Nintendo and Koei Tecmo have made a fairly loyal fan of me over the course of several Warriors collaborations and spinoffs this last decade and then some. I’ve been particularly enamored with the fact that 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.
Such was the case with *Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity* and *Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes*, and now it’s happened again with *Age of Imprisonment*. Only this time, Koei Tecmo has utilized the power of the Switch 2 to deliver an altogether better-performing game and a worthy spinoff to the excellence that was *Tears of the Kingdom*.
### Crisis in Ancient Hyrule
Springboarding from the events of *Tears of the Kingdom*, *Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment*, like *Age of Calamity*, touches upon events that were teased but never explored in-depth. This time, the focus is on the war between the original King of Hyrule, Rauru, and the Gerudo chieftain turned Demon King, Ganondorf.
If you played *Tears of the Kingdom* through, you probably know how this turns out, but *Age of Imprisonment* still tells us the in-depth story that saw Zelda strive to reunite with Link in the future. We get a lot of time with characters who were only on the periphery of *Tears of the Kingdom*.
Zelda and Rauru are pretty well-known by this point, but *Age of Imprisonment* shines the spotlight on many faces we only briefly got to know in the fragmented Memories of *Tears of the Kingdom*, such as the original Sages, the Zora Queen Qia, Rito Elder Raphica, Gerudo Chief Ardi, the Goron Chief Agraston, and Rauru’s sister, the Sage of Spirit, Mineru.
The game also introduces new characters like the Korok Calemo and the Mysterious Construct. Although the Construct acts as a gameplay stand-in for Link, it features unique aspects and story elements that make it a more-than-worthwhile substitute.
As with *Age of Calamity*, *Age of Imprisonment* takes some liberties with the *Tears of the Kingdom* story. The main beats are faithful to the original, but the additions of the Mysterious Construct, Calemo, and other factors introduce intriguing twists that take the story in fun and interesting directions.
### Stunning Gameplay and Visuals
The action in *Age of Imprisonment* is crisp, the battlefields vast and beautiful, and the characters and enemies as vibrant and lush as they’ve always been in the *Breath of the Wild* era of Zelda. The battles and in-mission action are even cleaner here, and the game runs smoothly whether you’re playing in Docked or Handheld Mode.
The only downside is that the cutscenes sometimes suffer from lower frame rates and stuttering, which is strange given the rest of the game’s polished presentation.
### Music Falls Short of Expectations
Music is another area where I was somewhat underwhelmed by *Age of Imprisonment*. I consider *Age of Calamity* one of the best game soundtracks ever, and the *Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes* OST was no slouch either.
I hoped to find the same electricity in *Age of Imprisonment*’s music, but it’s just not there. It’s not bad and thematically mirrors *Tears of the Kingdom*’s aesthetic in a few battle tracks, but many pieces felt like droning background noise — even at particularly key moments.
For example, the stage where Ganon becomes Demon King and forces Rauru, Zelda, and the remnants of Hyrule to make a desperate escape deserved a powerful, intense battle track — not mere background ambiance. We’ve definitely had better from the *Hyrule Warriors* series, and I guess I just wanted more fiery music to match the glow-up in visuals and story.
### Hone Your Sacred Power
The *Hyrule Warriors* games are probably my favorite version of the Musou games for how much they take from the parallel main games and incorporate them into gameplay. The developers could easily have just duct-taped the Musou gameplay onto the Zelda universe and launched it (and have before), but that’s simply not the case here.
Like *Age of Calamity*, *Age of Imprisonment* incorporates very unique *Tears of the Kingdom* elements that create engaging combat twists.
At its foundation, *Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment* plays like other Musou games in that you take control of your favorite characters and battle on massive maps full of outposts, enemy commanders, bosses, and main objectives.
Many of Koei Tecmo’s signature improvements return, including the ability to select and direct uncontrolled characters toward objectives or assignments like escorting allies. You whittle down enemies to a weak point, then unleash special attacks that generally level your foes and surrounding mobs in explosive fashion.
Calemo, the mischievous Korok, might have been my favorite character. He uses different elemental seeds in combat depending on which part of the string you end your combo on — great for exploiting enemy elemental weaknesses. Plus, when he gets serious, he throws a full hornet hive at his enemies.
### Strategic Combat with Zonai Devices and Skill Attacks
Where *Age of Imprisonment* sets itself apart is through Zonai Devices and Skill Attacks. Throughout the game, leader enemies use attacks that can be countered with specific moves to interrupt and stun them.
For example, if an enemy uses a jumping attack, using an anti-air skill or the Zonai Cannon will knock them out of it. If they use a defensive move, a shield-breaking skill or the Zonai Bomb will shatter their guard.
Each character can equip a combo of five skills and Zonai Devices. If your character lacks a particular counter, nearby uncontrolled allies might have it — and, when the situation arises, you’re prompted to switch to them to execute the counterattack automatically. This not only deals damage but also builds the Sync Meter.
The Sync Meter is probably my favorite innovation in *Age of Imprisonment*. When two characters’ meters are full, they can combine to perform a unique Sync Attack, depending on the pair.
For instance, Zelda and Rauru channel their light powers to launch two independently controlled beams that culminate in a devastating combined burst. Zelda and Mineru team up with Mineru piloting her Zonai Mech Construct as Zelda unleashes a barrage of strikes and lasers.
While some Sync Attacks reuse animations depending on the characters, they’re generally all powerful, tide-turning moves that add excitement and strategy to combat.
### Story Structure and Sidequest Padding
*Age of Imprisonment* is divided into chapters, each containing story missions that push the narrative forward. Most main missions are engaging and fun, making the story worth exploring.
However, one of my least favorite aspects of Warriors games returns here: sidequest padding.
Between main missions, you’ll encounter a flood of smaller tasks. Some are worthwhile, like unlocking shops or powering up your heroes’ stats, but many are repetitive side battles on familiar maps with familiar enemies.
Additionally, there’s a territory-liberation mechanic where you must defend regions of Hyrule from Ganondorf — or risk losing them if you neglect the battles too long. While this is intended to better convey the war between Ganondorf and Rauru, it feels repetitive.
Some side content is skippable, but much is mandatory to level up characters for upcoming battles, making these sequences feel like a stretch of chores between the game’s big moments.
### To Arms, for the Future of Hyrule
*Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment* is both an excellent companion to *Tears of the Kingdom* and a fantastic evolution of the Musou style.
Trying out Switch Skills and Sync Attacks between practically every character pair was one of my favorite parts of the game. I hope Koei Tecmo explores something similar in future titles.
I also love that Ultrahand and Zonai Devices are incorporated so deeply into the characters’ movesets. Mineru is a queen, commanding Zonai power on the battlefield; Rauru wields Ultrahand and the Spear of Light with equal awe; and the rest of the cast brings their own unique flair.
Calemo and the Mysterious Construct add just enough unpredictability to keep gameplay fresh, even though the story’s outcome may already be known to fans.
While I wish the soundtrack had been more intense and memorable, it’s hard to ask for much more from a sequel that improves so much in other areas.
I don’t know if Nintendo will treat *Age of Imprisonment* as canon, but if it’s the final ribbon on the *Breath of the Wild* era, it’s a very good one.
—
*This review is based on a Nintendo Switch 2 digital copy of the game supplied by the publisher. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment releases on November 6, 2025, on Switch and Switch 2.*
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146650/hyrule-warriors-age-of-imprisonment-review-score