Title – Dynasty Warriors: Origins
Platforms – PS5//Xbox Series X/PC
Release Date – January 17th, 2025
Developer – Koei Tecmo Games
Publisher – Koei Tecmo Games
MSRP – $69.99
ESRB – T for Teen
Purchase – Amazon
Disclaimer – Dynasty Warriors: Origins was reviewed on the PS5. Thanks to Koei Tecmo Games for providing a digital review code. Gaming Instincts is an Amazon Affiliate and does gain financial benefits if you choose to purchase this product on this page.
Introduction
It has been over 7 years or so since the last mainline entry in the ever-popular hack’n’slash franchise – Dynasty Warriors. For those who are not aware, Dynasty Warriors is a series based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a classic Chinese historical novel from the 14th century by Luo Guanzhong. Set during the turbulent Three Kingdoms period (circa 184–280 AD), it chronicles the power struggles between the rival states of Wei, Shu, and Wu, blending historical events with myth and legend. Featuring iconic figures like Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Cao Cao, and Zhuge Liang, the novel explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and ambition.
As one of China’s Four Great Classical Novels, it has profoundly influenced East Asian culture, inspiring adaptations across media, including the Dynasty Warriors series. The game captures the drama and heroism of this era, blending historical authenticity with fantasy and action-packed gameplay—a perfect fit for fans of Chinese history.
With that small introduction out of the way, let’s talk about the main aspect – the gameplay first since that is the most important aspect of any game and then we will discuss the visuals afterwards. Then, we will talk a bit about the audio and a final score will be given with a closing commentary. If you enjoy watching high-quality production value and unbiased reviews of your favorite upcoming video games—without any BS—make sure to hit like and subscribe. Without further ado, let’s begin!
Gameplay
Dynasty Warriors: Origins
marks a significant departure from the series’ traditional formula. The game introduces light RPG elements, including a skill point system earned by progressing through the game, leveling up weapon proficiencies, and completing NPC tasks. One of the most noticeable changes is the addition of a dedicated overworld map, which serves as a central hub for your journey. This map allows players to visit towns, shop for weapons, enter inns to read letters and swap gear, craft gems, and more. As you progress through the story, ports unlock, enabling you to cross rivers into new regions, meet new characters, and access special shrines for fast travel. These systems add a new layer of depth, creating a distinctly different experience compared to previous Dynasty Warriors games.
The combat system has also undergone significant changes. Unlike past entries, Origins does not feature the sprawling roster of playable characters that the series is known for. Instead, the focus is on a single, nameless protagonist—a wandering amnesiac who stumbles upon a desolate village during his journey. Here, he meets two key figures: the “Long-Haired Man,” who aids the villagers with his companions, and the “Bearded Hero,” who boldly opposes oppressive officials. While you can briefly play as other characters under specific circumstances, the protagonist is the sole focus for most of the game. This shift in how characters are being handled in the new entry is a bold departure from previous titles and not in a good way. Being able to play as many of the iconic characters from the older titles was always the biggest hook. Instead, Dynasty Warriors Origins takes that way, spits at the fans in the face and gives you a predetermined character. Extremely stupid and just downright insulting to the original player base. Interestingly, Dynasty Warriors: Origins was originally planned as Dynasty Warriors 10. However, the developers chose to drop the numbering and rebrand it to make the game more accessible to newcomers while still offering a fresh experience for veterans. Whether you consider it a spin-off or a mainline entry is up to interpretation, but this change clearly reflects its intent to change up its formula and welcome in a new audience.
As the protagonist, you can choose a custom name and gradually unlock weapons as you progress through the six-chapter story. There are nine weapon types in the game: swords, spears, wheels, podao, staff, twin pikes, lance, and crescent blade. At the start, you begin with only a sword, but as you conquer major battles, you’ll unlock additional weapons naturally through progression. Each weapon has its own proficiency level. The more you use a particular weapon, the more its proficiency increases, unlocking new moves and Battle Arts—special abilities tied to the weapon.
Progressing with weapon proficiency also levels up your character’s overall ranking, boosting stats such as health, attack, and defense. Additionally, skill points earned through combat can be invested in skill panels, which act as a simplified talent system akin to RPGs. The gameplay loop revolves around choosing a weapon, entering the battlefield, completing objectives, and increasing proficiency to unlock new abilities. To fully maximize your character, you’ll need to raise the proficiency of every weapon type, which also contributes to your character rank. After completing the game once, the maximum rank is capped at level 81.
Despite the limited selection of nine weapons, the combat system has been refined significantly. A new parrying system is both fun to use and easy to learn. By pressing the L1 button with precise timing, you can parry enemy attacks, but red-highlighted attacks are unblockable and must be dodged with the R2 button. Successful dodges trigger a slow-motion effect, rewarding accurate timing and creating cinematic moments. Officers, generals, and boss enemies now feature stagger shields displayed above their health bars.
Each shield represents a portion of their stagger meter. Once depleted through consistent attacks, the player can trigger a powerful assault by pressing the Triangle button, dealing significant damage. If the enemy survives, the shield regenerates, requiring the process to be repeated. The true standout feature is the introduction of Battle Arts. These flashy, high-damage abilities that can be mapped to the four buttons including triangle, circle, square and x buttons. You have to hold R1 and then press one of the four button to execute the Battle Art. Each Battle Art consumes Bravery gauge points, which can be replenished by attacking enemies. Some Battle Arts can interrupt specific enemy abilities, adding a layer of strategy. For example, when an enemy glows yellow, you can counter their ability with your own Battle Art to disrupt their attack. This system creates a dynamic, rock-paper-scissors-style flow: parry regular attacks, dodge red ones, and counter Battle Arts with your own.
The duel system, a feature from Dynasty Warriors 4, makes a return in Origins. When you press L1 and R1 simultaneously, you can challenge an enemy general to a one-on-one duel. Once you activate the duel you are taken to special combat scenario where you are surrounded by cheering soldiers. While the combat mechanics remain exactly the same, the time-limited objective of staggering the opponent to trigger an instant victory adds tension and variety. Though it’s not a groundbreaking feature, it’s a fun callback that breaks up the pacing. The AI is not very good during duel and I’ve never lost a single duel. It almost feels like a free “I win” button. You have to be really bad at the game’s combat to lose the duel.
As far as the characters go, you can only swap to them if they are your companions and not every mission allows you to have a companion. On top of that, you have to make sure your Swap gauge is fully charged. Once it’s full you can then press the TouchPad button to temporarily control your companion. You may also trigger a Musou attack if you are next to an ally officer and thankfully this co-operative Musou attack does not deplete your Musou gauge. It’s worth noting that the swap gauge also fill up over-time.
Unfortunately, not all new additions are successful. The introduction of the Eyes of the Sacred Bird—a supernatural mechanic that allows players to see spirits and track purple mist to locate urns—feels out of place in a game rooted in historical fiction. Missions requiring the use of this mechanic often disrupt the pacing, forcing players to pause combat and search for urns that block progression. While innovative, it feels more suited to a paranormal or horror game and detracts from the overall experience. That said, the mechanic does offer some helpful features, such as providing information about allied officers and enemy health, their courage levels, and battlefield status. While this functionality is useful, the spirit-tracking and purple mist elements feel unnecessary and ultimately detract from the gameplay.
The overworld map offers light exploration mechanics. Players can ride their horse across ancient China, visiting NPCs, villages, and inns. NPCs provide requests that act as side missions, offering rewards and strengthening bonds with officers. Training challenges, another side activity, grant skill points and further develop officer bonds. Towns feature shops for weapons and items, while inns serve as your base for managing gear and crafting gems. The crafting system uses Pyroxene crystals found in the overworld to create six types of gems, each providing a unique buff. These gems can be upgraded but only one can be equipped at a time. The overworld also features collectible items, such as Old Coins, which can be traded at the Shui Jing Retreat—a location unlocked later in the game. Fast-travel waymarks make navigation easier as you explore the map.
While the open-world elements add variety, they remain relatively simple. Most players will likely focus on progressing the main story, with these activities serving as light distractions.
Visuals, Technical Performance and Audio
One of the most notable changes in Dynasty Warriors: Origins is its graphical overhaul. For decades, the Dynasty Warriors series has been known for its simple, low-poly character models, basic environments, and a focus on putting hordes of soldiers on screen. While this approach was acceptable in the past, it often left the series lagging behind visually.
With Dynasty Warriors: Origins, Koei Tecmo and Omega Force have finally embraced the advancements in technology, delivering a game that looks better than ever before. While it won’t blow anyone away compared to industry-leading titles, it represents a significant improvement for the series. Character models are sharper, environments are more detailed (albeit still somewhat basic), and the game’s overall resolution and fidelity show that it was designed for modern systems.
The cut-scenes deserve special mention. The game is filled with cinematic moments, ranging from simple character dialogues to elaborate action sequences and dramatic plot twists. Seeing iconic figures like Cao Cao and Lu Bu rendered with modern visuals and performing sleek, high-resolution moves is a treat. For those who are less interested in the story and more focused on gameplay, all cutscenes are skippable—a welcome option for players who want to dive straight into the action. The game was reviewed on a PS5 Pro, and its performance options are worth noting. Players can choose from three modes:
- Prioritize Graphics: Enhances visual quality and resolution.
- Prioritize Framerate: Focuses on maintaining a smooth frame rate.
- 4K Native Mode: Offers a true 4K experience with no AI upscaling, provided you have a 4K-capable monitor or TV.
During my playthrough, I chose the “Prioritize Framerate” mode, which provided a smooth and consistent experience, ideal for the fast-paced combat that relies on precise timing for parrying and evasion. I briefly tried the 4K Native mode, but frame rate drops during large-scale battles made it less enjoyable, particularly for a combat-heavy game where every animation frame matters.
Additionally, the game supports higher frame rates (up to 120fps) for compatible monitors and TVs. Played on a 4K, 144Hz Samsung monitor, I was impressed by how the game took full advantage of this feature. This marks the first time the Dynasty Warriors franchise has supported displays capable of more than 60fps, which is a huge technical leap for the series.
The Dynasty Warriors franchise has long been known for its energetic rock and heavy metal soundtracks, often blended with traditional Chinese instruments. Origins stays true to this tradition, delivering an intense and engaging soundtrack that perfectly complements the fast-paced action. Fans of the series will feel right at home with the music, which enhances the adrenaline of battles.
The voice acting, on the other hand, remains a bit of a mixed bag. While it isn’t terrible, it leans heavily into the series’ trademark cheesiness. Dialogue often feels melodramatic, with performances that range from passable to unintentionally humorous. While this may turn off some players, longtime fans will likely appreciate its charm as part of the franchise’s identity.
Final Verdict
Overall, I think Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a good game for the most part. Although, I will be honest it is a niche franchise that is not for everyone. It relies heavily on being repetitive in a fun way, so the question is do you enjoy the repetitiveness and how it is presented to you? I am quite tolerant when it comes to more repetitive games, so I personally do not mind it. I think the graphical upgrades and the refined combat system is the biggest strength of the new entry. Despite all that however, the lack of the roster and not really having the ability to play other characters when you want too is quite disappointing. It limits the replay value and variety of a game that is already repetitive as it is and having only nine weapon types doesn’t help it either.
The game does span across a total of six chapters with branching paths and it does have a true ending as well, but that is up to you to figure out. So there is a point in replaying the game if you want to see all the endings and witness all of the cut-scenes and storyline. But it would have been a lot more fun to replay the game if it had more playable characters and more variety of weapons. I do believe however, that this is a good entry for newcomers who have never played the series before but for veterans it might be a bit disappointing because of the things I’ve just mentioned. I am hoping that Koei Tecmo does make an actual Dynasty Warriors 10 and somewhat return to the more classical formula, but that is a personal thing. Dynasty Warriors: Origins will be receiving a final verdict of 7 out of 10.
Score: 7/10
Overall, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a decent entry that offers a fresh take on the beloved hack-and-slash franchise. However, it is important to note that the series remains a niche experience, appealing primarily to players don’t mind overly repetitive games.
In the end, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is an enjoyable game with noticeable improvements, but it falls short of greatness due to its limitations. The game feels like a bridge between what the franchise has been and what it could become in the future. While it may not fully satisfy veterans, it lays the groundwork for a potential Dynasty Warriors 10 that could bring back the best of the classic formula.
