Review: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
If you enjoyed Koei Tecmo’s previous collaborations with Nintendo, this installment will captivate you. Koei Tecmo has brought its Musou “Warriors” gameplay style to Nintendo franchises five times—twice with Fire Emblem and three times with The Legend of Zelda, including this title.
This entry is arguably the most polished and coherent yet, demonstrating Koei Tecmo’s growing skill at blending intense combat with a strong narrative. Unlike earlier Warriors games where the story was presented mainly through brief cutscenes framing the action, Age of Imprisonment integrates the plot more seamlessly into gameplay. Key story battles now incorporate cutscenes, character shifts, and perspective changes within the actual flow of combat, creating a more immersive experience.
This narrative approach ties the game together more tightly, making it feel less like a sequence of arcade-style levels and more like an unfolding story. The story itself is compelling and a worthy addition to the Zelda universe.
Plot Setting
The game is set during the same timeline as Tears of the Kingdom. The adventure begins as Zelda falls into a magical sinkhole and wakes up at the dawn of Hyrule’s history, where she meets the kingdom’s first king and queen.
"It now feels less like you’re playing through a series of ‘levels,’ like you’re in an arcade."
"It’s a decent story and a contribution to the Zelda universe."
Author's summary: This title refines Koei Tecmo’s signature action formula with a more immersive narrative, offering fans a meaningful expansion of the Zelda timeline.