Dynasty Warriors: Origins

Dynasty Warriors Origins embodies everything fans of the musou genre have always dreamed of for their favorite series. This installment raises the bar in terms of quality and, in many ways, sets a new standard for the genre, appealing not only to longtime fans but also to newcomers, while laying a solid foundation for the future of the entire franchise. From its storytelling to the revamped combat mechanics, nearly every piece falls perfectly into place. Despite a few hiccups and some rough edges that still need polishing, it’s impossible not to appreciate the fantastic work done by the team at Omega Force.

Dynasty Warriors Origins manages to make us forget the mistakes of the ninth episode to bring the saga into a new era under the sign of modernity. Thanks to rich and nervous gameplay, the fights have never been so satisfying against one or several enemies and benefit from a great variety using the eight types of weapons. The battles are also more spectacular and epic than ever against ever more numerous and lively armies. However, this does not prevent the experience from suffering from readability problems in the heart of the action. Outside of the fights, the title shines with its friendly RPG aspect and its linear way of presenting the history of the Three Kingdoms to make it more accessible. And even if we are entitled to replayability and an interesting post-game, the absence of a free mode remains a lack, especially for veterans. Despite this pitfall, Dynasty Warriors Origins has given us a great view and augurs a bright future for the franchise which has been able to bounce back.

The reboot of Dynasty Warriors has been one of the best ideas to break the monotony imposed by its clone predecessors. The hack'n slash specialized in Musou returns with renewed energy and significant improvements to offer an outstanding action experience. As part of a story, being able to make decisions and take different paths extends a visually stunning experience, whose gameplay is extremely satisfying.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a return to the origins of all that is good about this veteran saga. It could be given a few more nuances regarding its evolution, but within its genre, this game is the best we can find and the best exponent on Xbox Series. There aren't many other things that can be blamed on it, visually it delivers, the battles are intense and the combat system adds new small strategic components that make the game deeper. All this, accompanied by a lot of content, decision making and some twists in the plot, makes this a remarkable game and one of the best in the series.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a brilliant reboot of the series. Playing as a central character instead of hopping between classic heroes works. It looks damned good most of the time, sounds great, and features an excellent mix of group and single-fighter combat. For those new or returning to the series you’ll find dozens of hours of combative bliss.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a great game that takes the series a good and necessary step forward. It opens up and gives us meaning behind all the madness.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a less revolutionary title than expected, as most of the ingenious grafts attempted by Omega Force actually come from its most successful licensed musou. That said, the Japanese developer should at least be given credit for having expertly mixed so many devilries without saturating the gameplay of the product. Compared to Dynasty Warriors 9, the brand new Dynasty Warriors: Origins represents a gigantic improvement, as well as a starting point for the main series of the franchise, which for too many years had unfortunately lost its way. Thanks to the possibility of facing the campaign from a completely new point of view, the title is suitable for both veterans and neophytes, who could take advantage of the notable gameplay and technical progress to get closer to the brand and let themselves be transported by the events of the Three Kingdoms.

In placing a lone hero at the centre of its historical Three Kingdoms story, Dynasty Warriors: Origins emerges as a much more focussed affair. Marry that to some stellar combat mechanics, and it's almost impossible not to get swept up in the overblown 1 vs. 1000 action. This is an unbelievably fun game, and certainly the best Dynasty Warriors game I've ever played.

DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS is a well worked game, with a lot of content to go at. You’ll find hours of fighting just by following the main storyline, yet while it is possible to do this, the real joy of the game comes from wandering around, talking to people and taking on additional missions. The storyline is strong too, and so if Dynasty Warriors is your bag, Origins will be seen as an easy sell. Even if you are new to proceedings, this is a good place to start.

There’s a cognitive dissonance to a game whose core is built around joyful excess and ridiculousness yet is so somber, subdued, and joyless when it comes to its narrative and characters.

There’s some fantastic action combat with an array of weaponry in Dynasty Warriors: Origins, and for some people, that will be enough. But as the game pivots to a more narrative focus, it only exposes its shortcomings, and feels too repetitive and inconsequential to sustain its own story.