Cadence of Hyrule, full title Cadence of Hyrule – Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda, was announced in March. However, a leak of source code suggests a May 30th release date for the highly anticipated title.
This upcoming indie rhythm game blends the world of the Crypt of the NecroDancer and the iconic The Legend of Zelda. The developers, Brace Yourself Games, are the studio responsible for 2015 indie hit Crypt of the NecroDancer, a critically acclaimed rogue-like rhythm game scored by Danny Baranowsky.
For those who don’t know, the 2015 indie hit was a rogue-like game where the player and the enemies move to a rhythm. To complete the game you needed to memorize attack patterns, plus keep your ears open for the unique soundtracks behind each level.
In a move almost unheard of in the video games industry, Brace Yourself Games, a relatively unknown developer, was given rights to develop a crossover between their original IP and one of Nintendo’s most globally recognized brands.
Judging by the trailer, the move seems to have paid off. Riding off the success of Zelda’s previous ground-breaking Switch title, Breath of the Wild, Cadence of Hyrule looks set to be a fitting addition to The Legend of Zelda canon.
As one YouTuber puts it, this is the: “Game we never knew we wanted, but absolutely need.” It’s true. Crypt of the NecroDancer was a refreshing hit of originality, which says a lot in 2015, a year which brought us The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Undertale.
However, for those who never touched Brace Yourself’s first title: beware. NecroDancer was a game which stunned with me its difficulty. The final challenge, to complete the game with Coda (a character who is not allowed to use anything other than the starting knife and dies in one hit) was one of the most enticingly frustrating tasks I’ve ever faced in a video game. I’m yet to beat the game using Coda.
Cadence of Hyrule won’t be as tricky as NecroDancer, although I still expect there to be a troubling character or two to challenge the completionists out there. What we’re likely to see is a fun soundtrack – hopefully from the award-winning Danny Baranowsky again – and compelling Zelda gameplay to bridge the gap between BoTW and Link’s next adventure.
