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. At its core, however, it offers the best warriors gameplay in years.
This is the third time The Legend of Zelda has crossed over with Koei Tecmo's Warriors franchise. Over time, the developers have become highly skilled at creating these titles, which by nature follow a familiar formula.
A Successful Fusion of Zelda and Musou
The original Hyrule Warriors was a standout for its fresh take on the one-versus-many Musou genre. It used the Musou framework as a base, then layered Zelda elements on top, creating a compelling blend.
For my money, the first Hyrule Warriors was one of the most interesting takes on the one-versus-many Musou genre.
This approach proved effective, with Zelda’s themes fitting better than other franchises like Fire Emblem or One Piece. It enhanced the simple, fast-paced hack-and-slash gameplay, giving it more charm and meaning.
Progress and Evolution in the Series
While the first game combined Zelda imagery from many different eras, the 2020 follow-up, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, focused on a single entry's worldview—Breath of the Wild. It presented a non-canonical alternate universe version of that game's story.
That ended up to be a pretty convincing formula, with the Zelda trappings meshing better with Warriors than the likes of Fire Emblem or One Piece.
Age of Imprisonment builds on this foundation, further refining the gameplay experience.
Author’s Summary
This installment delivers the best combat in the series, crediting its success to a solid blend of Zelda lore and expertly crafted Warriors gameplay, though the Breath of the Wild setting may have run its course.