Dynasty Warriors: Origins Revolutionizes a Time-Honored Series

Dynasty Warriors has always felt like the gaming equivalent of comfort food to me. With Omega Force’s series stretching over decades, each entry tells the same expansive tale across kingdoms, all while keeping its signature “1v1000” combat style. My journey with this series began with Dynasty Warriors 2, and for the past 25 years, I’ve eagerly returned to watch its enormous cast retell this grand story. Along the way, I’ve formed connections with some standout characters—Guan Yu being a personal favorite, thanks to all the time I’ve spent with him.

So, when I picked up the tenth primary installment, I was intrigued. Dynasty Warriors: Origins, as the name suggests, revisits the roots of the series, offering a fresh take beyond the subtle tweaks fans expect with each new game.

Right from the start, Origins presents a more focused and detailed narrative. It only covers the first half of the saga we’re familiar with, but dives into the intricacies along the way. Typically, Dynasty Warriors games kick off with players tackling the Yellow Turban Rebellion, an event that sets off the Romance of the Three Kingdoms—an embellished retelling of historical China on which the games are based. However, Origins flips the script, chronicling the rise, corruption, and eventual downfall of the Yellow Turbans, serving as a backstory to the series’ usual starting point.

Adding to this fresh approach, we’re introduced to a brand-new protagonist—a warrior with amnesia whose past unfolds as you progress through the game. This character is the one you’ll steer for most of your time in Dynasty Warriors: Origins, marking a significant shift in the series. Where before you could choose from a vast array of officers from various factions, now you’ll guide this lone character, encountering familiar personalities along the way (some of whom might join your playthrough as playable allies).

It’s a daring move and one aimed at shaking things up, giving the game a new flavor. Origins ditches the open-world format of 2018’s Dynasty Warriors 9, focusing instead on a single main character, which allows the developers to create a more versatile Story Mode. Instead of just hopping from one battle to the next with cutscenes in between, you’re now placed in an overworld between key levels, where you can explore, find secrets, tweak your arsenal, forge friendships with officers, and engage in skirmishes to level up.

This emphasizes a renewed concentration on the combat mechanics of Dynasty Warriors. While the essence of its classic hack-and-slash action remains intact, there’s now a layer of depth. Engaging in fights, especially against formidable bosses, now demands more strategic blocks, parries, and evades. Adding to this complexity, some battles feature puzzle-like elements, and customizable Battle Art abilities allow you to refine your playstyle to suit each weapon type.

This feels less like a simple experiment and more like a brave and confident leap forward. The game retains that exhilarating sensation of being an ancient superhero but now requires more thoughtful decisions in one-on-one fights, making a meaningful difference.

This seamless blend of old and new is what sets Origins apart—it’s unmistakably Dynasty Warriors, yet with fresh ideas woven into its familiar fabric. In a sense, it’s still my dependable comfort food, albeit spiced up with novel flavors.