Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review

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Fast Facts

A Bold Return to Hyrule

Much like other releases in the musou genre, the Hyrule Warriors series has always thrived on excess. Hundreds of enemies on screen, screen-filling special attacks, plenty of pizzazz. And that’s fine… you know what you’re signing up for. If you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll be happy with what you get.

However, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment attempts to be something bolder – a musou that doesn’t just borrow from The Legend of Zelda, but fully embeds itself in its world, canon, and storytelling to feel like an important piece of the series’ timeline. It’s an ambitious move that pays off thanks to some refined action-packed combat, captivating storytelling, and a level of polish that finally makes the series feel at home within Zelda’s lore (even if it doesn’t necessarily change up the core gameplay loop too much).

A Canonical Story Worth Telling

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment fits neatly into the Tears of the Kingdom timeline, following Princess Zelda’s fall beneath Hyrule Castle and her awakening in an ancient era. There she meets King Rauru and Queen Sonia, the first rulers of Hyrule, as the kingdom faces the rising threat of Ganondorf’s Demon King army. It’s something that was hinted at and referenced in Tears of the Kingdom, but it’s fleshed out into a full-blown narrative here, giving The Legend of Zelda fans itching for that extra bit of lore something deep and intriguing to dive into.

The story fleshes things out with new faces and plenty of side stories, though the core (and perhaps more familiar) characters do take most of the spotlight. Zelda’s growth becomes central to her role further down the line, and Ganondorf’s presence remains manipulative and menacing. This ensures that he stands out as the dastardly villain long-time players know him to be. It’s all wonderfully done, and being canon to the timeline, it feels like more than just an alternate-timeline curiosity.

Refined Combat That Hits Hard

Gameplay-wise, the formula seen in previous Hyrule Warriors releases remains intact. You know… Vast battlefields, massive enemy counts, and combo-heavy hack-and-slash gameplay. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment does sharpen things, however. For one, combat runs at a slick 60 FPS in single-player, which is a night-and-day improvement over Age of Calamity’s uneven performance. It makes the chaotic fights far more enjoyable, and even on the basics alone, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment now offers the most satisfying gameplay from across the series.

Each playable hero brings distinct mechanics to the battlefield, too. For example, Zelda devastates battalions with light-based attacks, Rauru commands an overwhelming thunderous power, and Mineru rides into battle on a construct chariot that channels mechanical weaponry, just to name a few. The game also builds on Age of Calamity’s counters with a more tactical rhythm. When elite foes prepare a special move, you can trigger Unique Skills to counter them and expose their weak points. It means button-mashing alone won’t see you succeed; thoughtful timing is also required to keep on top of incoming attacks.

The new Zonai device system also adds a twist to the gameplay, giving players the likes of a Flame Emitter, Frost Cannon, or Time Bomb to deal enhanced damage to foes. These are best utilised when used as elemental counters, allowing players to use the elements attached to them to their advantage against specific foes. Again, this gives players something extra to think about and keeps the action of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment strategically satisfying.

Sync Strikes also return, letting two characters team up for cinematic finishers once their sync meters fill. Each pairing produces different effects, and experimenting with characters to see what they’re capable of together is always fun. It certainly encouraged me to tinker around with my playable characters more, and as someone guilty of picking favourites in games like this, it keeps the experience fresh throughout the later hours.

A Familiar Structure with New Touches

Structurally, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment mirrors Age of Calamity. Players progress across a sprawling map of Hyrule, unlocking story chapters, challenges, and more along the way. New features like the camp and cooking system let you prepare before battle to grant extra buffs, which is a simple but satisfying nod to Tears of the Kingdom’s survival mechanics. Admittedly, it would’ve been nice to see a bit more player involvement outside of the battlefield, but it’s not a deal-breaker.

With the game having a place in the official canon of The Legend of Zelda lore, I’m glad to report that story missions deliver big-budget spectacle, combining cinematic cutscenes with large-scale encounters that feel like genuine, full-fledged showdowns. KOEI TECMO’s long-standing experience with crowd combat absolutely shines here, with smooth animation, responsive controls, and enormous hordes that never bog down the system.

The visuals and music are also superb, with everything from the aesthetic to the UI mirroring Tears of the Kingdom’s sleek and gorgeous style. It’s consistent across the board, which helps make Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment really feel like a genuine piece of the saga.

It’ll take players around 20 hours or so to beat the game. That said, there’s plenty of post-game content to keep you playing for some time afterwards. Harder difficulty levels, optional side quests, hidden objectives, and an achievement system all add to the longevity, offering a generous endgame that rewards mastery rather than simple grinding. But if you’re here for the story alone? I think the campaign is a real treat and will keep players absorbed from start to end.

Familiar Musou Gameplay

As small criticisms, it is worth noting that while Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment marks an evolution of the formula of previous entries, the basic loop of clearing out mobs, capturing points, and defeating bosses remains as familiar as ever. The elemental mechanics and Sync Strikes help to vary the pace, but repetition eventually sets in during longer play sessions.

Additionally the roster, while balanced and thematically consistent, lacks the wild crossover energy of earlier Hyrule Warriors games too, and because this story is set at the dawn of Hyrule, favourites from other eras of The Legend of Zelda don’t show up (including Link). It fits the tone perfectly, but limits fan-service variety. Don’t be surprised to see a few familiar faces show up as DLC down the line.

Verdict

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is easily the most impressive and enjoyable entry in the series, even if it doesn’t completely reinvent the musou formula. The slick performance, rewarding combat tweaks, and genuinely engaging (and canon, can’t forget that) story make it a standout adventure. Sure, the familiar gameplay loop creeps in after a while, and the roster is more restrained than fans might hope, but the overall package is polished, fun, and packed with great moments for Zelda fans and hack-and-slash enjoyers alike.

If you’re a long-time series fan who’s up for carving through Hyrule’s history with style, this one’s definitely worth your time.

Rapid Reviews Rating

4 out of 5

4

You can purchase Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment for Nintendo Switch 2 on the Nintendo eShop here. Thank you for reading this review!