Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Puts Zelda in the Spotlight
Koei Tecmo and Nintendo have created a musou game centered on Princess Zelda. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment tells a canonical story and serves as a companion to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, captivating fans since its announcement.
Expanding the Imprisoning War
Nintendo entrusted Koei Tecmo to develop the narrative of the tragic yet fascinating Imprisoning War, fleshing out events and characters previously shown only in brief flashbacks. This project could have either enriched the lore significantly or risked spoiling a mystery better left untouched.
A Balanced Outcome
The final product strikes a middle ground. The musou sequel features exhilarating combat, emotionally resonant characters, and a story that offsets the base game's somber tone with a playful, tongue-in-cheek style.
"While Age of Imprisonment can’t escape the inevitably repetitive nature of this genre that sees you mow down thousands of enemies over and over again, it balances this with compelling characters, strong gameplay variety within the repetition, and a story that tugged at my heartstrings, even though I knew exactly when the axe was destined to fall."
Gameplay and Narrative
- The game includes intense combat typical of musou titles.
- It offers engaging characters and gameplay variety despite expected repetition.
- The story starts immediately after Zelda is mysteriously sent back in time at the beginning of Tears of the Kingdom.
Summary
Author's take: Age of Imprisonment successfully combines thrilling action with heartfelt storytelling, delivering a worthy narrative expansion in the Zelda universe while embracing the musou genre’s challenges.