worked%20once%20you%E2%80%99d%20figured%20out%20the%20encryption.%22"] “One of the great things about Demon’s Souls was that the network traffic was sent in almost plain text, which made it a lot easier to understand how its elements worked once you’d figured out the encryption. For instance, it would periodically send ghost data to a ‘setwanderingghost.spd’ file on the server, with all the info it needed to then send it to other users in the same level, like coordinates.” “Using that same key, you could read all the data being sent to the server. From there it’s all about coding and replicating the information, and that’s what ymgve did using python2 and a sqlite database to house the player, message and bloodstain data. I still use ymgve’s code as a base to this day, though highly-customised and updated.” Though ymgve had done a lot of initial legwork there was still much to do, not only in understanding and replicating that work but also bringing more of Demon’s Souls’ functionality back from the dead. Thankfully, how the traffic moved between game and server was a huge help. “When I came in,” Yuvi says, “ymgve’s base emulator had the most visible features working, but I’ve since been able to finish off reimplementing more of the complex original features, such as ‘soul level restriction matchmaking’ and the dynamic global tendency.” World tendency was a subtle system where a combo of your actions, and the actions of others, could impact elements of your game world, such as opening otherwise closed areas or sending tougher ‘black phantom’ enemies your way. While reimplementing this is pretty impressive, Yuvi’s taken it a step further, allowing his users to set whatever world tendency they want, and even put its controls in the hands of his Discord community’s admins for special events, where they can change exactly how much player actions—such as the number of deaths of those connected—affect everyone else, much in the same way From itself would occasionally alter the meta game for seasonal silliness. The Archstones also provides a bunch of new features From never implemented, such as community stats and a handy list of populated areas, so you know exactly where to offer help or invade. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=The%20Archstones%20also%20provides%20a%20bunch%20of%20new%20features%20From%20never%20implemented%2C%20such%20as%20community%20stats%20and%20a%20handy%20list%20of%20populated%20areas%2C%20so%20you%20know%20exactly%20where%20to%20offer%20help%20or%20invade."] I ask Yuvi if anyone from FromSoftware or Sony had been in contact about the server, or if he was worried they’d try to shut him down. “Not once!” he says. “I admire all the work these teams have done and would be thrilled to say thanks to them. On the subject of shutdown or legal action, I don’t do this to cause trouble, I simply just want to keep amazing games online. Most of my work is open source, we’re not using their hardware, we just replicated the data with our own methods. If we did get hit with a cease and desist? I’d comply, my family’s more important than legal battles, but I do what I do for the Demon’s Souls community, to save the things we love.” The community, of course, are thankful that Yuvi picked up where ymgve left off. Karla is one of the newer members, who (like me) wanted to check out the original Demon’s Souls after working her way through later Souls games. She’d bought a PS3 after the official servers had shut down and The Archstones was her only option. “My first ever Demon’s Souls experience was with the private server,” she says, but indicated it wasn’t just the reinstated online features that helped her, but also the community. “People in the Discord helped me a lot with connecting, making builds and giving me rare items that are hard to farm. Since then I’ve tried to help others too, it helps me feel connected to the other members. ‘Maiden’ (the community’s key lead and the first person I spoke to) and the other moderators run things extremely well and keep the community safe for everyone.” Echoing the community’s role, one of those moderators, going by the tag ‘Gelsiah’, told me how since joining the community in 2017 he’d gone from beginner to series veteran, to then finally acting as a resource for other members. “I used to regularly connect with members on the board to guide them through the Valley of Defilement or bounce around helping people with boss fights. I play less these days and instead help more through advice on Discord.” Of course, the Bluepoint remake is almost upon us, and given Yuvi’s hard work, he must have mixed feelings about it. “I’ve been asked about this a lot, even when it was just rumours a few years back. At first I was surprised they’d even remake it. Even with how big Dark Souls has become, Demon’s Souls was not that well known. I was in shock when I heard the music in the announcement trailer and it looks great, but I did feel slightly sad, as I knew once it hit that my servers might be emptier for a while. But really, it’s going to bring so many new fans to a game I loved for over a decade. As long as Bluepoint don’t change too much, I think it’s going to be a great experience. We’ve seen glimpses of how the gameplay differs, but I definitely like what I’ve seen so far.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/demons-souls-ps5-gameplay-trailer"] The community seems, by and large, to share much the same view. A scroll through their dedicated remake channel shows a mixture of excitement and cautious optimism, but also some concern over what exactly Bluepoint might change. The new camera angle and the ease with which enemies are slain in the gameplay trailer seem to be the biggest triggers, along with scepticism over weapons and equipment as pre-order bonuses, though those I spoke to are mostly excited. “I’m extremely hopeful and excited, I screamed with joy during both trailers” Karla tells me. “I expected them to just port the game into Dark Souls III’s engine as it [the original] hasn’t aged too well graphically, but they’ve recreated it from the ground up, so I think it’s going to be great for new players and veterans alike.” The aptly named ‘Maiden’, the community lead mentioned by Karla earlier, agrees. “Of all the games I feel Demon’s Souls really deserves a remake. It was a hidden gem that fathered the Souls genre. It’s a game that had trouble reaching its audience and so many overlooked it.” Of those I spoke to, Gelsiah is slightly less convinced. “I’m a touch mixed. I’m glad it’s happening and I’m sure it’ll be a great game, but I really wish the original was better officially preserved. I’m excited to see Bluepoint’s vision for Demon’s Souls, but I worry it’ll overwrite the original more than it should. Ideally, this would ship along with a straight, minimal-frills HD port with the online restored.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/demons-souls-remake-vs-original-comparison"] Regardless of the remake, Yuvi has no intention of pulling support for the original game. “No matter what happens, my server will stay as there will always be an audience for the original experience. As a games preservationist, it’s important to keep it running as long as I can.” And he’s right, that audience will always be there. My takeaway from playing the original and talking to those involved in The Archstones is this: For a game that only ever found a smaller audience than it deserved, and that walked so Dark Souls could run, Demon’s Souls—whether through Bluepoint’s remake or fan-created services like this—is now more visible and accessible than ever before. And that’s good for everyone. If, like I was, you’re looking to dust off your PS3 and experience the original Demon’s Souls any time soon, be sure to stop by The Archstones as part of your journey. It'll be waiting. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Andy Corrigan is a freelance games writer based in Australia who pops up on IGN whenever he has something he's passionate about. You can say hi on Twitter.

A Complete Guide to Amnesia: Rebirth

Find every match and solve all puzzles with ease with help from this Amnesia: Rebirth guide.

Cyberpunk 2077's Developer CD Projekt Red's Stock Has Fell 25% in Two Months

Since its peak at the end of August, Cyberpunk 2077's developer CD Projekt Red's share price has fallen by 25%. As reported by GamesIndustry.Biz, the peak coincided with the announcement of The Witcher: Monster Slayer mobile AR game. Since then, CD Projekt Red market cap has dropped by almost €2.5 billion ($2.9 billion). In August 2020, the price per share was around $116 USD and, as of October 30, it had fallen to around $84 USD. In that time frame, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued, Cyberpunk 2077 has seen another delay to December 10, 2020, and reports have come out about mandatory crunch at CD Projekt Red, even after the studio promised there would be none. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/30/ps4-and-xbox-one-are-holding-back-cyberpunk-2077"] CD Projekt Red Head of Studio Adam Badowski responded to the reports, saying it was "one of the hardest decisions I've had to make," but noted that the developers would be "well compensated for every extra hour they put in." Cyberpunk 2077's delay follows CD Projekt Red stating that the game had gone gold. However, the developer needed a bit more time, and it appears that the delay may be related to the current-gen versions of the much-anticipated game. CD Projekt Red CEO Adam Kicinski once again said there will be no further delays following this one, as this most recent push back is of a much different type than the previous ones. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=100-new-cyberpunk-2077-screenshots-gangs-characters-and-playstyles-revealed&captions=true"] For more on Cyberpunk 2077, check out its Twitter account having a reckoning with its old Tweets following the delay and our thoughts after playing Cyberpunk 2077 for four hours earlier this year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Anthem 2.0: Javelin Builds, Skill Trees, and Artifact Details Revealed

Anthem is currently undergoing a major overhaul, and BioWare has detailed how the team is planning to improve Javelin gameplay, builds, skill trees, artifacts, and more. Revealed on BioWare's blog, these ideas, mockups, and direction are all works in progress, and may change, but it gives a glimpse into the development of Anthem's future. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=anthem-20-javelin-gameplay-builds-skill-trees-and-artifacts-concepts&captions=true"]

Javelin Gameplay and Builds

One of the biggest complaints that BioWare has heard about Anthem was that it "doesn't offer satisfying Javelin Builds." It has taken that to heart, and wants to give more choice and experimentation for loadouts. Anthem's UI, at least in this look, appears to take a more Destiny-like approach, and shows how items will now be categorized to one of 11 available equipment slots. Weapons would also be Primary or Secondary to offer "distinctiveness in their role," Mods and Artifact slots would replace Components, and players would be able to manage their Equipment and Abilities in their Loadout Screen. Abilities would also be unlocks, not drops, to help players get the build they want. Builds would be defined by synergies of Specializations, Abilities (which can be enhanced by Mods), and Equipment. Inscriptions would also improve build synergies, but would no longer be as much a primary factor in them. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/10/anthem-getting-major-overhaul"]

Anthem's Updated Skill Trees and Artifacts

The Anthem development team is playing around with the idea of Javelins leveling up and earning Skill Points. These points would unlock Abilities, Passives, and Stat Boosts, and each Specialization would have its own Advanced Skill Tree. There would be multiple specializations that cater to different styles of gameplay, and each Javelin would be able to wield a powerful Artifact that can be customized. Many players have felt that Components feel "nothing more than stat modifiers," and the team wants to replace them with Artifacts - super powered tech that set your Javelin and Freelancer apart. Each type of Javelin would have a distinct Artifact that would cater "towards its class fantasy." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/02/21/anthem-review"] For example, a Ranger's rocket pod would be upgraded into the Skyfell Launcher Artifact, a pair of back-mounted pods that transform into rocket launchers. Artifacts would also change in appearance depending on what parts are equipped, and the parts would contribute to powerful passive abilities generated by the Artifact. For more on Anthem, be sure to check out the upcoming changes planned to loot and weapons and how we may not be seeing this update for quite some time. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

54 Things Breath of the Wild Fans Will Love About Age of Calamity

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is an exciting prospect for die-hard Breath of the Wild fans, as it’s set 100 years before the events of that game, in the lead-up to the Great Calamity. That means we'll get to see the Champions in their prime, we'll get to visit a familiar but very different Hyrule and we'll learn a whole lot more about exactly how Ganon was once more unleashed upon the world. After playing the pre-release demo for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity – which you should play before you read this, incidentally - there’s some debate about whether this game will be in the Breath of the Wild timeline or represent a new split, as... well - SPOILER ALERT – time travel is involved. We’ll get into that shortly, but regardless, there’s a heap of things to be excited about for Breath of the Wild fans. 54 in fact! (Oh, and please be aware – the video companion above was published before the demo became available, so we’ve obviously found out more since then. The written feature incorporates all the new info.) [poilib element="accentDivider"]

1) It’s Official!

Age of Calamity is effectively an official prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and that’s a huge deal. Yes, it’s a Dynasty Warriors-style game, but unlike the previous Hyrule Warriors games, the developers at Koei have been collaborating with Nintendo’s Zelda team at every step of the way, on game elements including gameplay direction, graphics, the world and all dialogue. That means that the Zelda team has approved how Age of Calamity will be handling the Great Calamity. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/08/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-official-trailer"]

2) More Lore, Blimey!

From a story perspective there’s so much to explore here. Obviously I’m excited to find out who is pulling the strings behind the resurrection of Calamity Ganon, but I’d also like to know more about the background of the Yiga clan. Perhaps we’ll also find out more about what happened to Zelda’s mother, who passed away when she was only six. There are a number of important relationships between characters that can be fleshed out as well. Urbosa, for instance, is something of a mother figure for Zelda, while Link and Zelda, Link and Mipha, and Purah and Impa, all have a lot to potentially delve into. And then there’s all the story wrapped up in Age of Calamity’s possible re-imagining of events. As we see during the demo, when Zelda’s power to seal Calamity Ganon awakens – just after Link has passed out, and all hope seems lost - the radiant light also wakes up a “diminutive Guardian” who uses a portal to travel back in time to a point before Calamity Ganon has arisen. Team Zelda quickly discover some images stored on it showing the devastation of the Great Calamity, and thus get a big heads-up about how things are going to go down. Can they change their fates? Or will the outcome still (largely) be the same as what we were shown and told during Breath of the Wild? We don't know, but this Guardian does seem be a source of uncorrupted Sheikah power that can help fight the spread of the calamity. It appears to be the reason that friendly playable characters are able to use Sheikah runes in battle, and it’s also able to power Sheikah tech, such as in the demo when it animates dormant Guardians to then target a corrupted Guardian Stalker. Of course, the reason there’s an evil Guardian Stalker on the loose is because some malice came back through the portal after the egg Guardian, but hey, waddaya gonna do? Oh, and the last point on story – it appears there is also an Evil Diminutive Guardian (see slideshow below)... assumedly with a goatee. Is this the same Guardian? Just from the present as opposed to the future? Time will tell. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=age-of-calamitys-diminutive-guardian-and-its-evil-twin&captions=true"]

3) I Want to Go (Back) to There

The iconic Breath of the Wild world map is back and from it we’ll be roaming far and wide across a Hyrule one hundred years younger. A lot has changed on the ground, but from on high key locations like Hyrule Castle, the Korok Forest and Death Mountain are exactly as we remember them.

4) A Life Before the Destruction

Age of Calamity will give us the chance to visit locations that were thriving during this time period, but only scrappy ruins by the time we came across them in Breath of the Wild. Of course, we’ll likely be fighting our way through many of them, so it’s not exactly sightseeing, but still, I’ve always been curious to know what places like Mabe Village and Goponga Village were once like. [caption id="attachment_2433018" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Not pictured: 100 years earlier.[/caption]

5) Large, Varied Battle Maps

In Age of Calamity we don’t actually get to explore the world as a continuous landscape like we did in Breath of the Wild, but the mission maps themselves can be quite large, and for an action game in the Dynasty Warriors milieu, hopping directly to our destination is no bad thing.

6) A Towering Presence

When you’re on the map during the demo, by the way, Link is actually at Central Tower, so when you choose a mission that takes him somewhere else in the game world, you’ll see him teleport away from there. It’s likely that there will be a tower that functions as a hub location in each of the main areas of the map, as a different tower is briefly visible during the first shot of Vah Naboris in the Gerudo Desert in the trailer showcasing the Divine Beasts (below). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/28/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-official-demo-trailer"]

7) The New Loading Screen

Remember Breath of the Wild’s loading screen? As you completed each Divine Beast it showed up on the loading screen, so by the end of the game you had a little elephant, lizard, bird, camel and motorbike bopping along. Here it seems as though the loading screen shows the characters you’ve unlocked, so you very quickly have Zelda, Impa, the new mini-Guardian and Link (see screenshot below), and it's not long after that they're joined by the four Divine Beast pilots as well. Nice! Best of all, the egg Guardian can be controlled! You can use L and R to move it left and right, while double-tapping either makes it run and B makes it jump. So. Cute. [caption id="attachment_2433002" align="alignnone" width="1920"] It's even cute in 2D.[/caption]

8) You’ll Make Progress Across Whole Regions

Coming back to the map, the world itself is formally divided up into large regions, so missions and subquests completed contribute to your progress in the area as a whole, unlocking more options as you go. As an example, the Gerudo Region takes in the Desert, the Highlands and the mountains to the east and south-east, while Necluda encompasses Deya Village, Karariko Village and Hateno Village.

9) Familiar Locations, New Gameplay

It seems silly to get excited about how much some of the locations in Age of Calamity look like their Breath of the Wild counterparts, but still – they really do! Gerudo Town, for instance, is spot on. It even has the bar where we had to eavesdrop to hear the Gerudo Secret Club password. The screenshots below show a comparison, but to see Age of Calamity's Gerudo Town in motion, check out this part of the Nintendo Treehouse presentation. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=gerudo-town-snapshots&captions=true"]

10) Iconic Sights

It’s also cool being able to easily place yourself in the world. The Yiga Clan hideout, for instance, is still instantly recognisable. As is Korok Forest, thanks in no small part to the Great Deku Tree. And areas like Zora’s domain are as distinct as ever. [caption id="attachment_2432986" align="alignnone" width="1280"] That's Zora's Domain alright.[/caption]

11) Oh, the Places You'll Know

As you complete missions, more and more icons pop up across the map. Now, a lot of these represent text-based interactions, as opposed to places you can visit, but as a huge fan of this world I’m still keen to discover it all. After all, it adds flavour when a merchant is at one of the stables we remember from Breath of the Wild. Surely we’ll meet an ancestor of Beedle’s too.

12) Cooking is Only Used to Help in Combat

Cooking is back, but things have changed somewhat. Rather than experimenting and finding your own recipes, you instead have to unlock recipes first. And then, if you have all the ingredients, you can choose to cook a dish ahead of each mission to get a specific perk that will hopefully do some work. A meal may boost your damage, for instance, or increase your movement speed. [caption id="attachment_2432988" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Next stop, Steamed Hams.[/caption]

13) Meals Have Been Cleverly Adapted

Meals themselves have changed too. One of the recipes we saw in the Nintendo Treehouse presentation, for instance, used Chillfin Trout - an ingredient Breath of the Wild players would be familiar with - but the resulting dish had a different, but similar-ish, effect. Instead of turning into a meal that boosts Link’s heat resistance when exploring the world – which isn’t a factor in Age of Calamity, it instead boosts his heat resistance in combat – reducing fire damage taken by 50%. It’s a pretty neat fit, really.

14) Iconic Ingredients, Monster Parts and More

Chillfin Trout, of course, is just one of many ingredients and items you’ll collect as you fight and visit different locations on the map. Check out the screenshot below to see just how familiar it all is. That said, there are some new things. You’ll get a “Trophy,” which actually just looks like a piece of paper, each time you kill a specific type of enemy – which means you’ll quickly acquire hundreds of them for enemies like Bokoblins - and these are then used as resources to complete certain subquests. You’ll also gather Ethereal Stones – “a mysterious stone brought back from an otherworldly battlefield.” Yes, some battles appear to take place in a different timeline. [caption id="attachment_2432989" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Take stock.[/caption]

15) Bokos, Moblins and All Your BFFs Are Back

So, crafting ingredients are largely the same, but really, that’s nowhere near as cool as the bestiary that’s also been brought across to Age of Calamity. I love how faithful these foes are. Bokoblins stamp their feet in rage before attacking, Moblins pound the ground with clubs, Lizalfos try and blend into the environment, Lynels leap at you, Hinoxes try and crush you, Taluses have ore deposit weak spots on their backs, and Yiga Blademasters will try and take you out with tornado attacks. It seems likely ALL the key enemies from Breath of the Wild will be represented, extending from skeletal versions of Bokos, Moblins, etc, all the way through to bigger beasts like Molduga.

16) A Delightful Dance of Death

Combat against Age of Calamity’s malicious marauders is a heap of fun, whether you’re launching enemies into the air and firing off a volley of arrows mid-combo, sending waves of enemies crashing into those behind them or you’re dodging perfectly to trigger Flurry Rushes. Each character has a distinct play style too, from Zelda’s heavy Sheikah Slate use through to Impa’s incredible agility. But more on the playable characters later. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-demo-23-minutes-of-link-impa-zelda-gameplay"]

17) You Can Still Use the Environment in Combat

While combat looks sweet, it’s certainly less improvisational than Breath of the Wild, so you’re not going to be doing things like disarming enemies then taking their weapon, or dropping metal gear during a thunderstorm to shock enemies. Even so, the environments are still littered with opportunities to cause havoc in combat, letting you use metal crates, bodies of water and explosive barrels to your advantage. You can also leap off walls, trees and other objects and into a mid-air combo.

18) You’ll Know What to Expect from Enemies…

Enemies have wield similar weapons to their Breath of the Wild brethren and generally attack in the same way too, so those hundreds of hours you’ve already spent fighting Bokos, Hinoxes and the like weren’t for nothing. I also love that they’ll still do things like throwing rocks at you if there’s no weapon to hand. Will Moblins throw Bokoblins? Unconfirmed at this stage, but fingers crossed.

19) …But There Will Still Be Surprises

Many enemies have learnt new tricks too. Some Bokos actually throw their clubs at you, for instance, while Moblin area bosses in Goron country wield fire. Bokoblins also come in super-sized varieties now… when they’re area bosses at least. [caption id="attachment_2433004" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Will Guardians learn any new tricks?[/caption]

20) Somewhat Destructible Environments

Breath of the Wild fans will notice some pretty familiar enemy structures too, like platforms built around trees and giant stone skull dwellings. The difference this time is that they can almost all be demolished!

21) Link is Still a Woodsman

Trees also can be chopped down or toppled by explosions. It wouldn’t be a Breath of the Wild prequel without felling trees. You’ll even get wood for your trouble.

22) All the Colours of the Boko

In Breath of the Wild, an enemy’s colour dictated how tough it was, starting with red, then blue, black, and moving on to silver and eventually gold if you were playing Master Mode. It will be interesting to see if colours mean the same thing in Age of Calamity. It’s possible that they’ll just denote different variants. In any case, so far we haven’t spotted any silver or gold enemies, but it seems extremely likely they’ll be included.

23) New Characters… Maybe

Age of Calamity introduces some new faces, such as a dual-wielding Yiga warrior, who is second in charge after Master Kohga. We’ve also had a glimpse of a mysterious new villain... who may well be the fortune-teller referenced in Breath of the Wild. [caption id="attachment_2432987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] An intense moment for Link as he read King Rhoam's journal.[/caption] These two will certainly play a big role in the story, and you can see their introduction in the trailer below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-untold-chronicles-from-100-years-past-part-2-trailer"]

24) A Fresh-Faced Introduction to Impa, Robbie and Purah

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Age of Calamity is the fact that we’ll be able to spend time with some of the most iconic allies we met in Breath of the Wild. It’s awesome to see Impa as a powerful young woman, for instance. Robbie and Purah, meanwhile, are as offbeat and punk rock as ever, and will pick up where they left off (in a manner of speaking given this is a hundred years earlier) as Sheikah tech researchers for our heroes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/06/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-untold-chronicles-from-100-years-past-trailer"]

25) Fighting With the Champions… and Their Divine Beasts

And then there are the Champions, who we only met through flashbacks and ghostly interactions in Breath of the Wild. It’s awesome that they’ll get more screen-time in Age of Calamity, and each promises to have a distinct fighting style, as well as a unique Divine Beast that we’ll also be able to pilot, destroying enemy armies with ease. Let’s quickly profile each one. [caption id="attachment_2432990" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Doomed Champions. (Or are they?)[/caption]

26) Urbosa’s Fury

Urbosa is the Gerudo pilot of Vah Naboris, and - during this time period - the owner of the Thunder Helm, so it makes complete sense that this fierce warrior harnesses electricity. More than that, if you can find a moment to step outside the fray she can use ZR to charge up and actually store electricity, which she can then channel into more powerful attacks. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-urbosa-zelda-and-gerudo-town-gameplay-commentary"]

27) Daruk’s Protection

Daruk is the Goron Champion and the pilot of Vah Rudania. While bulky and a little slow on his feet, he can get around the battlefield pretty quickly by rolling - a classic Goron move! He uses the power of magma in his attacks, and of course, he can shield himself from incoming damage.

28) Mipha’s Grace

Mipha is the Princess of Zora, the pilot of Vah Ruta and… quite a fan of Link’s. She’s also a healer, so it’s likely that will come into play, although so far we’ve primarily seen some of her spectacular water-based attacks.

29) Revali’s Gale

Revali is a member of the Rito tribe, Vah Medoh’s pilot and… not a big fan of Link’s. He’s most comfortable up in the air, raining bomb arrows from above with his sweet, multi-shot Great Eagle Bow. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-official-trailer-tgs-2020"]

30) Wielding the Weapons of Champions Again

Speaking of Revali’s Great Eagle Bow, this was a pretty special piece of gear in Breath of the Wild, as were the other Champions’ weapons - Urbosa’s Scimitar of the Seven, Mipha’s Lightscale Trident and Daruk’s Boulder Breaker. Why? Because they could be repaired. And now we get to use them again, and in the hands of their original owners, no less. Remember how massive the Boulder Breaker was for Link? Daruk wields it easily with one hand. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-the-champions-weapons&captions=true"]

31) The Greatest Hits

These aren’t the only familiar weapons in Age of Calamity, of course. You’ll also get to swing Boko clubs and bats, as well as a bunch of familiar swords, broadswords, spears and claymores. And tree branches – can’t forget about tree branches.

32) A New Feel for the Classic Iron Sledgehammer

The Iron Sledgehammer is also in the mix. During the Nintendo Treehouse presentation (below - from about 14:30 in) we got a really good look at this weapon in action and it’s a far cry from the slow and heavy tool it was in Breath of the Wild. It’s shaping up to be a totally viable – and super fun – choice. [youtube clip_id="OPko85hf0f0"]

33) Weapons Can Be Upgraded and Given Perks

I actually really liked the fact that most weapons were gone for good after they broke in Breath of the Wild, but this won’t be the case in Age of Calamity. Instead, your weapons persist but you’ll be able to level them up by fusing them with other weapons at a Blacksmith. This not only makes them stronger but lets you add perks too. I’m not too sure how the Master Sword will factor into this system, but I like the fact that we’ll be able to take a Soup Ladle and, erm, soup it up to be a force of wanton destruction.

34) Your Combat Options Evolve

Visiting the Blacksmith isn’t the only way to improve your abilities in combat. Subquests pop up regularly on the map and many will reward you with a bonus combo for a specific character. (Others can give you things like an additional heart of health.) The more you progress, the more combo options you have for each playable character, which is great, as chaining together flashy moves on the ground and in the air is a big part of what makes Age of Calamity’s gameplay satisfying. [caption id="attachment_2432991" align="alignnone" width="1920"] That looks clinical, but wild moves abound.[/caption]

35) Having Fun With the Weapon Selection

One of the hallmarks of Breath of the Wild was how playful its selection of weapons was. In that game Link was able to wield all sorts of objects, like mops, pitchforks and… the bones of his vanquished foes. It feels like Age of Calamity may be heading in the same direction – if weapons like the Soup Ladle, tree branch and the pot lid shield are anything to go by – and that’s definitely a good thing. Here’s hoping we can also wade through Calamity Ganon’s forces wielding weapons like a Spring-Loaded Hammer or Korok leaf.

36) Ya-ha-ha! Korok Seeds Are Back!

And speaking of Koroks, you didn’t think they’d be left out did you? Yes, you’ll still be finding Koroks and collecting their seeds, although to what end we don’t know yet. Will they serve a similar purpose to Breath of the Wild? Maybe, as we do know that Hestu is featured and… fully voiced now (see the trailer below). Weird. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-untold-chronicles-from-100-years-past-part-3-trailer"]

37) Princess Zelda Has the Sheikah Slate…

Age of Calamity may be a game that’s all about combat, but there’s one character that doesn’t wield a traditional weapon at all – Princess Zelda. No, the only weapon Zelda needs is the Sheikah Slate, and using it her base attacks are a wonderful kaleidoscope of rune powers, switching between whacking enemies with metal crates, rolling oversize bombs at them, casting multiple Cryonis blocks and freezing them in place. Like other characters she has a host of different combos to explore using combinations of regular attacks (Y) and strong attacks (X), as well as rune powers that can be selected by pressing R then hitting a face button, such as deploying and steering a huge remote bomb spewing remote bomb (see image below). Her ZR ability, meanwhile, lets her trigger any sheikah runes in the field – Cryonis blocks, remote bombs etc. Finally, Zelda’s special skill uses a familiar Sheikah Slate ability – the camera, which highlights then damages all the enemies in frame. [caption id="attachment_2432992" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bombs away![/caption]

38) …But Everyone Can Use Rune Powers

Sheikah rune powers are available to ALL, but each rune - Stasis, Magnesis, Remote Bomb and Cryonis - corresponds to a unique attack for each playable character. It’s very cool seeing what each individual can do. Impa’s Magnesis move, for instance, sucks all the metal weapons out of enemy hands and forms them into a huge sword which she swings at them. Time doesn’t freeze entirely while you select a rune to use, but it does slow down enough to give you a little breathing room. Another gameplay element that’s slightly different from Breath of the Wild is the fact that you have a universal cooldown timer, so if you’ve just used Cryonis, you have to wait through the recharge before being able to use any other rune. We should also mention that runes aren’t exclusively used during battles. In a neat nod to Breath of the Wild, you can use Magnesis to pull up half-submerged treasure chests! [caption id="attachment_2432993" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yoink![/caption]

39) Harnessing the Elements

Importantly, it’s not just the Sheikah runes that you’ll be drawing on in addition to hacking and slashing. Elemental powers are also just as important in Age of Calamity as they were in Breath of the Wild. Defeated Wizzrobes drop elemental rods, and once you have them they can be accessed much like the rune powers. Each can only be used a limited number of times before being topped up, but are a pretty ideal way to electrocute, burn or freeze your foes. Elemental attacks can be used to counter an enemy too, so if you come across an Ice Wizzrobe you can use a fire attack to do considerably more damage to it. Or if you target a metal crate with a Lightning Rod it will shock a larger area. [caption id="attachment_2432994" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Positively shocking.[/caption]

40) Impa is Insanely Cool

Age of Calamity’s combat also packs more mystical powers, and there’s no better illustration of this than Impa. This Sheikah is fast, furious and ninja-like, slicing far and wide with her short blade, disappearing and reappearing in a puff of smoke, and using seals to grow in power. Perhaps Impa’s most alluring ability is one she shares with Monk Maz Koshia from The Champions’ Ballad – she uses the energy of enemies to create clones of herself, amplifying her attacks many times over. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-impa-vs-hinox-gameplay-commentary"]

41) Fight Through Hyrule With a Friend

You can swap to any playable character on the battlefield at will, so if you’re attempting a mission with three friendlies, you can use them all. You can see who’s in the battle on the left hand side of the screen. Importantly, you’ll also be able to play with a friend in local co-op.

42) Changing Your Tunic

Age of Calamity is full of iconic outfits from Breath of the Wild. We’ve seen Link in Soldier’s Armor, the Champion’s Tunic, the Hylian outfit, Stealth outfit, Desert Voe outfit, Flamebreaker Armor, Zora gear, Snowquill clothes and so on. Will all the armor sets from Breath of the Wild be included? I sure hope so - the thought gets me all… Tingle-y. [caption id="attachment_2432995" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Best. Outfit. Ever.[/caption]

43) Clothes May Not Make the Hylian

Whether clothes actually impact gameplay remains to be seen. Age of Calamity does refer to these options as “attire” as opposed to “armor,” so it’s entirely possible they’re just cosmetic choices. (Other characters are lacking the option to change attire in the demo entirely.) And if that’s the case, well, I’ll be happy to just run around as semi-naked Link. After all, Breath of the Wild had a bunch of easter eggs to discover based on lack of attire, such as Link showing off his muscles in an idle animation and NPCs reacting differently to him. Even kicking a chest open without shoes on was hilarious. Hopefully Age of Calamity will have similar goodies to discover. (Sadly, we can confirm he doesn’t hop on the spot in pain after kicking a chest without pants on.)

44) You Get a Paraglider, And You, And You, And You!

Link, and indeed all the other playable characters we’ve seen to date, will have access to a paraglider. It can be deployed in-game any time you’re up in the air - so out of wall jumps or after using a launcher combo or rune - and can help cleverly extend combos. And if the ground is sloping down you can actually use it for traversal. [caption id="attachment_2432996" align="alignnone" width="1920"] I'm coming for you Guardian.[/caption]

45) Each Weapon Class Looks Really Distinct

While Link was a generalist in Breath of the Wild, in Age of Calamity he’s more of a specialist, and is restricted to three weapon classes - sword and shield, two-handed weapons and spears. That said, there’s a bunch of weapons in each of these categories and it’s impressive how different each class looks from one another. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-demo-battle-of-hyrule-field-gameplay"]

46) You Can Shield Surf

Which weapon type should you use as Link? Well, to be honest I think sword and shield is going to be pretty tempting. Why? Because one of the combo strings sees Link shield surf his way through enemy mobs at speed. He’s also able to use his bow mid-combo, which is pretty satisfying after launching enemies into the air.

47) You Can Parry (Guardian Lasers)

Shields are also great because you can parry everything from enemy attacks to Guardian lasers – just like in Breath of the Wild. Here’s hoping Lynel shields can be used to attack. [caption id="attachment_2432997" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Show-off.[/caption]

48) Timing is Just as Important

Flurry Rushes also return, giving players a chance to show off their ability to dodge at just the right time to launch a devastating counter attack.

49) You’re Forced to Shake Things Up

Sometimes you won’t have a choice of what weapon class to use. Age of Calamity sets parameters around combat a lot, restricting allies that can be taken in, weapons that can be used and so on. This should help ensure there’s plenty of (forced) variety. And besides, while combat in Breath of the Wild was largely about limitless possibilities, it too made good use of situations where you were restricted. Think about the Trial of the Sword, wielding the One Hit Obliterator, or proving your mettle on Eventide Island. [caption id="attachment_2433006" align="alignnone" width="1920"] That's not wielding it, Link. That's posing with it. Big difference.[/caption]

50) Mid-Battle Meals Are Still a Thing

When Link is wielding a two-handed weapon, he has a particularly awesome ZR move - he can sacrifice a little of his health to power up an attack. You can tell it’s powered up because it flashes red… and corresponds with a dip in his hearts. Thankfully, you don’t need to live with that health hit, as he can also heal that damage back during battle by pressing X to eat a meal. These mid-battle meals are a spectacle of their own, and packed with personality.

51) Strategy in Combat

Any time you face an area boss, you need to whittle down their “Weak-Point Gauge” – a segmented hexagon that functions like a shield to chop through. Do so and you can trigger each character’s bespoke “Weak-Point Smash” attacks. They’re pretty showy and generally finish off the area boss regardless of health total. At least early on. And speaking of area bosses, they can each be countered by a specific move. A Moblin that charges at you with a spear, can be stunned with a well-timed Cryonis block, while a Boko with a shield just needs a few remote bombs tossed at it. [caption id="attachment_2432998" align="alignnone" width="1920"] You can use Magnesis to yank the sledgehammer out of this area boss' hands.[/caption]

52) The Purpose of the Pillars Outside Hyrule Castle

You know those ominous pillars around Hyrule Castle? Well, according to Age of Calamity’s announcement trailer, they house Guardian Stalkers, which drop out of the hatches like a swarm of mechanical spiders and head off to terrorise the neighbourhood. [caption id="attachment_2433000" align="alignnone" width="1280"] No freaking way.[/caption]

53) Ganon Brings a Blood Moon

Age of Calamity’s announcement trailer also seemed to show a Blood Moon when Calamity Ganon was resurrected. Was this the very first Blood Moon? And a direct result of Ganon’s return? Possibly, but we may not see Blood Moons in Age of Calamity given it is the story of the events leading up to the Great Calamity.

54) A Good Egg (Guardian)

Age of Calamity’s adorable mini Guardian sidekick may feel like R2D2, BB8 and Baby Yoda all rolled into one, but c’mon, it is cute. And as we’ve discussed, it seems as though this little creature may well be the lynchpin upon which the whole story relies. [caption id="attachment_2433008" align="alignnone" width="1920"] "Seriously? This little guy?"[/caption] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity launches on Switch on November 20th, so keep your eye on the site for more content and our review. And for now, why not dive back into Hyrule and check out our video on why Breath of the Wild is still riveting in 2020 and watch our tutorial on how to Bomb Impact Launch your way around the map. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/6-reasons-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-still-riveting-in-2020"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Cam Shea is based in Sydney and has been mixing a lot of rave era breakbeat lately. He's on Twitter.

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