Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review: Ultrahanding Out Beatdowns
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment offers a smart adaptation of Tears of the Kingdom mechanics, featuring an enjoyable cast and a strong campaign, making it a worthwhile spinoff.
Nintendo and Koei Tecmo have won me over after several Warriors collaborations spanning more than a decade. What impresses me most is how Koei Tecmo doesn’t simply attach fan favorite characters to the Musou formula but enhances it by integrating mechanics from the original franchises.
This approach was evident in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, and it continues here with Age of Imprisonment. With the power of the Switch 2, the game delivers better performance and stands as a worthy spinoff to the excellence of Tears of the Kingdom.
Story and Setting
Building on the events of Tears of the Kingdom, Age of Imprisonment explores untold stories, much like Age of Calamity once did. This time, the narrative focuses on the war between the original King of Hyrule, Rauru, and Ganondorf, the Gerudo chieftain who becomes the Demon King.
If you completed Tears of the Kingdom, you likely know how this conflict ends, but Age of Imprisonment dives deeper, revealing Zelda’s determined efforts to reunite with Link in the future. The game also grants substantial attention to characters who appeared only briefly in Tears of the Kingdom’s periphery.
"Koei Tecmo isn’t just strapping fan favorite characters to the Musou formula. Instead, it is augmenting that formula with adaptations of the mechanics from the franchises it is handling."
"Age of Imprisonment still tells us the in-depth story that saw Zelda strive to reunite with Link in the future."
Author’s summary: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment enhances the Musou formula with rich franchise mechanics and a compelling story, making it a high-performance and engaging spinoff on the Switch 2.
Would you like the tone to be more formal or casual?