Dynasty Warriors: Origins [Xbox Series X] | REVIEW

When Dynasty Warriors 9 released back in 2018, it was hard not to feel a little disappointed in the ‘fresh’ take on the iconic hack-and-slash series. Its poorly implemented open-world structure left fans feeling underwhelmed, and whilst it certainly had a few interesting ideas, the mediocre execution left the series feeling a little stale and directionless. Now, seven years later, Dynasty Warriors: Origins arrives as both a spiritual reboot and an evolution of the formula. And you know what? It’s really, REALLY good. This bold and exciting new direction helps breathe life into the series, delivering an exciting blend of captivating storytelling and strategically chaotic combat that proves that the series still has plenty of life left in it.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Dynasty Warriors: Origins changes up its storytelling, with a shift from the traditional multi-character perspective of the series to a more streamlined focus on one character. Instead of choosing from dozens of iconic historical figures, players step into the shoes of a mysterious amnesiac warrior known as The Wanderer. Of course, you’ll also cross paths with iconic figures from across the Dynasty Warriors series and becomes entangled in the turbulent beginnings of the Three Kingdoms era, but it begins on a smaller scale that feels a bit more personal. It’s really cool, though I do think Koei Tecmo dropped the ball a little by not letting you create your own wanderer…

Divided into chapters, the narrative encourages exploration of the world map (more on that in a moment), which serves as a hub for story missions, skirmishes, and optional activities. Eventually, players must make an important decision: which of the three rising factions do they want to align with. Each faction has its own unique narrative, battles, and characters, adding significant replay value for those who choose to do multiple playthroughs. It doesn’t feel like a superficial choice either, with the dramatic storytelling adding a real sense of weight to your decisions as you see your character’s personal story arc unfold and witness the effect it will have on the Three Kingdoms. It’s engrossing and kept me invested until the very end, but it’s also REALLY meaty – die-hard fans will be in for the long-haul if they want to see everything that the narrative has to offer.

Unlike the aimless open world of its predecessor, Dynasty Warriors: Origins opts for a semi-open structure centred on a detailed world map. This map strikes a perfect balance between freedom and focus, allowing players to travel between provinces, visit towns, and engage in side activities without bogging them down with needless exploration. In towns, players can shop for equipment, upgrade weapons, or rest before the next showdown, ensuring the game doesn’t rely on big battles alone to make players feel invested in the world. When it comes to the action, players can tackle smaller battles to gather resources or hone their skills, or jump straight into pivotal story encounters that push everything forward. This structure not only keeps the pacing tight but also makes the world feel alive, with plenty to discover without needless bloat to slow everything down.

“Dynasty Warriors: Origins is not just a return to form, but a triumphantly thrilling reinvention of the series.”

At the heart of the action is a revamped combat system, which is both familiar and refreshingly modern. The classic ‘1 vs. 1,000’ gameplay remains intact, with players unleashing devastating combos to mow down hordes of enemies in spectacular fashion. You’ll feel like an all-powerful badass, whilst the sense of scale still leaving me in awe so many years into the series. And sure, there’s some button-mashing, but when you’re slaughtering seemingly endless enemies, it always feels satisfying.

There are additional refinements to the combat that add layers of strategy and depth, particularly during battles against enemy officers. Officer encounters now demand a more calculated approach from the player emphasizing parries and dodges, with players having to read their opponents and strike at the right moment to break their morale and open them up for devastating finishers. These sequences feel satisfying and cinematic, elevating the duels to some of the most rewarding moments in the game as opposed to simple and repetitive showdowns.

The introduction of Battle Skills further diversifies combat, with players able to equip up to four unique combat skills at a time to expand their capabilities. These skills require Bravery, a resource gained by attacking foes, adding an element of tactical resource management to every encounter where you really have pick to pick the best moments to use them. The ability to parry, evade, and chain Battle Skills into combos ensures there’s an additional sense of nuance and variety to combat, with players able to add their own personal touch to their character’s combat capabilities to suit their playstyle.

Check out some screenshots down below:

To add further variety, players can temporarily take control of companions during battles. These moments allow for powerful assaults, as companions’ special abilities can clear entire swathes of enemies in one swift motion. This mechanic is complemented by the War God Rage ability, which temporarily enhances the protagonist’s skills and culminates in a screen-clearing Ultimate Musou attack. It makes for some of the game’s more striking moments, and whilst Dynasty Warriors: Origins does take a more grounded approach, it always takes the right opportunities to go over-the-top with its action.

However, whilst the combat is a blast, there are moments were Dynasty Warriors: Origins can occasionally stumble. With only a dozen weapon types available, experienced players may find themselves missing the expansive roster of previous games, whilst the longer length can see some aspects of the game grow repetitive. Some minor technical issues and occasional performance hiccups detract from the polish too, even if they are fairly minimal.

Still, there’s no denying that the game captures the scale of ancient Chinese warfare like never before. The main story battles are truly epic, with hundreds of enemies on-screen and dynamic objectives that keep players on their toes. The visuals are vibrant and detailed, capturing the grandeur of ancient China, whilst the battlefield environments genuinely feel alive with activity. It results in an experience that’ll make you really feel like you’re there in the midst of battle, with chaos and strategy intertwining seamlessly across the action to make for one of the most exciting Dynasty Warriors experiences that I’ve ever played.

Developer: Koei Tecmo
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platform(s): Xbox Series X|S (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PC
Website: https://www.koeitecmoeurope.com/dw_origins/