Radical Hyrule Rhythm

My last *major* writing endeavor involved a more somberly self-reflective look at myself, gaming, and how the two help to actualize each other.


And I didn’t even make one lewd joke while excitedly doing so

I guess it was good fortune that I was feeling so exhausted when writing the past couple of days, as it gave me the ability to deliver an article when I thought I couldn’t at all, and prove to myself that the writing doesn’t always need a quick 1,2 punchline to justify itself. I realize my articles are never truly exhaustive in what they cover, as I feel they represent more of a creature comfort companion compendium, representing more the idea of the game and the experience itself, nearly going full gonzo in the process.


Though one should be weary when going full gonzo

With that in mind, and in a lucky coincidence of cosmic forces coalescing into a chaotic cacophony of complimentary collaboration , I follow my write up of a Zelda game coming out, with a Zelda game I slept on in the most bizarre happen stance, and one that happens to be a spin-off of Crypt of the Necrodancer: Cadence of Hyrule (CoH), in all of it’s crazy Zelda glory.



I have previously joked about what terrible research I had done involving the title, and I sure wasn’t kidding, or at least, the sentiment started out as a joke, but the premise for the laughs ended up being as real as can be. I’m not one to usually harbor expectations, though in the world of gaming, I usually have a pretty good beat on things, so seeing a project from a far, I can usually surmise or otherwise stipulate what likely awaits for me, even before diving into the experience head first.



That’s where Cadence of Hyrule delightfully blew my assumed expectations straight out of the Hylian water. Here I had thought perhaps this was going to be some cheap skin swap, with most of the original Necrodancer being largely intact, with just a fresh coat of Zelda paint slathered all over the experience…but by the three goddesses, how wrong I was. While the core elements of Necrodancer are intact (mostly), the entire experience is utterly enhanced by it’s fusion with the Zelda pedigree, and the entire game benefits tremendously as a result. I think, as follow up to the original, Cadence of Hyrule is perhaps one of the biggest embodiment’s of quality of life features I’ve seen in a series in a long time.



As mentioned, most of what made Necrodancer tick is still present, but the concentration on infusing the Zelda games is front and center in the best way possible. Having said that, as much as I am a fan of Zelda games, the titles aren’t know for their overly complex narratives, especially the 2d adventures, and CoH isn’t any different. A flimsy premise to get the main character from the Necrodancer series to Hyrule, and a big bad trying to take over, this time in the most musically themed way possible. The whole hing is a bit silly, but I’m not sure there is a straight faced way to lay down the plot work with anything less than absurdist execution.



CoH takes a lot of overall cues from Link to the Past, though the visuals are more reminiscent of Minish Cap. Though, the game overall cherry picks a bunch of different and elements from various Zelda titles, so just about any generation of Zelda player will likely feel very cozy. While the randomized nature of the maps ala Necrodancer is still intact (save for plot relevant geopgraphic staples), the game still feels unabashedly Zelda like in it’s physical form. Both times I played through the demo felt very unique, without feeling cheap or vacant either run. A good sign when a demo creates an immediate urgency for prompting replayability.



To that point, there are still mini hollows to discover in CoH, much like with any Zelda title that has bomb destroyable walls or hidden staircases covered by bushes. There remains an overworld, alongside a dedicated dungeon, so one isn’t just trudging through floor after floor of similar looking dungeons over and over again like the original Necrodancer, which really adds to the variety of exploration the game has to offer, which is exactly what you want to hear in reference to any Zelda experience.



Just like most other Zelda titles, you do have a slew of equipment in which you can arm yourself to better fight the hordes of Hyrule. I know Necrodancer had loads in terms of items to choose from, but with the more randomized nature of the dungeon layout, it always felt too few and far between. CoH is a far more localized experience thanks to the overworld, and they wisely put a save and continue (plus warp!) system in place so that inspite of the games difficulty (in keeping the spirit of Necrodancer alive), you can jump right back into the action with little progress lost. Though you lose some consumables upon death, you keep the overwhelming majority of the gear and upgrades you’ve acquired. Between the time saving checkpoint system and a dedicated inventory that sticks with you between lives, these are some of the big QoL changes I was discussing in reference to why this game was such a breath of fresh air comparatively speaking to it’s OG counter part.



CoH makes a lot of little leaps and bounds in making the entire package feel more robust. Even small/not so small elements, like the ability to block using your shield, or the more readily available health is key in making the whole game feel way more polished. Other moments, like the game having more verticality to play with in terms of level design, a map you can reference, no strict time limit like the original to contend with, dedicated save files to reference, what felt as if a more robust, built out boss fight…Cadence of Hyrule has so many ridiculous improvements over Necrodancer, it honestly makes the the original game feel like a beta in comparison.



I’m curious as to how much of this progression in game design was a natural one, and how much the devs had to collaborate with Nintendo to make sure it got the seal of approval, whatever the case may be, Cadence of Hyrule doesn’t even feel like a derivative title at all, and feels like it belongs right next to any mainline Zelda title that I’ve had the privilege to enjoy, and that’s coming from someone who had mixed feelings about the original in it’s entirety…and I’ve only just played the demo a couple of times!



Needless to say, I’m pumped to finally scrounge up the money to buy the full title as soon as I can. While I admit to having a heavy Zelda bias, there have been examples in the past of non-Nintendo backed spin offs, with varying degrees of concern in terms of relative quality to said entry. Also, as previously stated, just the fact they didn’t do a lazy palette swap was a relief enough, but they really went up and beyond to craft a love letter to the series in an immaculate fashion. With a banging soundtrack and classic gameplay to boot, I’m kicking myself for missing out on Cadence of Hyrule when it first launched. Bring on more of that radical Hyrule Rhythm, pronto.

~Pashford