Dynasty Warriors: Origins — hands-on report

The Dynasty Warriors series, known for its 1 vs. 1,000 gameplay, is set to make a grand return in 2025 with its latest entry for PS5, Dynasty Warriors: Origins. This upcoming title debuted its first hands-on exhibit at the Tokyo Game Show 2024, where I had the unique opportunity to be guided through the demo play by Mr. Tomohiko Sho, producer & head of Omega Force, Koei Tecmo Games. Here’s a full breakdown of the demo with the tips and insights I received from Mr. Sho.

Choose your companion and set off to battle

As the game began, I found myself amid the Battle of Sishui Gate, standing at a war council meeting with General Yuan Shao, a key figure spearheading a coalition to overthrow Dong Zhuo. My mission was clear and the stakes were high – I was to defeat Dong Zhuo’s officers, Li Jue and Hua Xiong, who were defending the Sishui Gate.

 As the council concluded, it was time to ready myself for battle. I checked the positions of various armies on the map, selected the protagonist’s armor and weapons, and chose the companion to fight alongside me.

There were three types of weapons to choose from: the General’s Sword, the Gnashing Fang, and the Crescent Blade. While Mr. Sho recommended the versatile General’s Sword for its easy handling, long-time Dynasty Warriors players and skilled action game players are encouraged to opt for either of the other two.

Next, I selected my companion from Xiahou Dun, Guan Yu, and Sun Shangxiang to fight with me on the battlefield. Interestingly, each warrior had a different starting position on the map.

Exhilarating and gratifying 1 vs. 1,000 hack-and-slash action

As I embarked on my quest, a horde of Dong Zhuo’s army emerged, sparking a swift battle. Balancing between the Square button for normal attacks and the Triangle button for power attacks, I cleared the enemies from my path, building up my spirit gauge with each strike. Once full, I triggered the Rage mode to unleash a chain of Battle Arts moves. The control of the protagonist was intuitive and easy, making it a game that even new players to the series would quickly get the hang of.

While defeating regular soldiers is straightforward, fighting duels with army commanders or prominent generals requires strategic thinking. These formidable foes are distinguished by a special aura, Fortitude, indicated by a shield icon. While they are glowing, your attacks are significantly less effective. The key to dealing heavy damage is to deplete their Fortitude by using special Battle Arts moves or perfectly timing a block. However, it’s important to note that some generals can launch special attacks that are impossible to guard against. In such situations, you must rely on evasion, distance, or kinetic energy to counteract their attacks. These tangibly strong enemy generals added to the electrifying experience of this battle action title.

Strategic orders to wipe out the foes

The protagonist commands and fights alongside an army of as many as 21 guards. Pressing the L2 button activates the Eyes of the Sacred Bird, a feature that allows you to switch to an aerial view of the battlefield. From this vantage point, you can devise strategic orders for the allied guards, such as volleys to fire a hail of arrows, charge to storm through the enemy lines with spears in hands, and encirclement to surround foes.

Mr. Sho explained that the guards system was implemented in the series’ earlier works, but was removed midway through to place a stronger emphasis on the companions. However, the developers’ unceasing desire to bring them back led to the reinvention and reintroduction of the guards in the series’ latest installment to amplify the sensation of large-scale battlefields.

Thousands of individual soldiers stir the tide of war

Dynasty Warriors: Origins boasts an unprecedented scale of soldiers in the series’ history. Governed by individually assigned algorithms, thousands of soldiers independently jostle in a single screen, either under the command of their leaders or with their own volition.

Indeed, the game meticulously recreates an entire battlefield, with each clash erupting on every inch of the map, stirring up the tide of war.

Duals, supporting companions, and intense final battle

As I made my way toward Sishui Gate, I was confronted by a massive army led by Li Jue and Hua Xiong. The dynamic clash between the two forces instantly ignited my adrenaline.

I tactfully deployed the guards, who then charged into the enemy camp, wreaking havoc. With the successful ambush on Sun Jian, my punitive force’s morale skyrocketed. However, as if to stop this momentum, the enemy general, Hua Xiong, challenged me to a duel. Encircled by enemy soldiers, only the winner could walk away alive. As Hua Xiong fiercely attacked with his giant hammer, I felt a jolt of exhilaration as I dealt with his blows and counterattacked.

The opposing army’s next move was a grand assault, launching a constant flow of multiple army units. This meant I had two minutes to defeat 500 soldiers. I quickly switched to the Musou Warrior I was saving for this battle and went for the kill.

My Musou Warrior, Sun Shangxiang, was peerless. Once her Musou awakened, she annihilated the enemy with her unmatched attack power and prowled through attacks, completely unfazed. She used her powerful move, Musou Ranbu, or unmatched dance, to wipe out the enemy’s army. The protagonist was strong, but the power of the Musou Warrior was a true representation of 1 vs. 1,000 action.

Facing Lu Bu, the strongest warrior

After the landslide victory at the Battle of Suishui Gate, my S-rank proudly displayed on the demo result screen. I was taken by surprise when an extra stage unexpectedly began. The formidable Lu Bu, known as the strongest general, stood before me. His powerful and wide-ranged attacks were a sight to behold. As the level 10 Fortitude indicated, he was a force to be reckoned with. His strength was beyond my expectations, and I could only manage to deplete his Fortitude ever so slightly before I was defeated. Despite the setback, the sense of accomplishment for having faced the strongest general in the Three Kingdoms was undeniable.

In this demo gameplay, I primarily experienced battles against enemy generals. The tactical elements of large-scale battles can only be thoroughly explored in the full version of the game. The@ tactical action title to date when Dynasty Warriors: Origins launches on PS5 in 2025.