Age of Imprisonment Switch 2: Test & Review

The world of Hyrule has experienced some of its most emotional moments in recent years. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild redefined the series, Tears of the Kingdom continued the story with a strong focus on myth, tragedy and connection. With Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (Deutsch: Chronicle of the Sealing) tried in the test Cow Tecmo now again, the gap between the narrative Zelda epic and the bombastic Musou battle (Musou is a subgenre for hack and slash) close.

But this time with a special feature: the story that is told here is canonical. Not an alternate timeline, not an interpretation, but the direct elaboration of those events that were only hinted at in Tears of the Kingdom. This is ambitious, perhaps even risky. Because anyone who already knows the story automatically has higher expectations of the way it is told and staged. Like me.

Everyone knows the story, but the game tells it anyway

Age of Imprisonment picks up where Zelda disappears before the player’s eyes in the Tears of the Kingdom prologue. Removed from time, separated from Link, she ends up stranded in the Era of mythslong before Hyrule became what we know it today. Here it occurs again Cloudthe first king of Hyrule, and the others wayswho once defended the kingdom against the rising Ganondorf.

The central question: What did Zelda do during this time? This game answers them: step by step, battle by battle.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment – Bild: Nintendo / Koei Tecmo

But that is exactly where the problem lies: The Key moments the plot have long been familiar. We know what Rauru sacrifices. We know how Ganondorf’s power returns. And we know what role Zelda plays in this temporal structure. And because the game none of it changedthere is no surprise effect. No “Oh!”, no “What happens now?” The emotionality is there because the material is strong. But that Narration is not surprising. You should be aware of this when you play this visually appealing game.

This fundamentally distinguishes Age of Imprisonment from its predecessor, Age of Calamity, which deliberately chose a “what if” angle to try out new things. Here, in the sequel, however, prevails Expectability.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment bietet lots of playable characters, but little narrative depth

You will recruit many companions throughout the game. Sages, warriors of the Hyrule peoples, allies from clans and settlements. The number is large, perhaps too big. Because many of them have no real narrative meaning. They exist primarily to justify additional missions. They help stretch the game to the mandatory 30 hours of play time that this type of Musou story campaign requires.

And while Zelda, Rauru and a few central characters get noticeable character development, many others seem like Stencils. Functional, but not memorable. That’s a shame, because the setting could have been better. Much more. This is exactly where you could have started to justify the game in terms of story.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment – Bild: Nintendo / Koei Tecmo

The gameplay, on the other hand, really delivers this time

But well, it is one Musou and a musou will be primarily about Gameplay evaluated. And here it shows: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is the best Hyrule Warriors so far in terms of gameplay.

The combat system is familiar but refined:

• Light + Heavy attacks form the basisas always.
• Die Animation quality is significantly higher.
• Every main character has a clearly defined playful style.

The big plus this time:

• Sync Strikes: Team combos that trigger when a special attack meter is filled. They bring tactical depth and impressive power to boss fights.
• Unique Attacks: Strong special moves that have different tactical effects depending on the character. Some disrupt enemy attacks, others break defenses or exploit weak points.
• For Zone Devices: Directly inspired by Tears of the Kingdom, but here no craft systembut targeted tactical skills – a good thing. They add layers to the combat system rather than overloading it.
• Elementary terrain and enemy mechanics: Enemies now use mud, gloom, or environmental zones for reinforcement. This means: You have to react instead of just “mowing” ahead.

No deep, complex action system. Don’t misunderstand. But one thing, that requires more than just pressing buttonswhen playing on higher difficulty levels.

Grind is back, but with purpose

Yes, you will farm. You collect materials, repeat defense missions and complete side quests. The difference: This time the loop feels like a conscious upgrade carousel instead of a mandatory program. Every round has a noticeable impact on your progress.

You unlock new moves not just “eventually”, but exactly when you have the necessary components together and suddenly a new combo window opens that breaks boss shields. Sync Strikes become more brutal and reliable with each upgrade, as higher levels reduce charge time and increase the radius of effect.

At the forge you combine weapons, hunt for perks and notice directly how quickly normal mobs melt. Even the Zonai arsenal benefits: more battery, shorter cooldowns, smarter deployment windows. Sure, repetition remains part of the package, but the curve is right. You plan runs, set priorities, collect rewards that immediately change the way you play. This is exactly how grind should feel.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment – Bild: Nintendo / Koei Tecmo

Technically a big leap thanks to Switch 2

On the Switch 2, Hyrule Warriors finally looks the way the series feels: big, clear and without any visible rattles. Textures are significantly sharper, materials read more vividly, and the higher viewing distance noticeably reduces pop-in. Particularly important: the frame times remain stableeven as the camera pans over a sea of ​​enemies. This ensures a smoother gaming experience than any nominal FPS value.

The game delivers consistently in both docked and handheld modes. Effects such as particles, sparks and elemental area attacks appear more powerful without destroying readability. HUD and hit feedback remain clean. Boss arenas benefit from better lighting and shadow staggering, allowing depth and distance to be assessed more precisely. Load times are short enough that quick “one more mission” sessions actually stay fast.

In short: no more muddy filters, no more milky backgrounds like before, but a presentation that doesn’t excuse mass slaughter, but supports it. The hardware finally gives the game air and you notice that in every encounter. The only downside: Digitally, the title eats up over 44 GB. If you load the full version, you should free up storage space beforehand.

Conclusion on Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment in the test

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a strong Musou game that knows its strengths exactly: powerful fights, noticeable progress, clear roles for each main character. If you’re looking for intense action, skill upgrades and constantly new combos, the title reliably delivers. The technology on Switch 2 supports this: stable performance, good readability in a storm of effects, short loading times. This is where Hyrule finally feels as big as it looks.

As a Zelda experience, however, it only works to a limited extent. You get canonical material, yes – but no surprises once you finish Tears of the Kingdom. The story works because the foundation from TotK is strong, but it hardly develops any dramaturgy of its own. Many supporting characters remain sideshows, the grind is present, even if the rewards make sense this time. If you play Zelda primarily for its emotional twists and quiet moments, you’re less likely to be touched here.

Is everything bad now? No!

The bottom line is that it’s not a bad game – on the contrary. It’s a game that knows very clearly who it’s made for. For Musou fans: a significant step forward, with enough depth to keep you busy for weeks. For Zelda purists: a solid addition to the canon, but not a new chapter that you’ll still reverently quote years later. Go in with the right expectations and you’ll get exactly what Hyrule Warriors does best: grandiose mass battles with noticeable progression. And on the Switch 2 it’s finally visually fun.

Is something wrong or are you missing something? Get in touch, we’ll take care of it. Use our feedback form!

Test-System: Nintendo Switch 2