Series-Best Combat in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
The latest crossover between the Zelda series and Musou genre relies heavily on fans' familiarity with Zelda lore but delivers the finest Warriors gameplay in years. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment marks the third collaboration between The Legend of Zelda and Koei Tecmo's Warriors franchise. Over time, this partnership has perfected a formula that consistently meets expectations for this type of game.
A Proven and Engaging Formula
In my opinion, the original Hyrule Warriors was one of the most compelling takes on the one-versus-many Musou genre. It used the core Musou gameplay as its foundation while layering in familiar Zelda themes and concepts, creating a well-balanced experience.
"The Zelda trappings meshed 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."
Evolution Through the Series
While the first game drew on Zelda imagery from across the series' timeline, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020) focused exclusively on the world and story of Breath of the Wild. It presented a non-canon alternate universe take on that game's events, deepening the narrative connection to a single entry.
Reflection on the Breath of the Wild Version
Despite the strengths in gameplay and storytelling, I feel I have reached a natural endpoint with the Breath of the Wild iterations of the Zelda universe within this Musou crossover.
Author's Summary
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment showcases the best combat in the series yet, blending familiar Zelda elements with refined Warriors gameplay, though the Breath of the Wild era feels like a fitting conclusion.