Gaming

‘Dynasty Warriors: Origins’ Proves You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks (Review)

I was genuinely shocked to see how much ‘Dynasty Warriors: Origins’ improves the series’ historic roots, marking a new era.

Wanderer looking off into the distance at a village in Dynasty Warriors: Origins
Screenshot: Shaun Cichacki

The Dynasty Warriors franchise has been around for nearly as long as I’ve been alive. Starting as a 1v1 fighting game, it quickly evolved into the series we’ve recognized in its second entry. While it made an attempt to grow and change, a few critical backpedals have pushed the franchise in the wrong direction. In my humble opinion, Dynasty Warriors: Origins pushes the franchise forward, offering a gorgeous, interesting, and well-performing game that absorbed me from the moment the action started. Dynasty Warriors has never been so back.

Lu Bu in Dynasty Warriors: Origins
Screenshot: Shaun Cichacki

While Not Groundbreaking, an Interesting Story Weaves a Tangled Web

In a story loosely based on the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I found myself in the shoes of the “Wanderer”. A lone wolf with extraordinary powers and a bad case of memory loss. Breaking away from the tradition of letting players choose which character they want to play, Dynasty Warriors Origins focuses on this new character while also ensuring that the supporting cast still receives adequate screen time.

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Don’t fret; I could still jump into the shoes of beloved series icons. But the majority of the time was spent playing as the Wanderer. Different weapon types slowly became available throughout the story. This ensured I was never fatigued from using the same old sword. Hoops, Staffs, and more were introduced, each with various movesets to keep things interesting. Even as I fought through endless waves of enemies.

At first, it was admittedly jarring only being able to play as The Wanderer. I’m used to selecting which historical figure I want to cause chaos with, but after a while? I grew rather fond of this silent, but deadly protagonist. As their backstory began to unwind, their introduction slowly made more sense, and my adoration of The Wanderer grew.

In certain missions, however, I could call upon the help of the series’ veterans. Using someone like Zhang Fei and their powerful staff while The Wanderer has a hoop full of blades helped keep things exciting, and even if the time you get to play as these partners is short, their power is immense and instantly felt. It’s a great balance of raw power versus versatility on the battlefield.

The Days of Choppy Framerates in ‘Dynasty Warriors’ Are over

Anyone who has played a Dynasty Warriors game knows that visual fidelity was normally left on the back burner in place of a massive number of enemies on the screen. Imagine my shock, on an OG PlayStation 5, as I watched my framerate stay stable even during the biggest battles. Not only that, but with selectable Graphics and Performance options, I could fine-tune the experience to be exactly what I wanted it to be.

I was also genuinely shocked to see a selectable target framerate. With options for 30, 60, and 120 FPS, I selected 120FPS and Graphics while hoping for a miracle. And wouldn’t you guess it; the game actually ran extraordinarily well. Even during the most dramatic encounters, I rarely saw the framerate dip. All this while looking great in the meantime.

On a technological level, this is the best the Dynasty Warriors franchise has ever looked and felt. Dynasty Warriors: Origins did right by leaving the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One behind. Visually varied battlefields, a massive overworld map scattered with collectibles, and the number of enemies on the screen makes every second of exploring this world look and feel fantastic. As to be expected, the soundtrack and sounds of battle are also great. The sounds of battle, combined with the melodic rock soundtrack, make every battle feel like an all-out war.

It’s wild to me that the game looks great and performs even better. Previous Dynasty Warriors games were passable at best and, truthfully, laughable at times. Dynasty Warriors: Origins utilizes the power of current-generation systems to make a series typically known for turning into a slideshow perform like a champion. Plus, Lu Bu is somehow more menacing than ever before.

An in-game character model from Dynasty Warriors: Origins
Screenshot: Shaun Cichacki

The Action Is Fast, Furious, Fluid, and Fantastic in ‘Dynasty Warriors: Origins’

But, what good is a Dynasty Warriors game if the action doesn’t feel good, you may be asking. Well, I’m here to say that the action is engaging, breaking out of its mindless button-mashing roots to introduce new elements that make fights all the more enthralling.

Those hoping for some proper hack-and-slash action have plenty to celebrate here. At its core, it’s Dynasty Warriors in its more pure offering. But for me, its 1v1 battles are where Dynasty Warriors: Origins truly shined. These feel very cinematic, no matter if I’m facing off against a slightly more powerful grunt, or a properly named historical figure. And even while I’m facing off against these massive monsters of power and brute force, I’m still able to focus on smashing through hundreds of less-ranked fodder.

These 1v1 battles build on what the lesser-loved Dynasty Warriors 9 had to offer while refining a smoother and more exciting experience. Using parries, dodges, and special attacks while facing off against these mini-bosses was exciting, no matter how many times I did them. I was always searching the map for more Officers to fight, as they were some of my favorite battles in my playtime.

And honestly? Dynasty Warriors: Origins can still feel mindless at times, but if I caught myself slacking too often, I could find myself in a dire situation. Getting overwhelmed by enemy forces is a true reality here, but using powerful attacks could help me change the tide of a battle. It’s a great mix of what made Dynasty Warriors fun in the past, while evolving the franchise and pushing it in a new direction.

Exploring the world on horseback in Dynasty Warriors: Origins
Screenshot: Shaun Cichacki

A Sprawling Map and Plenty of Missions Make Me a Happy Boy

It’s also worth mentioning the sheer amount of content available from the start of Dynasty Warriors: Origins. Beyond the standard story missions, I could explore the massive overworld in search of collectibles. I could jump into smaller missions that would give me skill points to level up The Wanderer. Build up bonds with familiar characters from the series’ past.

These missions are usually small-scale battles that could be completed in just a matter of minutes. Rather than embarking on a 20+ minute campaign level, I could jump in and power up The Wanderer while earning skill points and possibly experimenting with a new weapon or accessory. When I wasn’t battling waves upon waves of enemies, however? I was exploring the massive overworld searching for collectibles.

While there is no free roam within the cities, they are rather bountiful around the map. There are also beacons that I could use as quick checkpoints, offering a fast travel system. I could make my way around the map quickly, thanks to the incredibly fast load times. Paired with the crisp visuals, exploring the world both in and out of battle was blissful.

Searching for Old Coins and materials was easy enough, typically hidden in plain sight. As I progressed through the story, the importance of these materials was slowly unraveled. Without going into spoiler territory, search for as many Old Coins as possible. You’ll thank me later. The search is simple, and the results are worth your time and effort.

Screenshot: Shaun Cichacki

3 Steps Forward and One Step Backward for ‘Dynasty Warriors: Origins’

There is one thing that is missing from Dynasty Warriors: Origins that made the franchise feel special in the past. The omission of multiplayer. While it makes sense from the standpoint of the story, I do wish that there was an option to play around with friends online.

For some reason, as well, UI elements seemed blurry and pixelated. No matter how good the background graphics look, the menu text looks like it was always at 720p. To be fair, when I first booted up DW: Origins, I was hoping that it wasn’t going to be indicative of the quality of the actual game. I was fretting seeing that blurry UI text, imagining what the rest of the game would be like after that point.

Otherwise? Absolute cinema. Dynasty Warriors: Origins gripped me like no other Dynasty Warriors game before it could. The intricate combo system, mixed with perfect parries and dodging, makes battles all the more exhilarating. It’s a masterful evolution of what made the franchise special in the first place while adding new ideas to an almost three-decade-old franchise.

It offers plenty to love for those invested in the series since the start. I didn’t know what to expect when I jumped in for the first time. But I know I didn’t expect a game that was going to grip me so tightly and not let go. When I’m not playing Dynasty Warriors: Origins, I’m thinking about playing Dynasty Warriors: Origins. And that’s a claim I did not expect to make in 2025.


Dynasty Warriors: Origins will be available on January 17, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation Portal.