The first Legend of Zelda title for the Nintendo Switch 2 is on its way, even if it’s only a spin-off. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is the third full entry in the Hyrule Warriors subseries handled by Koei Tecmo, which has been running since the Wii U era. Like its predecessor, Age of Calamity, which was a retelling of Breath of the Wild’s backstory, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment will adapt the flashbacks from Tears of the Kingdom. This isn’t the direction one might have expected from a new Hyrule Warriors entry, but it is nice to see the intercompany crossover be preserved nonetheless.
Age of Imprisonment is focused on Princess Zelda’s time spent in Tears of the Kingdom’s ancient kingdom of Hyrule, and intends to flesh out the events surrounding and making up the Imprisoning War fought against Ganondorf. Further details will have to wait, but it does appear that Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment intends to be canon, which is a big step up from past Hyrule Warriors titles. Considering that comparisons to prior entries are inevitable, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment would be served best by taking that ambitious spirit into every design space it can.
Related
Why Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment’s Real Winner May Be Queen Sonia
Queen Sonia’s importance was far understated in Tears of the Kingdom, but Age of Imprisonment has a chance to greatly expand her story.
My Fairy Returns, Possibly With A New Look
Hardcore Warriors fans have offered plenty of feedback on past Hyrule Warriors’ loot and leveling systems, but beyond tweaking those, Age of Imprisonment could also give everyone something extra by bringing back an interesting system from the original Hyrule Warriors’ later versions. My Fairy was a fairy-raising simulator fed by items earned in normal gameplay, and rewarding dedicated players with a wide variety of buffs in said gameplay. As regular fairies don’t have the same importance in BotW and TotK that they do in some other Zelda games, reframing the My Fairy system as upgrading programs on Zelda’s Sheikah Slate could work better for Age of Imprisonment.
Every Sage Is Playable and Fleshed Out
Who is going to be playable in Age of Imprisonment is still up in the air, but it looks like the ancient Sages, including Zelda, Rauru, and Mineru, are going to form the core roster. Seeing Age of Imprisonment flesh out the Sages will be nice, but if that’s the direction it’s going in, it should make a point of including all the Sages it can. That includes Queen Sonia, Ganondorf himself, and the four modern Sages established in Tears of the Kingdom. The last four would need to be postgame-exclusive to keep AoI canon, but that feels like the bare minimum for a playable cast.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom’s Characters Must Be Used Up
Age of Imprisonment potentially represents the final game in Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule, and while that is a bittersweet notion, that means AoI needs to bring its inhabitants in for one final adventure. On top of the current Sages, it would be nice to have the whole Age of Calamity cast back as well, and that’s just the start. All sorts of noteworthy BotW and TotK characters, like the Ancient Hero, Kass, Kilton, and more should be used to fill out the cast, potentially with a whole non-canon campaign. This setting needs to feel like its potential is exhausted.
Ganondorf’s Campaign Returns From Hyrule Warriors
Speaking of campaigns, Age of Imprisonment has the chance to resurrect one of the coolest twists that the original Hyrule Warriors sprung on players. Ganondorf and his team of villains had their own campaign upon his introduction into Hyrule Warriors‘ story, and Age of Imprisonment could frame the Imprisoning War in a similar way. Because Ganondorf had apparently led the Gerudo against Hyrule before Princess Zelda arrived, AoI‘s story could switch between their competing perspectives as it went, effectively demonstrating the Demon King’s brutal conquest of Hyrule and the desperate efforts to reclaim it.
Replacing Age of Calamity Mechanics With Tears of the Kingdom Equivalents
Keeping Age of Imprisonment distinct from the previous Hyrule Warriors games is also important, so it needs to look and feel like its own thing. Doing that inside the rigid Warriors formula is easier said than done, but Age of Imprisonment could replace its predecessor’s Sheikah Runes with either an equivalent to the Tears of the Kingdom’s arm powers, or more individualized abilities using the Secret Stones. Ultrahand may be difficult to implement as a regular combat tool, but its ability to construct vehicle blueprints could become a mechanic all on its own. Layer on an ending sequence where TotK’s Light Dragon rides out like Age of Calamity‘s Divine Beasts, and achieving this goal may be more possible than it sounds.
New Foes Are Necessary For Age of Imprisonment’s Identity
Playing off of that, new enemies, bosses, and ways to fight them will go a long way towards making Age of Imprisonment a more distinct Hyrule Warriors entry. Having a Ganondorf campaign would assist in this, as it would justify including Zonai Constructs in the enemy pool, not to mention elites from every Hyrulean tribe. Bosses especially need to be mixed up, something that Age of Calamity already did with its new takes on Blights and other foes. If Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is able to do at least that much, then it should be able to win back fans who have already sunk many hours into past Hyrule Warriors games.