Series-best combat carried me through Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, but I think I'm done with the Breath of the Wild version of the Zelda universe
The latest crossover between The Legend of Zelda and the Musou series relies heavily on the player's connection to Zelda’s lore, yet beneath that devotion lies the most refined Warriors gameplay seen in years.
By now, most fans understand what Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment delivers. It marks the third collaboration between The Legend of Zelda and Koei Tecmo’s Warriors franchise, and the developers have clearly honed their formula for these large-scale action games. Each release brings familiar mechanics polished to a bright sheen.
For many, the original Hyrule Warriors stood out as one of the most creative spins on the one-versus-many Musou formula. It used the established Warriors framework as its base, then enriched it with concepts and aesthetics drawn straight from Zelda’s long history.
That pairing was surprisingly effective, combining Zelda’s world with the energetic chaos of Warriors better than similar efforts with series like Fire Emblem or One Piece.
The result was a blend that enhanced the intentionally simple, fast-paced combat of hack-and-slash gameplay. While the first game mixed imagery from across the franchise’s history, the 2020 sequel, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, narrowed its focus. It built an alternate, non-canon version of the events from Breath of the Wild, reimagining that universe with a fresh perspective.
Author’s Resume
A strong combat system carries this Zelda–Warriors crossover, but fatigue with the Breath of the Wild setting makes it feel like the series needs a new direction.