Series-best combat carried me through Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, but I think I'm done with the Breath of the Wild version of the Zelda universe
The new crossover between The Legend of Zelda and the Musou series asks players to be deeply familiar with Zelda lore, yet its strongest point is its refined warrior-style gameplay. Those who step into Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment likely know the experience ahead — this being the third collaboration between Nintendo’s saga and Koei Tecmo’s Warriors series.
Over time, the partnership has matured impressively, delivering games that are both predictable and skillfully crafted. For many fans, the original Hyrule Warriors stood out as one of the most inventive adaptations of the one-versus-many Musou formula. It treated Musou mechanics as a foundation, then layered on Zelda’s familiar themes and aesthetics to create something distinct and flavorful.
This combination proved remarkably effective. The Zelda-inspired elements blended with the Warriors structure far more naturally than other crossovers like Fire Emblem or One Piece. The result gave depth to a genre often dismissed as mindless hack-and-slash entertainment.
While the original game united imagery from Zelda’s long history, the 2020 sequel, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, narrowed its vision. It drew its world entirely from Breath of the Wild, presenting an alternate, non-canon version of that story’s events.
“Chances are you already know what you're getting with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.”
Author’s Note
The fusion of Zelda’s charm with Koei Tecmo’s combat excellence has reached its peak, even if the Breath of the Wild universe now feels creatively exhausted.