Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

“Outside of the main battles, there’s also a Starfox-like mini-game where you can shoot down giant enemy bosses. These serve as fun distractions that help switch gameplay up every now and then. The game isn’t littered with them, so these sections don’t overstay their welcome.”

“Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment successfully marries the button mashing combat of the Warriors formula with the visuals and sounds of Tears of the Kingdom. While the repetitive mission structure can get a little tiring (plan on taking breaks) and the game doesn't push any boundaries, the satisfying combat, impressive technical performance, and faithful recreation of Tears of the Kingdom's world make this an easy recommendation for Zelda fans that miss the sights and sounds of Hyrule.”

“This is a hands-on review of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.”

“But if you're a Zelda fan looking for a fix until the next mainline entry comes along, Age of Imprisonment is a worthy adventure worth undertaking.”

“Age of Imprisonment may be the most serious of the Hyrule Warriors games to date, but it's also the one with the most engaging and rewarding combat. Fans of Tears of the Kingdom may be annoyed to see an essential retelling of part of its story, but the side-plots add more depth to make up for this to some extent. Fans of the Warriors gameplay style will be absolutely catered for here.”

“Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment’s story may fail to capture the promise of a Tears of the Kingdom prequel, but the gameplay more than makes up for that by wonderfully fusing its source material’s craziest ideas with great 1 vs. 1,000 battles, resulting in the best action of the series yet.”

“I wish the soundtrack had cooked a little hotter, but it’s hard to ask for much more than that out of a sequel that is otherwise improved this much. I don’t know if Nintendo will treat this Age of Imprisonment as canon, but if it’s the final ribbon on the Breath of Wild era, it’s a dang good one.”

“If you enjoyed prior games in the series, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is an excellent continuation of that legacy. If you're coming into Hyrule Warriors line for the first time, this isn't a bad place to start.”

“The musou genre immersed in the world of Zelda is once again a success. A first-rate cast brings to life a story that feels a little familiar but still manages to thrill. The gameplay remains a little monotonous and suffers some balancing issues, but multiple elements and characters introduced throughout the game manage to refresh the whole thing and provide constant motivation to reach the end credits... and beyond.”

“You’ve got excellent combat and no second thing. Maybe you want more out of a Zelda game than fighting with a light layer of story on top. That’s totally fine! But the vibes are immaculate and the gameplay is terribly compelling. If you want an intense action game that really highlights the Zelda of it all, then Age of Imprisonment is exactly what you’re looking for.”

“Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment delivers what fans have been waiting for - a musou that actually matters to the Zelda timeline. Despite the repetitive secondary missions and occasional performance hiccups, the canon story, polished combat, and massive content make it essential for any Zelda enthusiast. It's not perfect, but it successfully blends frantic action with meaningful lore in a way no previous Warriors game has achieved. If you can tolerate the genre's inherent repetition and play it in spaced sessions, you're in for an epic journey through Hyrule's ancient past. This is the definitive Zelda musou experience.”

“But this is still a musou title, and it can only achieve so much within that framework without awkwardly bursting at the seams. With those restrictions in consideration, however, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a triumphant prequel that Zelda fans are going to adore.”

“Newcomers like Calamo and company offer enough new to spark interest.”

“A few issues hold it back, but Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment marks a high point for the spin-off series, iterating on its riotous hack-and-slash combat with depth and variety.”

“Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a stunning slice of action, and my favourite musou game so far. Lessons have been learned from both Hyrule Warriors and Age of Calamity, resulting in a game that balances big-time story with top-notch combat that's got proper depth to it.With Zonai devices to play with, a cracking roster, tons of sexy Sync Strikes to pull off, and a ludicrously slick recreation of early Hyrule to set about kicking ass in, this is dream time for hack-and-slash fans and Zelda enthusiasts alike. Yes, map layouts are still a bit bland, and co-op mode is 30fps, but everything else here combines to make for the best entry in this spin-off franchise to date.”

“This is a playful and enjoyable piece of Legend of Zelda lore, and one that will be essential for fans of the series, but it doesn't break the same ground as Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, or even Age of Calamity.”