Series-Best Combat in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
The latest Zelda and Musou crossover places significant trust in players’ familiarity with Zelda lore while delivering some of the best Warriors gameplay in years. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment marks the third collaboration between The Legend of Zelda and Koei Tecmo's Warriors franchise.
Proven Formula of Zelda and Warriors
The two teams have become highly skilled at developing these games, which follow a familiar design pattern. The original Hyrule Warriors stood out by blending the classic one-versus-many Musou gameplay with Zelda’s distinctive world and characters, creating an engaging twist on a well-known genre.
Unique Approach to Musou Gameplay
By treating the Musou concept as a base and layering Zelda elements on top, the game offered a refreshing experience. The Zelda themes complemented the hack-and-slash action better than other franchises like Fire Emblem or One Piece, enhancing the simple yet addictive combat.
Evolution Through the Series
While the first title combined Zelda imagery from many eras, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020) focused exclusively on the world of Breath of the Wild, presenting a non-canonical alternate history based on that game’s events.
"That ended up to be a pretty convincing formula, with the Zelda trappings meshing better with Warriors than the likes of Fire Emblem or One Piece, ultimately serving to elevate the deliberately simplistic and junk foodian nature of the hack-and-slash battles."
Despite the series' strong combat and creative mashup of genres, there is a sense that the Breath of the Wild interpretation may have reached its conclusion.
Author’s summary: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment delivers the series’ finest combat by expertly merging Zelda lore with proven Musou mechanics, though the Breath of the Wild era may have run its course.