Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, a musou spin-off from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, has launched to a Metacritic score of 78 on Nintendo Switch 2. Early reviews praise its refined combat and integration of Zelda mechanics, though some criticize repetitive missions and level design. The game releases exclusively on November 6, 2025, as a canonical story filling gaps in the Imprisoning War.
Overview
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is the third crossover between The Legend of Zelda and Koei Tecmo's Warriors series, developed by Koei Tecmo. It serves as a canonical expansion to Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, focusing on a Zelda-led narrative during the ancient Imprisoning War. The game incorporates elements like Zonai devices for special moves and elemental interactions, adapting Tears of the Kingdom's systems into the hack-and-slash musou format.
Review Highlights
Critics have highlighted the game's combat as a standout feature. Chris Scullion of VGC called it "the most serious of the Hyrule Warriors games to date, but it’s also the one with the most engaging and rewarding combat." Hayes Madsen from Inverse noted its character action elements, comparing it to Devil May Cry grafted onto Warriors structure. Eurogamer's Alex Donaldson praised the performance, stating it "maintains a solid and high frame rate, even when hundreds of troops are bouncing around on screen."
However, not all feedback is unanimous. Richard Wakeling of GameSpot pointed out repetition in the campaign, saying, “Repetition is baked into the genre, but its zen-like nature is stripped away in the latter parts." Oscar Taylor-Kent from Gamesradar criticized the levels: “Age of Imprisonment‘s feel bland in comparison – even when some maps are essentially the same as in the other game."
RPG Site's James Galizio lauded it as "confidently stands among some of the singular best games in the entire Zelda series," while PC Mag's Zackery Cuevas appreciated the tweaks for local multiplayer. Some outlets, including IGN, The Verge, and Polygon, delayed reviews due to strict Nintendo embargoes on story details.
Context and Release
As the first major Switch 2 exclusive since Donkey Kong Bananza in July 2025, the game builds on predecessors like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. It features character progression, a world map for missions, and sync strikes, emphasizing strategic warrior selection.