January 20th 2025.
As the 25th anniversary of the PlayStation 2 approaches, one franchise is attempting to revamp its image and appeal to a more modern audience. We're talking about Dynasty Warriors: Origins, a veteran in the gaming world that has seen its fair share of ups and downs.
If you had asked us back in the day which franchise would still be going strong in 2025, Dynasty Warriors would not have been our top choice. When it first debuted, it was more of a tech demo than a fully fleshed out game. Sure, it was impressive to see hundreds of enemies on screen at once, but the gameplay itself was lacking in depth and became repetitive quickly.
But somehow, against all odds, Dynasty Warriors has managed to stay relevant. While it may not be as popular in the West, it has remained one of the biggest franchises in Japan for quite some time. However, despite numerous entries and spin-offs, the series has failed to evolve or improve its formula, resulting in mediocre games at best.
But with the release of Origins, the franchise is attempting to turn things around and start fresh. As its name suggests, this game is meant to be a reboot, after the disappointing reception of Dynasty Warriors 9 caused the cancellation of plans for Dynasty Warriors 10. Origins brings back the traditional level design while also making some new changes, such as only playing as one character throughout the entire game.
As always, the game is set in ancient China, but this time it's based on the 14th century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which gives it a more serious tone. However, that doesn't stop you from taking on entire armies by yourself while jamming to some soft rock music. You play as an unknown warrior with amnesia, which may seem like a cliché, but it does help to introduce you to the other characters and their roles in the story.
One of the major improvements in Origins is the graphics, which now boast even more enemies on screen at once. The individual enemy designs are decent, but they still pose no real threat to you unless you willingly let them gang up on you for a significant amount of time. The majority of missions follow the same old formula of capturing enemy forts while defending your own, which sounds like a great mix of action and strategy but ends up being quite mundane.
However, there are some moments that deviate from the norm, such as facing off against mini-bosses or completing unique missions like dispersing a magic fog or climbing an endless set of stairs. These are the rare occasions where the game becomes more interesting and challenging, but unfortunately, they are few and far between.
The combat in Origins has been revamped, with a wider range of parry, dodge, and special moves, making it slightly more engaging than previous games. But ultimately, it still falls short compared to more complex action games like Sekiro. Additionally, while there are nine different weapon types to choose from, they don't make much of a difference in the overall gameplay.
One of the main issues with Origins is its lack of difficulty. As with most of the series, the game is incredibly easy, and even the occasional challenging mission doesn't make up for the overall repetitive and shallow gameplay. The lack of other playable characters or any form of multiplayer or co-op only adds to the game's lackluster experience.
The developers have tried to make Origins accessible to new players, but beyond the improved graphics and one-on-one combat, the game falls short in terms of modernization. Ending a mission with a kill count in the hundreds of thousands may be amusing at first, but after 25 years, it's hard to imagine anyone but diehard fans still finding it entertaining.
Perhaps future crossovers using Origins as a foundation may make better use of its advancements, but as it stands, the franchise has yet to prove it can evolve and improve in any significant way. In the end, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is only fun in theory, and the reality is a vapid and repetitive game with a few minor improvements and some missed opportunities.
So, if you're a diehard fan of the franchise, you may still find some enjoyment in this game. But for the average player, it's hard to recommend spending £64.99 on a game that offers little in terms of innovation and fails to live up to its potential. With a lack of depth and strategic elements, Origins falls short of being anything more than a mindless hack 'n' slash with pretty graphics.
Overall, we give Dynasty Warriors: Origins a score of 5/10. It's available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with a release date set for January 17th, 2025. Just keep in mind that this game is rated 16+ for its violence and mature themes.
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