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

Series-best combat carried me through Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

The latest crossover between The Legend of Zelda and the Musou series places strong emphasis on the player’s familiarity with Zelda lore. Yet beneath the surface lies some of the best action gameplay seen in years.

Anyone stepping into Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment likely knows what to expect. This marks the third collaboration between Nintendo’s beloved Zelda franchise and Koei Tecmo’s long-running Warriors series. Over time, the developers have honed their craft for this formulaic but satisfying style of play.

For my money, the first Hyrule Warriors was one of the most interesting takes on the one-versus-many Musou genre.

The original Hyrule Warriors used the Musou structure as its base and built upon it with Zelda’s distinctive world and mythology, creating a blend that felt both familiar and fresh. The combination worked surprisingly well, resulting in battles that, though simple, carried a distinctive charm.

While the first entry merged references from many eras of Zelda, the 2020 release Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity focused specifically on the world of Breath of the Wild. It offered a non-canonical retelling of that story, providing an alternative universe version of its events.

Author’s Summary

The game refines the Musou formula into its strongest form yet, but its reliance on the Breath of the Wild universe feels like the end of the road for this particular Zelda timeline.

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Eurogamer Eurogamer — 2025-11-04

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