When you think of The Legend of Zelda, several things come to mind. The textbook example of the hero’s call to adventure. The contrast between light and darkness. The consequences of unchecked power and how it ultimately crumbles before courage. All this and more unfolds over the course of several dungeons, puzzles and legendary items, culminating in a fight with the Big Bad (or whoever is jobbing for Ganondorf this week).
When you hear the name Hyrule Warriors, however, only one thing comes to mind: Smashing enemies until they’re dead and then continuing because that KO counter isn’t going to fill itself. You’d think both these formulas go together like Gorons and the cold, but there’s always been some appeal to laying waste to monstrous hordes with the over-the-top flashy abilities. Such is the case with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, which launches on November 6th for Nintendo Switch 2.
What does this Dynasty Warriors offshoot have to offer compared to its predecessors? Let’s dive into everything you should know before buying, starting with…
It’s Canon (Really)
The Legend of Zelda timeline is more like a time tree at this point but the Hyrule Warriors plays exceptionally fast and loose with any established canon. Age of Imprisonment is clear from the get-go, however – it’s canon with Princess Zelda venturing back in time, fighting alongside King Rauru and his forces against Ganondorf in the Imprisoning War. Bits and pieces of this conflict shown in Tears of the Kingdom, and now, fans can finally experience those events first-hand.
The Depths and Other Iconic Locations
Of course, given its setting, it’s not at all shocking that Age of Imprisonment will venture to several familiar locations, like the Depths. Don’t worry – you won’t be wandering from one lightroot to the next, desperately trying to evade the darkness (at least, we hope not). But it does raise questions about other potential areas, including the Sky Islands. Battling hordes of fiends while traversing from one island to the next? Sign us up.
Musou-Style Gameplay
Unlike previous Hyrule Warriors titles, Koei Tecmo’s AAA Games Studio is heading up development rather than Omega Force. And yet, the signature Musou-style gameplay remains similar to Dynasty Warriors: Run around, tear through an overwhelming number of foes like they’re made of paper mache, repeat (with the occasional boss coming in to even the odds – more on that in a bit). A little too straightforward for those used to the mainline Zelda games’ combat, but it’s fast-paced, responsive, and more than a little cathartic, plus, you have…
Multiple Characters With Unique Combat Styles
Age of Imprisonment offers a pretty extensive roster of playable characters, from Zelda with her beam saber to Rauru with his light energy blasts, Queen Sonia with her bow and even Mineru, Rauru’s sister who relies on all kinds of devious constructs. Even cooler is the fact that you can control the different Sages, from Goron chief Agraston to Zora queen Qia, harnessing their elements in explosive ways. But the most intriguing is the Mysterious Construct, a humanoid-looking construct with transformation abilities and who bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain Hero of Time.
Bosses
It wouldn’t be a Musou-style game without bosses that could stand up to our heroes on the battlefield without immediately getting blown away. To that end, Tears of the Kingdom players will recognize the likes of Frox (which also has weak points on its back), Captain Constructs, the Stone Talus, and of course, the Flux Construct. That’s not even getting into all the different forms that Ganondorf will throw your way.
Unique Skills
Don’t let me stop you from rushing headlong into combat, unleashing all kinds of mayhem on the enemy, but you might want to take advantage of the new Unique Skills. When used against the correct corresponding attack, it’s possible to counter and interrupt an enemy, leaving them open to more damage and even a follow-up attack. Knowing which Unique Skill to use in each situation is key, making it important to experiment with every character.
Sync Strikes
It’s also worth playing with different character combinations since they can unleash powerful new team-up attacks called Sync Strikes. Some examples include Zelda and Rauru unleashing a double beam attack which grows in intensity, and Sonia summoning some weapons that Rauru can then wield in a flurry of powerful strikes. Others can provide unique benefits, so don’t be afraid to toss two unlikely allies together and see what happens.
The Zonai Have It
You can also use various Zonai Devices, from the Flame Emitter for torching enemies to a crisp to the Time Bomb for a massive explosion. Even the Rocket is available for barreling straight through a crowd of enemies. Just make sure you have enough Batteries on hand to keep your energy topped off.
Higher Frame Rates and Many More Enemies
Let’s be honest – Age of Calamity wasn’t exactly the best-looking game in the series, purely due to the power of the platform it ran on. For Age of Imprisonment, Nintendo has clearly focused on ensuring higher frame rates with far superior image quality and added details. It’s also stuffing more enemies than ever before on-screen to make fights feel bigger than ever.
Two-Player Co-op
If you’re keen on playing with someone on the same console, good news – split-screen is supported for up to two players on the Switch 2. While you could utilize the Joy-Con 2s with each player using their own remote, the Switch 1’s controllers are also supported for even more options.
GameShare Support
For those who prefer dedicated screens, local wireless is also available for co-op, with GameShare enabling those on the original Switch to get in on the action. This expands the number of play options even more.
The Biggest Hyrule Warriors Game Yet
By modern console standards, Age of Imprisonment doesn’t seem all that big (about 42.8 GB). However, it absolutely dwarfs the installation size of its predecessors by several times. Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition was about 12.9 GB, while Age of Calamity was 11.1 GB. Granted, those were on the Switch 1 but you have to wonder just how much more content the latest title is packing in.
Many Secrets to Discover
With how shrouded in mystery the Imprisonment War turned out to be, it’s perhaps unsurprising to hear that there will be “many secrets” to discover. Beyond simply references or callbacks to other Zelda titles, this could also mean unique weapons, hidden characters, and extra tough bosses for the truly hardcore.
Save Data Bonuses
What would a Nintendo sequel be without rewards for the most ardent of franchise fans? Those with save data from Age of Calamity can receive the High Guard’s Claymore as a weapon while Tears of the Kingdom players will receive the High Guard’s Sword. You’ll need to complete the mission, “The Howling Tempests” and then return to the world map to claim them, however,
Difficulty Options
While Nintendo hasn’t gone into any details about the various difficulty options, the eShop listing for Age of Imprisonment clearly lists “Choose Your Difficulty,” indicating their availability. Its predecessor offered four options at launch, from Easy to Very Hard, so expect it to follow suit (and may introduce an ultimate difficulty option down the line).
