I feel like I’m getting stronger and more capable as I play, just like I would in a traditional Zelda game.

NecroDancer was fully randomized after every death, but here I can to return to areas I’ve already visited, besting enemies that were previously too strong. I uncover more of the map as I explore, moving screen-by-screen in the same manner as the classic Zelda games. Hyrule remains as well, at least in story mode. Heart containers carry over, too, letting me explore deeper into the world without the insta-deaths that make the first few hours of NecroDancer so punishing. This gear, usually hidden underground in mini-dungeons, sticks with me, even after death, making subsequent playthroughs much easier. That mechanic is at odds with the Zelda franchise’s tenets of free exploration and character progression, and major changes were made in Cadence of Hyrule to hew closer to classic Zelda.Īs I start exploring the world of Hyrule (playing as Link, though Zelda is also an option), I quickly stumble upon a few classic staples: a small blue shield, a sword and, a few screens later, a hookshot. NecroDancer is punishingly difficult, for instance, starting players mostly from scratch after every death. īut Cadence of Hyrule isn’t just a reskin of NecroDancer with some Zelda tunes mixed in.

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