Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Highlights Princess Zelda
Koei Tecmo and Nintendo created a musou game centered on Princess Zelda. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment presents a canonical tale, serving as a companion to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Since its announcement, this connection has captivated fans.
Expanding the Imprisoning War
Nintendo entrusted Koei Tecmo to elaborate on the tragic, intriguing Imprisoning War and to develop characters previously seen only in brief glimpses. This ambitious task could have been either a powerful narrative expansion or an unnecessary explanation of a mystery better left untouched.
A Balanced Outcome
The final product falls between these extremes, offering exciting combat and emotional characters. The story compensates for the base game’s somber tone with a playful and self-aware style.
Gameplay and Storytelling
Although the musou genre’s repetitive nature — fighting thousands of foes repeatedly — is present, the game balances this with engaging characters, diverse gameplay elements within the repetition, and a story that resonated emotionally even when the outcome was known.
Setup and Plot
The story begins right after Zelda is mysteriously sent back in time at the start of Tears of the Kingdom.
"Koei Tecmo has been entrusted by Nintendo to flesh out the events of the tragic yet fascinating Imprisoning War, while simultaneously naming and developing characters who were previously only ever glimpsed through brief flashbacks."
"The musou sequel delivers thrilling combat, emotive characters, and a story that makes up for the base game’s stirring melancholy with an unflinchingly tongue-in-cheek personality."
Author’s summary:
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment enriches Tears of the Kingdom's lore with strong characters and exciting combat, skillfully balancing repetition with emotional storytelling.