Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Reviews
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Exile marks the coming of age of a series that, born as a simple experiment, has managed to build its own credible identity within The Legend of Zelda universe . It's a title that doesn't betray the brand's origins, but interprets it from a more muscular and spectacular perspective, offering a coherent narrative, a solid combat system, and technical performance that's finally up to par. It's still a musou, with all the genre's limitations in terms of repetitiveness and structure, but it's also one of the most refined and thoughtful productions ever made by Koei Tecmo. For those who loved Tears of the Kingdom , it represents a natural extension of that experience: less contemplative, more warlike, but equally capable of conveying the grandeur and melancholy of Hyrule.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Like with many Musou games before it, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment sticks to the tried-and-true formula, just under a Zelda-themed coat of paint. It’s not going to reinvent the genre or add major new lore to Tears of the Kingdom, and the repetitiveness and occasionally poor AI hold it back. Even so, the combat is really fun. The new mechanics added here are a nice touch, and it’s easy to get drawn into missions far longer than you’d expect.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a stunning technical showcase for the Nintendo Switch 2, delivering smooth 60 FPS performance and exciting combat that skillfully blends Zonai abilities with mechanics inspired by Tears of the Kingdom. However, its storytelling loses some impact due to repetitive, linear mission design and pacing issues caused by an overabundance of lengthy, though beautifully cinematic, cutscenes.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is an action-packed adventure that manages to overcome a disappointing story by providing exhilarating combat.
Quote not available
Review in Italian | Read full review
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment feels like a more niche The Legend of Zelda game, but Tears of the Kingdoms fans may appreciate its lore.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment builds on what worked before, blending fast action with a story that finally gives Zelda her moment. Combat feels smooth and responsive, and the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware helps it all run better than ever. Even with some repetitive moments, it’s a strong and satisfying evolution of the series.
Age of Imprisonment might not push the boundaries of any genre, but at its best, it works as a surprisingly cohesive mashup of Zelda mythology and Warriors-style chaos. It’s not for everyone and doesn’t aim wide, but it hits its target audience dead-on.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Hyrule Warriors: The Age of Exile is a fun musou game that expands the vast world of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, telling the story of Zelda’s adventures after her journey to the past and the events leading up to the confrontation with the Demon King.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
'Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment' is enjoyable for a while, but its overly dry tone and lack of depth (even by genre standards) mean it probably won't be anyone's favorite early Switch 2 game.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment delivers exactly what hardcore Zelda and Musou fans expected: a narrative that fills in gaps from Tears of the Kingdom, refined mechanics, plenty of variety, and a visual and auditory spectacle worthy of the Zelda universe. If you're interested in seeing a behind-the-scenes look at the war that shaped Hyrule, this game is a must-play. However, there are caveats: although the gameplay has evolved considerably, the Musou formula remains at its core—hordes of enemies, repetitive tasks, delivery missions—and the co-op mode has performance issues that can compromise the experience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
While the mass battles aren't particularly challenging from a gameplay perspective, they are wonderfully spectacular and offer some tactical depth. We also enjoyed the story, which, in terms of presentation, perhaps even surpasses "Tears of the Kingdom." But even those who simply crave cool, massive battle action will find plenty of fun in "Hyrule Warriors: Chronicles of the Sealing"!
Review in German | Read full review
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a great addition for fans of The Legend of Zelda universe and a more than decent title for those who enjoy the proven gameplay of the Dynasty Warriors series. For everyone else, it's a game that will entertain you for a few evenings, but it's definitely not a gold mine. It's a game that runs out of steam about halfway through. This is especially true given the repetitive content & enemies, as well as the fact that the number of different mechanics and characters gives the title a reasonably broad scope, but not much depth.
Review in Czech | Read full review
“Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment” is a delicious dessert after a sumptuous main course of “Tears of the Kingdom”. Was this sweet, nostalgic finale really necessary? No – and yet I still enjoyed my time with this crazy hack-and-slash spin-off. The game is particularly interesting for hardcore Zelda fans who want to delve even deeper into the world and lore of Nintendo's fantasy universe. But be warned: in terms of gameplay, this chaotic action game has little in common with “Tears of the Kingdom.” To enjoy the game, you’ll need to be able to put up with the repetitive gameplay structure and mediocre graphics. If you can do that, you’ll be rewarded with epic battles featuring an exciting combat system.
Review in German | Read full review
Going back thousands of years to Tears of the Kingdom, the third Hyrule Warriors shows you everything from that first epic confrontation against Ganondorf, but the cast lacks the necessary strength, while the progress made in making the gameplay more frenetic clashes with the lack of evolution in the musou design.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It could very well become one of the best musou spin-offs in the franchise.
Review in French | Read full review
I want more exploration, more puzzles, more curiosity. This game's not about that. But it does show me how good a true next-gen Zelda could be on the Switch 2, whenever Nintendo decides to make that happen.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment offers a fantastic gaming experience through battles against Ganondorf's increasingly formidable army. It's a pleasure to embody so many different characters, each with their own unique fighting style. While the familiar level design structure of Omega Force is evident throughout the various battles, the studio brilliantly breaks the monotony with unusual gameplay sequences, such as the aerial rail shooter. Finally, the game's production values are undeniable, boasting impeccable localization and French voice acting. This raises hopes that other adventures like Mario or Pokémon will benefit from this approach, but that's another story! Hyrule Warriors: The Sealed Chronicles keeps us on the edge of our seats and will undoubtedly captivate fans of the franchise.
Review in French | Read full review
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment expands the series with all the wonderful Tears of the Kingdom mechanics we enjoyed from the main game but at the same time, the character roster feels underwhelming and if anything, uninspired. But there’s an enjoyable Dynasty-like game here that Zelda fans will no doubt enjoy, even with the forgettable supporting cast.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a must-play canon entry that finally completes the Tears of the Kingdom saga. Moving beyond the "what if" story of its predecessor, this Switch 2 title uses its fun, combo-focused Warriors game style to deliver crucial Zelda lore, detailing Zelda's descent into the past. With excellent combat features like Zonai artifact integration and formidable new characters like Mineru, it’s an essential purchase for any fan of Breath of the Wild.