Series-Best Combat in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
The latest Zelda and Musou crossover, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, relies heavily on players' familiarity with Zelda lore while delivering some of the best Warriors gameplay in recent years. Fans likely know what to expect—this marks the third collaboration between The Legend of Zelda and Koei Tecmo's Warriors series.
The partnership has become highly skilled at crafting these games, which are naturally a familiar formula. The original Hyrule Warriors was one of the most captivating takes on the one-versus-many Musou genre. It used the fundamental Musou mechanics as a base and layered the Zelda universe's themes and elements as an engaging enhancement.
This blend proved very effective, with Zelda's world fitting better with the Warriors gameplay than other crossovers like Fire Emblem or One Piece. It elevated the otherwise straightforward hack-and-slash combat into something more enjoyable and memorable.
Evolution Through Titles
While the first game combined Zelda imagery spanning multiple eras, 2020's Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity focused exclusively on the perspective of one title, Breath of the Wild. It presented a non-canon, alternate universe storyline based on that game’s events.
"The first Hyrule Warriors was one of the most interesting takes on the one-versus-many Musou genre."
"The Zelda trappings meshed better with Warriors than the likes of Fire Emblem or One Piece, ultimately serving to elevate the deliberately simplistic and junk foodian nature of the hack-and-slash battles."
Author’s Summary
This third installment offers the finest combat in the series while creatively intertwining Zelda lore, but it may signal the end of this particular take on the Breath of the Wild universe for some players.