Hyrule Warriors Review Roundup

Hyrule Warriors is now just about a week away from its release on Wii U. The first reviews hit the web last week, a sampling of which we've gathered up below to give you some idea of what to expect.

This mash-up of the Zelda and Warriors (known as Musuo in Japan) series was developed by Omega Force and Team Ninja, though Nintendo also had a hand in its development. It was originally conceived as being more like a Zelda game than a Dynasty Warriors one, but Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto stepped in and reversed that initial vision.

Multiplayer is featured in Hyrule Warriors, but it's unfortunately restricted to local play only. Provided you've got a second controller (be it a Wii Remote or Wii U Pro controller), you'll be able to take part in some co-op action with a friend.

Nintendo has announced plans to offer extensive support for the game going forward. A free update being released on launch day will add things like a new weapon and game mode, with plans for more content to be added in the future. For now, you can get some additional costumes by preordering the game at select retailers.

You can check out a handful of reviews below. For more, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: Hyrule Warriors
• Developer: Omega Force/Team Ninja
• Platforms: Wii U
• Release Date: September 26
• Price: $59.99

GameSpot -- 8/10

"Aside from introducing many Legend of Zelda fans to the Warriors franchise, Hyrule Warriors adds little innovation to Koei's megaseries as a whole, but nevertheless brings an undeniable spark ignited by the crossover cast itself. As one of the more well-produced Warriors games in recent memory, it is easy to see Hyrule Warriors paving the way for more Warriors spin-offs--other properties that have a substantial amount of melee combat." [Full review]

Giant Bomb -- 3/5

"Hyrule Warriors is an odd move for Nintendo, but it's one that will make a specific audience of the gaming world very happy. As someone who loves Zelda and is lukewarm at best on Dynasty Warriors, I appreciated the references to the former while becoming frustrated at the bare-bones gameplay of the latter. This quirky offshoot is better than any Dynasty Warriors game I've played, while simultaneously being the worst Zelda game I've ever played." [Full review]

Polygon -- 5.5/10

"Hyrule Warriors demonstrates that the Zelda universe works within the Dynasty Warriors framework, but with limitations. It makes sense for Link to cut down fiendish hordes in the name of Hyrule. It's exciting to play as beloved characters that up until now were just supporting cast members. But Hyrule Warriors' novelty wears off as the game trips over its setup, story, and shallow systems." [Full review]

Eurogamer -- 8/10

"Hyrule Warriors, like every Musou game, is an acquired taste. But here, dressed in Zelda's pea-green livery, with the series' attendant tinkling melodies, idiosyncratic characters, and memorable locations, it's unusually friendly and engaging. The genre is often unfairly criticized for being a mindless power fantasy in a medium that specializes in mindless power fantasies. But Hyrule Warriors rewards thoughtful play and demands a strategic approach that transcends the brute force combo-strings of its moment-to-moment gameplay. The marriage of Zelda and Musou is an unexpected success, then--a game that recounts the Zelda myth not just in a new way, but in a whole new language." [Full review]

GamesRadar -- 2/5

"The best part of Hyrule Warriors is seeing the stylized versions of the classic characters, taking the characters' movesets out for a spin, and absorbing the love Koei Tecmo has for the Zelda series. But nostalgia and fanservice can only take the game so far. Hyrule Warriors is held back by monotonous gameplay, brain-dead AI enemies, and overlong missions that quickly exhaust you with repeat actions, enemies, and environments." [Full review]

USGamer -- 3.5/5

"Hyrule Warriors is basically a one-note experience, but it hits that note with perfect pitch. The Zelda universe works better as a Musou button-masher than you might expect, and much of that success is down to Tecmo's obvious love for the subject matter. This isn't a patch on what we've seen of the next 'true' Zelda, but it should tide fans over quite nicely until that one arrives." [Full review]