Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review – An Empowering Prequel Spin-Off
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Musou spin-off offers a largely familiar experience, enhanced by several small but meaningful combat improvements. Following the path of 2020’s Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, this title brings the 1-versus-100 action back, delivering a fun and engaging adventure for fans.
Players who completed The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom might wonder what Princess Zelda was doing after being sent to Hyrule’s First Age. According to Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, the answer is battling countless enemy Shades, Moblins, and Zonai Constructs. While this isn’t quite what some may have envisioned, it fits well with the expectations set by the previous Hyrule Warriors games.
Unlike earlier entries, Age of Imprisonment holds more significance as its events are fully canonical rather than part of an alternate timeline. Yet at its core, this remains a Musou game similar to Dynasty Warriors and its many spin-offs.
“There’s still a lot of fun to be had and sheer spectacle to be seen in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.”
Key Highlights
- Combat improvements add depth without straying from the familiar formula.
- Story events are canon, enhancing the narrative weight compared to past spin-offs.
- Action-packed battles featuring hordes of iconic enemies from the Zelda universe.
- Continues the popular 1-versus-100 gameplay style typical of Musou games.
Ultimately, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment delivers a satisfying blend of spectacle and story, making it a must-play for fans of both the Zelda series and Musou-style action games.
Author's summary: This canonical Musou spin-off enriches the Zelda prequel experience by blending familiar gameplay with meaningful combat tweaks and a compelling story focus on Princess Zelda’s past battles.