Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment's Use of One Zelda…

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment will give players a glimpse into Zelda’s side of the story from Tears of the Kingdom by expanding on the lore about the imprisoning war. While there's a lot left to learn about Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, one of the most important elements is how the game will deal with one common trope that the Zelda games often return to, including TotK.

For those not in the know, the Hyrule Warriors games are a spin-off series of the Legend of Zelda games that crosses over with Koei Tecmo’s Warriors series. The combination seems to have been a perfect match for the two franchises, with Age of Imprisonment being the third of the Zelda-themed Hyrule Warriors spin-off games. While both previous titles were met with praise, some Zelda fans were left confused and disappointed by the non-canon plotline of the second game, Age of Calamity. The third-act twist of heroes from Hyrule’s modern age traveling back to help win the war that devastated the original timeline became a controversial aspect of an otherwise great game. Now, with time travel already a central plot device in Age of Imprisonment, one wonders if a similar twist could lead this game down the same road.

Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment Canon Important

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Being Canon Would Set an Important Precedent

Nintendo apparently confirmed that Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is canon, and that could have a lasting impact if it holds true.

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By Liam Ferguson

Age of Imprisonment Must Get Time Travel Right

Time travel is hardly new to the Legend of Zelda series. Ever since Ocarina of Time, Link has made a habit of traversing the ages, with some of the most beloved Zelda games including time travel in some way. Of course, the most recent example comes in Tears of the Kingdom, when Zelda is thrust backwards in time at the beginning of the game. While that game focuses on Link as he tries to uncover the truth of her whereabouts while guiding Hyrule through myriad disasters, Age of Imprisonment will more closely follow what happened to Zelda in the distant past and her fight alongside new allies to imprison Ganondorf.

Age of Imprisonment will begin with Zelda’s trip through time, but what happens next is still largely unknown. Unlike the previous Hyrule Warriors games, Age of Imprisonment will be canon to the Zelda universe, according to Nintendo. While the first Hyrule Warriors was simply a spin-off, and Age of Calamity left its canon up in the air, it has been confirmed that the events of Age of Imprisonment are tied directly to Tears of the Kingdom, representing what actually happened in Hyrule’s past, not simply what might have happened. This gives more importance to this game than either of its predecessors, making its events critical to its success.

Does Age of Imprisonment Need More Time Travel?

The time-travel twist in Age of Calamity is what makes or breaks the experience for many fans. As a whole, opinions are divided on Age of Calamity when it comes to the roster and story. While some players weren’t happy about the inclusion of time travel, it did deliver some of the game’s best playable characters. The modern champions were some of the best in a roster that lacked much recognition from Breath of the Wild in their absence. So, while controversial, the time travel did deliver one of the best parts of the game’s gameplay.

Characters from Age of Calamity who traveled to the past included:

Yunobo
Teba
Sidon
Riju

Age of Imprisonment faces a similar challenge when it comes to including familiar characters. Of course, players know and love Zelda, and after Tears of the Kingdom, they are familiar with King Rauru and Queen Sonia. Other characters implied to be playable are the ancient sages of Hyrule, who have yet to develop that icon status. If recognizable Tears of the Kingdom characters appear in Age of Imprisonment, it may give players more reason to care more about the roster, and to justify that, time travel may be the only answer. If Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment does see more characters traverse time, it is of the utmost importance that it doesn’t come at the price of a dissatisfying story.

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