The firstLegend of Zeldatitle for the Nintendo Switch 2 is on its way, even if it’s only a spin-off.Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentis the third full entry in theHyrule Warriorssubseries handled by Koei Tecmo, which has been running since the Wii U era. Like its predecessor,Age of Calamity, which was a retelling ofBreath of the Wild’s backstory,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentwill adapt the flashbacks fromTears of the Kingdom. This isn’t the direction one might have expected from a newHyrule Warriorsentry, but it is nice to see the intercompany crossover be preserved nonetheless.
Age of Imprisonmentis focused on Princess Zelda’s time spent inTears 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 thatHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentintends to be canon, which is a big step up from pastHyrule Warriorstitles. Considering that comparisons to prior entries are inevitable,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentwould be served best by taking that ambitious spirit into every design space it can.
My Fairy Returns, Possibly With A New Look
HardcoreWarriorsfans have offered plenty of feedback on pastHyrule Warriors’ loot and leveling systems, but beyond tweaking those,Age of Imprisonmentcould also give everyone something extra by bringing back an interesting system from the originalHyrule 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. Asregular fairies don’t have the same importance inBotWandTotKthat they do in some otherZeldagames, reframing the My Fairy system as upgrading programs on Zelda’s Sheikah Slate could work better forAge of Imprisonment.
Every Sage Is Playable and Fleshed Out
Who is going to be playable inAge of Imprisonmentis still up in the air, but it looks like the ancient Sages, including Zelda, Rauru, and Mineru, are going to form the core roster. SeeingAge of Imprisonmentflesh out the Sageswill 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 inTears of the Kingdom. The last four would need to be postgame-exclusive to keepAoIcanon, 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 Imprisonmentpotentially represents the final game inBreath of the Wild’s Hyrule, and while that is a bittersweet notion, that meansAoIneeds to bring its inhabitants in for one final adventure. On top of the current Sages, it would be nice tohave the wholeAge of Calamitycast backas well, and that’s just the start. All sorts of noteworthyBotWandTotKcharacters, 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 Imprisonmenthas the chance to resurrect one of thecoolest twists that the originalHyrule Warriorssprungon players. Ganondorf and his team of villains had their own campaign upon his introduction intoHyrule Warriors' story, andAge of Imprisonmentcould 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
KeepingAge of Imprisonmentdistinct from the previousHyrule Warriorsgames is also important, so it needs to look and feel like its own thing. Doing that inside the rigidWarriorsformula is easier said than done, butAge of Imprisonmentcould replace its predecessor’s Sheikah Runes with either an equivalent to theTears 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 anending sequence whereTotK’s Light Dragon rides outlikeAge 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 makingAge of Imprisonmenta more distinctHyrule Warriorsentry. 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 thatAge of Calamityalready did with its new takes on Blights and other foes. IfHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentis able to do at least that much, then it should be able to win back fans who have already sunk many hours into pastHyrule Warriorsgames.
