Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review - IGN
The best Hyrule Warriors action yet is paired with a very disappointing story. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a masterpiece, but it leaves many questions about a crucial event in its timeline: the Imprisoning War that sealed away the Demon King Ganondorf.
You might expect a prequel like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment to offer deep exploration of this era, following Princess Zelda back to Hyrule’s founding. However, for Zelda fans expecting satisfying answers, the game delivers mostly a super fun, over-the-top, fanservice-filled experience typical of the Warriors series rather than a detailed look at Hyrule thousands of years ago.
The game consistently favors gameplay over story and stands as the least compelling narrative in Zelda’s Breath of the Wild quartet by a significant margin. The upside is that Age of Imprisonment is the most enjoyable and refined Hyrule Warriors gameplay experience to date.
Gameplay and Setting
The Hyrule Warriors series blends The Legend of Zelda world with Dynasty Warriors’ 1-vs-many combat style. Age of Imprisonment features an approximately 18-hour campaign across dozens of familiar battlefields set in an ancient version of Hyrule from Tears of the Kingdom.
Players engage in battles spanning the stunning golden Sky Islands and the ominous Depths infested with Gloom.
“Age of Imprisonment is the best Hyrule Warriors has ever felt to play.”
Despite story shortcomings, the game offers thrilling combat and sprawling maps for intense action.
Author's Summary
This installment delivers the most refined gameplay in the series but fails to satisfy Zelda fans seeking deeper lore about the Imprisoning War.
Would you like a more detailed analysis of gameplay mechanics or focus more on the story critique?