Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review - IGN
The best Hyrule Warriors action yet compensates for a very disappointing story. While The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a masterpiece, it leaves many unanswered questions about a crucial event in its timeline: the Imprisoning War that sealed away the Demon King Ganondorf.
One might expect a prequel like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment to explore this rich period in detail, following Princess Zelda back to Hyrule’s founding era. Unfortunately for fans seeking satisfying answers, the game mainly excels as a fun, over-the-top, fanservice-packed power fantasy typical of the Warriors series rather than providing a deep exploration of ancient Hyrule.
The game consistently favors gameplay over story, making it the least compelling narrative among Zelda’s Breath of the Wild-related titles by a substantial margin. However, the upside is that Age of Imprisonment offers the most enjoyable Hyrule Warriors gameplay experience to date.
Gameplay and Setting
The Hyrule Warriors series blends The Legend of Zelda universe with Dynasty Warriors’ intense 1-vs-many combat. The roughly 18-hour campaign is set across dozens of familiar battlefields spanning an ancient version of Tears of the Kingdom’s Hyrule.
- Engaging skirmishes occur on the stunning golden Sky Islands.
- Additional battles take place in the dark, Gloom-infested Depths.
"Age of Imprisonment is the best Hyrule Warriors has ever felt to play."
Despite its narrative shortcomings, the game delivers satisfying combat and large-scale warfare that fans of the series will appreciate.
Author’s Summary
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment offers the series’ most thrilling gameplay yet but falls short in storytelling, leaving fans craving more depth about Hyrule’s ancient past.