Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Review

After dumping over 20 hours into Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, I’m still not sure what to make of it. The battles deliver this unreal rush, hands down the tightest Warriors action Nintendo’s ever hosted. But that plot? It dodges every lore bombshell from Tears of the Kingdom I was itching to unpack.

What Exactly Are You Getting Into?

You’re jumping into a straight-up canon prequel for Tears of the Kingdom, smack in the middle of ancient Hyrule’s Imprisoning War. The premise hits hard – at last, eyes on the clash that locked in the whole timeline. Except it doesn’t quite land that way.

The basics:

• 18-hour main campaign (though I hit credits around 11 hours on my first run)
• Switch 2 exclusive
• Whopping 42.7 GB install size
• Classic Musou gameplay – one warrior against literal thousands
• Targets 60fps in solo play

The plot zeros in on a pair of total newcomers: this enigmatic Construct (Link’s obvious fill-in) and a Korok by the name of Calamo. No bit parts here – they steer the whole ride, leaving heavy hitters like Ganondorf to barely show up outside the stuff Tears already spilled.

Combat That Actually Feels Phenomenal

This is where it clicks into overdrive. Fights in this one outpace every other Hyrule Warriors entry – seriously, no hype needed.

Why it works:

• Combo chains feel snappy and responsive (mostly Y-button strings finished with X)
• Perfect dodges trigger Flurry Rush in slow-motion
• Character switching mid-battle keeps fights dynamic
• Zonai Devices integrate seamlessly into combat flow

No two fighters handle the same. Take Mineru – she doesn’t settle for basic swings; she whips up Zonai builds, rolls out spiked death wheels, and zips on a gadget tire instead of plain old dashing. That kind of twist had me swapping loadouts nonstop.

Performance on Switch 2 – Mostly Impressive

Flying solo, it sticks to 60fps like glue. I caught slips to the high 40s amid explosion spam, but they never tanked the flow. Night and day from Age of Calamity‘s original Switch mess.

However – and this is a big caveat – split-screen co-op drops to 30fps with noticeably poor frame pacing. Opening ability menus in co-op also pauses your partner’s action, which frustrated my roommate to no end during our sessions.

The Cutscene Problem

Those pre-rendered scenes crawl at 30fps and look rough next to the in-game polish. Stutters, color banding, blocky compression – it piles up. Switching from silky 60fps slashes to this glitchy mess? Jumps out every time.

This technical choice baffles me. Why dedicate so much storage (those pre-rendered files likely inflate that 42.7 GB install) to lower-quality presentation?

Story: Divisive Doesn’t Begin to Cover It

I went in craving breakdowns on the Zonai, Ganondorf’s drive, Secret Stones’ roots – all the Tears of the Kingdom teases left hanging. What I got? A spotlight on the Construct and Calamo’s side quest.

What you don’t get:

• Meaningful Ganondorf backstory beyond existing lore
• Deep dives into Zonai civilization
• Substantial character development for the Sages (they get names and faces, but feel generic)
• Answers to burning timeline questions

The game actively dances around key moments from Tears, hinting rather than depicting. For someone hoping this would enrich the mythology – it stung.

Yet Some People Love the Story?

Here’s the confusing part. While I found the narrative disappointing, I’ve seen passionate defenses calling it a coherent canonical expansion with powerful finale beats. The finale does land emotionally, I’ll admit, but getting there felt like wading through missed opportunities. Zelda’s early bonding with Mineru over technology works well. The Construct’s mystery unfolds satisfyingly if you approach it without franchise baggage. Maybe I went in with wrong expectations – treating it as pure fanservice action rather than lore expansion might yield better results.

Roster Size and Character Variety

Dozens of playable characters unlock throughout the campaign, each mechanically distinct. This diversity kept combat fresh across my entire playthrough.

Standout inclusions:

• Zelda herself (obviously)
• Queen Sonia
• The Mysterious Construct
• Mineru with full Zonai tech integration
• Various tribal representatives

Many characters remain optional and don’t tie tightly into the main plot. I wanted more unlockables – specifically Sonia and Ganondorf as playable fighters – but what’s here provides substantial variety.

Content Volume and Replayability

Reaching credits showed me I’d completed only about 35% of available content. Side missions, optional upgrades, challenge battles, character leveling, weapon seals, cooking systems – progression hooks extend in every direction.

Grinding concerns:

• Completionists report 40+ hour totals
• Unlocking weapon attributes requires material farming at level thresholds
• Zonai Steel becomes your constant upgrade currency

Short battle lengths (typically 4-20 minutes) make this surprisingly accessible for limited gaming sessions. Pop in, clear a mission, pop out – the structure accommodates busy schedules.

Co-op Options Worth Knowing

Local split-screen works but suffers performance drops. The GameShare feature genuinely impressed me – two Switch 2 consoles maintain single-player performance while allowing shared gameplay. Reports suggest original Switch owners can even join without purchasing a second copy, though I couldn’t personally verify this.

For co-op enthusiasts:

• GameShare is the optimal experience
• Split-screen remains playable despite frame pacing issues
• Ability menu pausing your partner gets annoying fast

Who Should Buy This?

Strong recommendation if:

• You crave refined Musou combat mechanics
• Tears of the Kingdom gameplay loops appeal to you
• Character action games with constant unlocks satisfy your progression itch
• You’re not expecting deep lore revelations

Consider skipping if:

• Repetitive mission structures bore you quickly
• You wanted substantial Tears of the Kingdom backstory expansion
• Musou gameplay fundamentally doesn’t click for you
• You demand consistent visual clarity above 900p

Final Verdict

This represents the technical and mechanical peak of Hyrule Warriors entries – combat feels incredible, performance holds steady in solo play, and content volume justifies the purchase price. The story disappointed me personally, but I acknowledge others have found meaningful value in its narrative approach. I’m genuinely torn between calling this an 8 or a 7. The gameplay excellence pushes upward; the story missed potential drags downward. Let’s split the difference – 7.5 out of 10 objectively, though my personal enjoyment skews closer to 8.5 because that combat loop kept pulling me back. If you approach Age of Imprisonment as a celebration of Tears of the Kingdom‘s mechanics rather than a lore bible, you’ll likely have an absolute blast. Just temper those timeline revelation expectations before diving in.

Quick Stats:

• Main Campaign: 9-18 hours depending on pace
• Completion Time: 35-40+ hours
• Target Framerate: 60fps solo / 30fps split-screen
• Install Size: 42.7 GB
• Recommended For: Musou fans and action lovers
• Not Recommended For: Story-focused lore seekers

Have I convinced you to give this a shot, or are you waiting for patches and price drops? Either choice makes sense – this one’s worth playing eventually, but the timing depends entirely on what you value most in gaming experiences.