Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is Out Now - Battle Evil in Ancient Hyrule!

The Legend of Zelda's timeline gets another explosive chapter today as Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2. Developed by Koei Tecmo, Age of Imprisonment dives into the fabled Imprisoning War, the ancient conflict where Hyrule's sages sealed Demon King Ganondorf, bridging events from Tears of the Kingdom's and knitting it together with long term Zelda lore.

Today we'll dive in to what Age of Imprisonment has to offer, and take a look at what the critics have to say about this Legend of Zelda offshoot. Is this a war worth fighting? Let's find out.

Zelda Takes a Step Back in Time

If you haven't played the earlier entries in the Hyrule Warriors franchise, they blend Dynasty Warriors' horde-slaying action with Zelda's iconic cast and story, delivering over-the-top battles where one hero mows down armies. Age of Imprisonment focuses on the Imprisoning War, which we got a brief glimpse of in the Tears of the Kingdom flashbacks, and spotlights Zelda, Rauru, and Mineru, as they work together to stop Ganondorf from conquering Hyrule.

You'll command a playable roster of over 30 heroes across dozens of missions in vast fields, sky islands, and the depths of the abyss. Heroes can work together for extra damage by using Sync Strikes, coordinated super attacks that leverage the abilities of the two characters involved. You can blend abilities like Rauru's light beams with Zelda's sages' powers for screen-clearing devastation. Another new addition in Age of Imprisonment are Construct machines you can use as vehicles to deal some quick damage, or speed to your next objective.

Critical Reception: A Great Version of a Refined Taste

Overall impressions of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment are good, especially if you are a fan of its hack-and-slash gameplay. It currently holds a Metacritic rating of 79, which isn't game of the year territory, but is a good score for the series. The Switch 2 hardware is put to good use with much better visuals and performance compared to the previous entry, Age of Calamity, with dynamic resolution keeping the frame rate very close to it's 60fps target during gameplay. While special attacks, with lots of visual effects, can slow the game down for brief periods it is a much smoother experience than any of the previous Hyrule Warriors games.

Below we've collected a few reviews that highlight the range of opinions about Age of Imprisonment:

Nintendo Life: 90/100 Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a stunning slice of action, and my favourite musou game so far. Lessons have been learned from both Hyrule Warriors and Age of Calamity, resulting in a game that balances big-time story with top-notch combat that's got proper depth to it. With Zonai devices to play with, a cracking roster, tons of sexy Sync Strikes to pull off, and a ludicrously slick recreation of early Hyrule to set about kicking ass in, this is dream time for hack-and-slash fans and Zelda enthusiasts alike. Yes, map layouts are still a bit bland, and co-op mode is 30fps, but everything else here combines to make for the best entry in this spin-off franchise to date. - Full Review

RPG Site: 90/100 For a certain type of player, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment will be the single game you'll end up sinking the most time into on your Switch 2. If it wasn't for every other RPG I've yet to play this year, I might have ended up in those shoes. Age of Imprisonment isn't just a great Zelda spinoff, but confidently stands among some of the singular best games in the entire Zelda series. I simply can't recommend it enough for anyone who is a fan of the Warriors' genre. - Full Review

LevelUp: 85/100 Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment feels more connected to the official Zelda canon. Its story builds on the past established in Tears of the Kingdom, giving it more coherence and emotional weight. Gameplay improvements like smarter ally AI, fuller maps, and new Zonai artifacts make combat more dynamic. While some camera issues and the lack of online co-op contrast with all the good things, it’s still a thrilling and polished experience that expands the Zelda universe in the Musou genre. A must-play for fans enjoying the new Switch 2. - Full Review

GameSpot: 70/100 A few issues hold it back, but Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment marks a high point for the spin-off series, iterating on its riotous hack-and-slash combat with depth and variety. ... The story doesn't feel essential enough to satisfy pure Zelda fans, but by ironing out its predecessor's performance issues and introducing a varied roster of rewarding characters, Age of Imprisonment marks a high point for the spin-off series thus far. - Full Review

Will You Fight to Stop the Demon King?

There you have it. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment marks the pinnacle of the Hyrule Warriors series. It utilizes the power of the Switch 2 to deliver better performance and gameplay than either previous entry, and it has a lore filled story that will intrigue the Zelda fans among us. It is also a game you can play fully in co-op, either on the same screen or locally through game share, which is always a welcome addition. Ultimately though, recommending Age of Imprisonment depends on your feelings toward the hack-and-slash against massive hordes gameplay that these games are known for. If you don't enjoy that, this one might not be for you.

So, will you be plunging into battle alongside Zelda, or skipping this trek back in time? Let us know over on X and Facebook, and whichever you choose, have fun! We'll see you next time.

- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment for Nintendo Switch 2

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is available now, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2. It is priced at $69.99 for both the physical and digital versions. Make sure to check back here at Gameminr for all the latest on the best games of the year.