The novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” has spawned countless adaptations, making it challenging to breathe new life into its well-known characters and plots. However, after immersing myself in Dynasty Warriors: Origins for 60 hours, the classic saga of politics, warfare, and diplomacy felt revitalized. This installment escalates battles to an unprecedented scale, with the screen teeming with more foes than ever, perfectly encapsulating that “1 vs. 1000” scenario. Alongside improved visuals, more refined combat, compelling storytelling, and extensive postgame content, Origins has easily become my top pick in the Dynasty Warriors series.
Dynasty Warriors stands out for its focus on action, even though it draws from the broader narratives of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Memorable moments for me often involve vanquishing hordes of enemies, with legendary duels adding flair to the chaos. Origins, however, strikes a balance between story and combat, a departure from Koei Tecmo and Omega Force’s past efforts.
In a new twist, Origins places you in the shoes of a freshly minted character developed specifically for this game, instead of selecting from existing legendary figures like Liu Bei or Cao Cao. This new protagonist—a wandering warrior with amnesia—may seem cliched, but it surprisingly works, weaving a focused storyline through the early triumphs of well-known Three Kingdoms personalities. While I did miss assuming the roles of iconic officers such as Guan Yu for entire missions, Origins compensates by allowing temporary control over them in select scenarios.
Initially, the plot is linear as you experience pivotal events like the suppression of the Yellow Turbans and Dong Zhuo’s ascendancy. However, upon reaching the campaign’s midpoint—a sprawling 45-hour endeavor if you dive into all side activities—a pivotal choice is made: selecting an allegiance and leader to follow indefinitely. This choice dramatically alters your viewpoint for the adventure’s remainder. My journey began with the ambitious but modest Shu faction, shadowing Liu Bei’s hopeful ascent to supremacy. Thankfully, after completing one story path, Origins allows effortless replays of specific battles or chapter segments to explore alternative alliances and narratives. Meeting particular conditions in these divergent stories reveals the saga’s “true endings,” a challenge I’m eagerly pursuing.
Origins adds a dash of romance to the Three Kingdoms. Across its five chapters, an auxiliary storyline unveils itself, centered around recovering your character’s lost memories. This narrative intertwines with the expansive cast through lively dialogue and engaging cutscenes, infusing lightness and intrigue amidst the heavier exposition of battle events, betrayals, and alliances. One critique, however, is that your protagonist often seems emotionless; when emotions do surface, they’re quite nuanced, which can detract from the impact of specific dramatic moments. Furthermore, the main character remains mostly silent, aside from issuing generic battle cries.
In your journey, you’ll occasionally encounter key warriors on the world map after skirmishes, providing opportunities to deepen relationships. Each of these bonds consists of five levels, with progression yielding bonuses like collectible coins and, at the final level, an intimate scene. These personal moments were some of my favorites. Avoiding spoilers, it was remarkably moving when a notable general invited my character for a drink, aiming to imprint their memory with my features and voice. Characters express themselves with such eloquence and regard that it often suggests romantic inclinations, though none of the bonds I completed explicitly reached that juncture. Nevertheless, Koei Tecmo successfully weaves a touch more romance into the Three Kingdoms, which I thoroughly appreciated.
The tools of war evolve, and Origins reflects this evolution. Though you start with a basic sword and simple Battle Arts, you gradually unlock an array of options, learning new combos and enhancing abilities. This system motivates experimentation, even with initially underwhelming choices. Take the wheels weapon, for example, which initially paled in comparison to the crescent blade or gauntlets. Yet, with increased proficiency, its potential to stagger enemy officers became apparent.
As you collect new weapon types—acquired through victorious duels or purchases—the game ensures you’re regularly gaining new armaments, keeping combat fresh. The distinctive identity of each weapon compensates for the lack of character switching, and the ability to swap amongst them mid-mission allows tactical flexibility, especially as battles grow more complex. Selecting the right weapon becomes crucial, particularly in later chapters where delays can jeopardize allies’ lives.
Every weapon possesses unique Battle Arts, powered by a resource called Bravery, which enable awe-inspiring effects, from summoning tornadoes to launching piercing beams of light. Bravery is earned through proficient combat techniques like parrying and perfect dodges, which now look more impressive while offering considerable combat advantages. These mechanics elevate combat by rewarding skillful play—and that extends to the powerful Musou Attacks and the exhilarating Ultimate Musou Attack, which delivers a satisfying spectacle when executed correctly.
On the field of war, strategic Tactics offer additional depth, allowing well-timed maneuvers such as fire-arrow volleys to shift battle momentum. Choosing the optimal moment and position for these tactics lends every battle a thoughtful layer beyond just cooldown management. Given the long cooldowns, I found myself using these strategic moves to great effect in aiding threatened officers and wearing down formidable foes.
Dynasty Warriors thrives on the fantasy of cutting through vast enemy ranks, and Origins upholds this thrilling ideal. As difficulty ramps up, employing defensive strategies becomes vital, adding a rewarding layer for those seeking challenge. On tougher settings like Hero and Ultimate, mastering defenses is crucial; enemies become relentless, and the margin for error shrinks immensely.
Origins paints a vibrant picture beyond combat with its detailed map, resembling a dynamic diorama rich in natural landscapes. This map teems with activities—from missions and skirmishes to trading and interactions with officers. The game’s provinces are expansive yet accessible, beckoning strategic exploration.
Side missions complement the core campaign, offering new skills and allies, while skirmishes provide quick, rewarding clashes to hone abilities and fulfill challenges. These challenges, though often straightforward, add variety and flank the main missions perfectly. The most demanding objectives pushed my dueling skills to the limit, yet their completion brought delightful character interactions and valuable skill points. Skirmishes and challenges proved effective for experimenting with new strategies between narrative beats, ensuring a consistent level of engagement throughout the storyline.
