Genre: Hack-and-Slash
Modes: Single-Player
Developer: Omega Force
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Release Date: January 17th 2025
Available On: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Reviewed On: PS5
I have no prior exposure to the Dynasty Warriors franchise. All I knew about the games was that they were hack-and-slash titles, and the franchise has had a poor reputation in recent years due to a series of lacklustre releases. Dynasty Warriors 9 launched to mixed reviews, and Dynasty Warriors 10 ultimately got cancelled. However, Omega Force aimed to revamp the series with Dynasty Warriors: Origins, and they have delivered one of the best hack-and-slash combat games I have played in ages. The game feels beautifully polished, both in its visuals and combat system. The story is fantastic and kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering who would reign over the Three Kingdoms, and each character was memorable, for the most part. Add to this a massive amount of replay value, and you have a game that you can happily invest dozens of hours into, with an experience that doesn't diminish.
As the player, you control an unnamed, silent protagonist who begins as a volunteer fighter within the Three Kingdoms. You start with a small group of mates, and before long, you get familiar with many characters throughout the kingdom. Many of them are based on real figures from Japanese history but are fictional depictions to enhance the narrative. As a hired soldier, you must engage in various battles to progress, constantly switching your weapons to quicken the levelling system, and you will interact with numerous NPCs, listening to their stories about whom they support and what their intentions are for the future of the Three Kingdoms.
The story started slowly, and it took me a few hours to become invested in the game. The mission structure and design initially threw me off course due to its repetitive nature. However, the story soon picked up momentum and held my attention for the rest of its duration. It also strongly encourages you to keep playing after your initial playthrough. Without spoiling the plot, the halfway point of the game compels you to side with a particular group. Each group has a different leader you've come to know throughout the story. It's up to the player to decide which leader and their actions align with what they believe is best for the Three Kingdoms. After completing one of these campaigns and achieving the desired ending, you can activate New Game Plus and replay the game from any point in the campaign. The replay value eliminates the need to play through the first 12 or so hours, allowing you to jump straight to the section where the campaign becomes choice-based. This is a truly brilliant feature that should be standard in any game with a long campaign and multiple endings. Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a masterclass in replayability regarding its mission structure and narrative.
Complementing the campaign of Dynasty Warriors: Origins are the game's stunning visuals. Many battles occur in similarly themed locations, often characterised by mountainous terrain, lush green fields, and enemy bases and camps dotted throughout the area. Despite the recurring mission styles, the visuals remain a delight, and I never tired of admiring the remarkable effort that Omega Force invested in each environment. In addition to the visuals, the game's performance is impeccable. I played it on my PS5, alternating between my TV and PlayStation Portal. It ran consistently at 60 fps throughout my 34-hour playthrough, never dropping a frame during that time. I was initially concerned that the intense combat and the sheer volume of action in every moment might challenge the game's performance; after all, there are missions where over a thousand enemy soldiers and allies are visible on-screen at once. I was thrilled to be proven wrong; Dynasty Warriors: Origins performs like a dream.
Alongside the game's chaotic action and visuals is its guitar-driven, modern soundtrack. Defeating hundreds of enemies at once while the electric guitar blasted through my headphones gave me such an adrenaline rush that it was hard to think of anything to compare it to. Unfortunately, while I love the style of the soundtrack, it became a bit repetitive. Whenever I tackled a main story mission or a side quest, it felt like the same guitar tune played throughout the entire game. I still appreciate its kick-ass nature, but it didn't have the same spark it had during the opening hours of the game.
Grasping every single detail of Dynasty Warriors: Origins' combat in this review isn't an easy task. There are countless ways to tackle a mission and loads of attacks, combos, and special moves that assist you during battles. Nevertheless, I'll do my utmost to highlight everything the game has to offer in its fantastic hack-and-slash combat.
You start the game with just one weapon, a sword. You can use the sword to perform light attacks with one button or heavy attacks with another. Additionally, pressing the light attack button enables you to unleash a sequence of beautifully choreographed moves that rhythmically turn enemies to dust. You can execute a similar series of attacks by tapping the heavy attack button several times. You can also switch between the two buttons to create an even wider variety of attacks. Furthermore, you can dash to avoid incoming strikes and block certain attacks directed at you. Some attacks, particularly those from enemy officers, cannot be blocked and will require you to engage them to progress in the battle.
In combat, you won't just be using heavy and light attacks to defeat enemies and take down bosses. This is where the Battle Arts come into play. You can employ different Battle Arts moves in various situations during combat. Some of them are powerful attacks, while others are counterattacks used after taking a hit, and some can break apart large groups of enemies, helping you get closer to an enemy officer. Each Battle Art requires a certain amount of Bravery, and once your Bravery is gone, you'll need to recharge it by executing attacks, parries, and dodges. You can equip four different Battle Arts at a time, and you'll learn dozens more as you progress through the story, level up your character, or purchase them from the shop. Some Battle Arts can be used with any weapon in your inventory, while others are specific to a particular weapon. You start the game with just a sword, but you'll obtain a total of 10 weapons, each with distinct move sets and Battle Arts for you to experiment with.
Initially, I wasn't a fan of the levelling-up system in Dynasty Warriors: Origins. For the first few hours, I tried out the different weapons I had, and I enjoyed the fast-paced attacks of the sword. The spear felt awkward to me, and the gauntlets didn't have as broad an attack spread compared to the sword. I was disappointed when I realised that the quickest way to level up my character and grow stronger was to experiment with every weapon and different Battle Art in my inventory. The levelling-up system resembles Ratchet & Clank, where the more you use a particular weapon, the more experience points you gain. When you level up a specific weapon, you also level up your character, and then the number of experience points needed to reach the next weapon level increases. The game strongly encourages you to use every weapon, even if it's not your personal favourite, or you'll level up much slower and be weaker in battles. I didn't like this concept at first, but it eventually grew on me, making me realise that it's a crucial gameplay mechanic not only to enhance your character but also to improve your skills in the game's combat.
Every weapon feels different; some offer quick, responsive attacks, while others require an understanding of various button combos. The twin pikes, for instance, are dual axes you can charge up to deliver devastating strikes against enemies. You can also charge up the gauntlets to provide quick, powerful blows to a group of foes. When you equip each weapon with unique Battle Arts tailored for that weapon, you also boost your experience points, making levelling up happen much faster. Once you successfully use a particular Battle Art a set number of times, it becomes stronger. You can keep it equipped for more power in combat, but it's better to equip a different attack to maintain a steady flow of experience points. This approach will greatly aid not only in grasping the combat system but also in becoming stronger and more formidable against large swarms of enemies and enemy officers.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins unfolds over five story chapters. Each chapter features a specific number of battles you need to win to advance to the next one. The battles might be contentious for some players, as they largely involve similar gameplay. You start on the battlefield, move towards the objective, defeat enemies, and either eliminate a specific foe or infiltrate an enemy stronghold. Some story battles are brief, taking only 5-10 minutes, while later missions can last over half an hour.
Standard enemies usually come in large groups of soldiers, requiring you to employ various combos and attacks to overcome them. The primary adversaries are enemy officers, who serve as the backbone of significant formations. These officers act as mini-bosses throughout a mission, with up to a dozen possible encounters in a single battle. They are tougher than standard foes and utilise a range of attacks that can be blocked, parried, or evaded. By attacking an enemy officer repeatedly, you can drain their Bravery, allowing you to unleash an Assault attack. Assault attacks are fast-paced, powerful moves that significantly reduce an enemy's health. When you defeat an enemy officer, you're rewarded with the satisfying line, "The enemy officer has been defeated." I vanquished hundreds of officers during my playthrough, and this line plays every single time you take one down. It felt rewarding at first, and I never grew tired of hearing it for the rest of my time with the game.
This mission structure may seem repetitive, but it works remarkably well in the game, thanks to the effective exposition and storytelling. At the beginning of a major battle, you gather with your allies at the roundtable to discuss the battle plan. You learn where you will start, where the key enemies are, and what the criteria for achieving victory entail. In most battles, the condition for victory is to eliminate a specific enemy, while defeat occurs if a particular ally flees the battle. Being informed of these conditions allows you to strategise your position on the battlefield and determine where to fight. When an ally finds themselves in trouble, a dialogue message pops up on the screen, instructing you to head to a specific location on the map as quickly as possible. Alongside being skilled in combat, you must remain aware of what's happening across the map and where crucial allies are engaged in battle. All of these factors can feel overwhelming at first, but it becomes second nature as you grow stronger and more comfortable with the combat. This mission structure keeps you on your toes throughout, and the strategic challenge of approaching enemies is always thrilling.
I absolutely love Dynasty Warriors: Origins, but I cannot say it is perfect because I have some grievances with it. Firstly, I did not get tired of the story missions, but I did grow bored of the game's side missions. Most side missions are mini-battles and can take no more than a couple of minutes to beat. In the early hours of the game, the side missions are not a big deal, but in the later hours of the game, they become obsolete. The experience points you gain from the side missions are minimal, and the only reason to do certain side missions is so you can equip more soldiers and guards for your army. The side missions can be fun, but they are way too short and offer no variety compared to the story missions.
Finally, the game has a huge cast of characters, and they are introduced rapidly throughout the campaign, making it quite confusing to keep track, especially if this is your first experience with Dynasty Warriors. Most of the characters are very memorable, and the game's villains are also unforgettable. The main protagonist, who suffers from amnesia, is not amazing, and he follows the formulaic structure where a character gets back their memory and pieces together who they are. Still, it works decently enough in the game. But certain NPCs swap and change their allegiance constantly, and it can be hard to keep track of which character is where in the story. On top of that, there is a lot of dialogue in the game and a huge amount of cutscenes, making it feel like a Hideo Kojima game at certain points. Happily, I liked the long cutscenes and heavy exposition, but it may not be for everyone.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins Review Verdict
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a fantastic game that any fan of the hack-and-slash genre should give a go. I am a huge fan of the hack-and-slash combat of Bayonetta and the classic God of War games. Origins does not play like these games, but the unique combat is thrilling throughout the game. The sheer scale of each battle is amazing, as is the story, especially near the end. The replayability can give you dozens and dozens of hours of playtime, and the freedom you have after your first playthrough encourages you to keep going with the game. The game falters in its side missions and convoluted characters, but the game more than makes up for it by delivering a satisfying and incredible hack-and-slash odyssey.
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