Review: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
If you enjoyed Koei Tecmo’s previous collaborations with Nintendo, you will really appreciate this one. Koei Tecmo has applied its Musou “Warriors” formula to Nintendo properties five times—twice with Fire Emblem and now three times with The Legend of Zelda, including Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.
This installment may be the most cohesive and well-integrated so far, demonstrating Koei Tecmo's improved ability to blend intense action with a compelling narrative. Earlier Warriors games relied heavily on brief cutscenes surrounding a lengthy beat-em-up experience, but here the storytelling is more seamlessly woven into gameplay.
- Key story battles incorporate cutscenes, character changes, and shifts in perspective directly into the action flow.
- This approach makes the experience feel less like completing isolated levels and more like a continuous, engaging journey.
The story itself is solid and adds meaningful depth to the Zelda universe. Set during the same timeline as Tears of the Kingdom, the adventure begins with Zelda falling into a magical sinkhole. She awakens at the dawn of Hyrule's history, encountering the kingdom's very first king and queen.
“Where once the narrative of a Warriors game was shared via short cut scenes that bookended an extended beat-em-up brawler, now there’s a much more integrated narrative, with key story battles integrating cut scenes, changes of character and perspective, and more into the flow of battle.”
This title highlights how storytelling and gameplay can evolve together to create a richer, more immersive experience.
Author’s summary: This edition of Hyrule Warriors stands out by masterfully blending its fast-paced action with a deeply integrated story, enriching both gameplay and the Zelda lore.