Reviews / 11 February 2025

Dynasty Warriors: Origins Review

Become immersed in exhilarating battles as a nameless hero in the Three Kingdoms

Dynasty Warriors is a franchise that I have enjoyed since I was young. I have so many fond memories of coming home from school and booting up my copy of Dynasty Warriors 5 on the PlayStation 2 and playing it with my younger brother. “You dare face the mighty Lu Bu” still rings in my ears. So, you can probably imagine my excitement when I was gifted a copy of the newest game in the franchise, Dynasty Warriors: Origins.

Dynasty Warriors is a franchise with roots dating back to the late nineties. The series has birthed numerous mainline entries as well as multiple crossover series and spin-offs, including the franchises The Legend of Zelda, Fire Emblem and more. Now in 2025, Koei Tecmo has added a new mainline entry to the roster, Dynasty Warriors Origins.

In Dynasty Warriors Origins you play as an amnesiac protagonist, often referred to as “Wanderer”. Different from previous titles in the series where you usually play multiple characters, this new hero stands in the spotlight as he sets off on a quest to bring peace and unearth his forgotten past.

Now down to the most well know aspect of the Dynasty Warriors games, the combat. Origins is brimming with epic clashes and over-the-top manoeuvres, all of which look better than ever thanks to a graphical upgrade that takes advantage of current gen power. At its core, the aim of the game is wiping out hundreds and thousands of foes with the stroke of your blade. The combat feels incredibly smooth and fluent and feels great to pull off different combinations of attacks.

The protagonist you play can equip one of several different weapon types, including swords, spears, and more. Each weapon has its own proficiency and special abilities, some of which are weapon-specific and others that are universal.

On the battlefield you can find enemy officers who are equipped in similar ways to yourself, where they can use their own special abilities. Some of these can be blocked, others cannot. Where the true flow comes into play, is identifying which attacks should be parried and which should be dodged. Fighting competently helps break down the enemy officer’s defences, visually communicated as small shields. These shields can be fully broken, opening the opponent to a devastating assault, or flashy takedown if their health is low enough.

Between story missions there is a map can be explored where you can take part in optional quests to gain proficiency, gather loot and earn money. There is honestly a ton of content packed within Dynasty Warriors Origins which is sure to keep players busy.

Now onto some of the disappointments of Origins. As mentioned before, the focus on a single protagonist has meant the removal of the former roster of around 50 playable characters. The ability to play the game as different characters was always a favourite and allowed players to enjoy and experience the different play styles of the roster.

The other disappointment is the absence of co-op play. Who’s to say there won’t be co-op added further down the road, but for now it’s a shame to not be able to share this adventure with a friend. I know for sure that even though I live in a different country from my brother, we would have played this together to relieve our childhoods again.

Overall, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a great return of the beloved series. Long time fans will have a lot to love and enjoy in this new title, and people who have yet to play a Dynasty Warriors game can enjoy the experience without needing to have played any other games from the franchise.

I played Dynasty Warriors: Origin on PlayStation 5 with a gifted copy from Koei Tecmo. The game is available now on Playstation, Xbox and PC. While my copy was gifted, my review remains unbiased.