Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the tenth installment of the Dynasty Warriors series. Departing from the trends set by previous entries, it retells the formation of the Three Kingdoms seen from the eyes of a fictional hero. The game is set to begin before the Yellow Turban Rebellion and conclude at the Battle of Chibi.
Those who purchase the game early will be able to acquire a soundtrack containing 191 music tracks from previous titles. Pre-ordering the game yields a code containing an outfit from Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty for the protagonist.
The Treasure Box version includes a special cloth poster, an official book, and original soundtrack album. The Digital Deluxe edition offers the latter two items in digital format plus additional in-game resources (10,000 Gold and 30 Pyroxene) for the player.
The game's narrators are John Henry Kurtz for the English dub, Reiji Kawashima for the Japanese dub, and Yuantao Zhang for the Chinese dub.
Story
The protagonist is a traveling warrior who has no recollection of his own past. While visiting a village suffering from famine, he comes across two figures who denounce the neglect of the current government. This encounter leads him to meet with various heroes of the era, allowing him to either fight alongside them or serve as an obstacle to their respective goals. By joining and clashing with these heroic figures, the warrior may not only remember who he truly is, but realize his own destiny along the way.
Gameplay
Players assume control over an unnamed male protagonist. They may choose to be accompanied by different officers who can be temporarily controlled during certain parts of the game. Associating with certain characters and contributing to their respective factions will lock the player into one kingdom's story route with multiple playthroughs enabling them to see different endings. Note that contribution points are only acquired in large-scale battles, and some of them will force the player to pick one side over another, narrowing down the number of factions to side with.
The initial difficulty settings are Historian (Easy), Wayfarer (Normal), and Hero (Hard). Historian Mode comes with the following perks that make combat easier: unbreakable blocking, automatic stagger effects for both strong attacks and Battle Arts, higher Bravery and Musou recovery rates, and immunity from staggering caused by some enemy attacks. Wayfarer Mode allows players to enjoy the game as is. Hero Mode tweaks the gameplay with additional hurdles: stronger and aggressive foes, depletion of Bravery by blocking hits, enemies attacking simultaneously more often, narrowed down timing for both parries and perfect evasions, battles ending more decisively, and no meat buns dropped by enemies. On the other hand, finishing battles under this difficulty setting yields slightly more skill points and gold. Clearing the game unlocks the Ultimate difficulty level which offers unique weapons, mounts, and items.
A battle assistance feature is available for those who are new to the game, offering tutorials and helpful hints while briefly pausing battles.
Preparations
Before every battle, players take part in a military council where they can decide the victory and defeat conditions of each battle as well as the tactical plans employed. That way, they can somewhat set the difficulty parameters on their own terms. Conversations during the council can provide hints on which strategy is best pursued, rewarding players for paying close attention to the flow of the story.
Players can gain access to different types of weaponry that offer unique advantages. Mastering them earns rank that increases the player's proficiency. Like in Dynasty Warriors 7, weapons can be swapped immediately at the player's own discretion. Therefore, it is highly recommended to become accustomed with each weapon type depending on the situation at hand. They can be found on the battlefield or purchased at towns and cities. The higher the weapon's grade, the more useful abilities they have.
The player has access to a skill panel that elevates their protagonist's performance depending on the skill type chosen. New skills can be unlocked with points gained from clearing battles and missions. Meanwhile, attaining higher ranks open up additional panels filled with more potent skills.
Players are able to take up to 4 types of items with them in battle. Consumables like meat buns are used to recover health while others temporarily boost attack or defense. Gems imbue the player's current moveset with a variety of beneficial buffs. Accessories work similarly to wearable items from older games with more unlockable slots available.
Mechanics
Much like in past titles, basic actions include both normal and strong attacks that are used in tandem to defeat enemies. However, the scheme is massively reworked to where not all weapons possess the same prior C1-to-C6 scheme as in past titles. Neutral, directional-input, guard-input and jumping strong attacks are possible (directional strong attacks upon ranking up a weapon can also be done during an evade), and certain weapons can have at least 3 total inputs for a midair normal attack chain or just 1 input. Certain strong attacks can also be charged up by holding down the button. Even then, movesets vary per weapon type, as well as gimmicks tied to each set of moves.
Should the player block an attack at the right time, they may perform a parry that leaves the opponent open to additional hits. Evasive maneuvers are performed to avoid glowing attacks that cannot be blocked or parried while providing the player with breathing room. If an attack is evaded, the player will be able to follow up with a counterattack.
Health is restored by consuming meat buns just like in previous entries. However, this game gives players the option of automatically using any meat bun they pick up once their current health is below a certain threshold, making it useful for staying alive in more difficult battles. Like in older titles, meat buns can be found within pots located at bases; the map will even indicate areas where meat buns are stored. This feature should be used wisely as meat buns are more scarce even in lower difficulty settings. When players are close to dying, their health will gradually recover all the way to yellow instead of replenishing the Musou gauge.
Battle Arts (武芸, Bugei, lit. "Martial Arts") are assigned within a menu accessed by holding down R1 by default, akin to the skills accessed in previous Warriors games. In battle preparations, they can be assigned to any face button of the player's choosing, and every weapon moveset has their own set of Battle Arts. Arts can also be swapped during battle, but only when not paused in the middle of an animation of one. A Special Battle Art (発勁, Hakkei, lit. "Force Discharge") is a type of Battle Art that has the unique property of unbalancing opposing officers performing certain attacks. Each of these arts have their own varying Bravery level costs.
Musou Attacks return, but are changed into becoming cinematic singular shockwave blows that clear away enemies within a vast radius hitbox. The Musou gauge itself is multi-tiered, and a single Musou Attack consumes a portion of the gauge as indicated by the line segments. They can become a True or Ultimate Musou Attack (絶・無双乱舞, Zetsu: Musō Ranbu, lit. "Suppressing: Unmatched Wild Dance") when under the effects of War God Rage (revamped Musou Awakening), adding a few extra flourishing set of attacks before unleashing an even greater shockwave finisher. War God Rage itself is activated by tapping both L3 and R3 once the player's Musou gauge is fully filled. Aside from the aforementioned True Musou Attack, its other perks include invulnerability to damage, expanded attack range, and the usage of Battle Arts by consuming Musou instead.
Aerial Musou Attacks have been omitted for this title. When partnered with another character, they can perform the returning Double Musou Attack (localized as the "Extreme Musou Attack") to inflict even more devastation on foes, and it no longer requires both the player and companion's Musou gauges to be filled up by one level; only the companion's Musou gauge has to be full.
Battle
The scales of each battlefield have been magnified to match that of Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War. Various troops now amass into larger forces and behave more cohesively depending on their specialty. For instance, shield-bearing troops will impede players while providing cover for archers to fire their arrows. While large forces benefit from high morale and coordination, they can be whittled down completely by reducing their fighting spirit through repeated attacks. It is best to take down large numbers of foes with a sufficient amount of allied troops.
Battle areas from more recent installments return in this title with blue areas indicating a greater advantage for the player's side and red areas denoting places controlled by the enemy. Entering a red area will cause allied troops to distance themselves unless they are provided with reinforcements or boosts in morale. Furthermore, enemies within their domain have abundant Courage and will use tactical formations against the player. This feature helps discourage inexperienced players from breaching through enemy lines on their own.
Morale plays a key factor in influencing battles. It affects how well an army generally performs and is determined by each general's individual morale standing. Actions that raise it include taking bases and defeating enemy officers. It is also possible to lower the enemy's morale by launching a surprise attack with other allies doing the preparations beforehand.
AI-controlled officers' individual morale is referred to as Courage (戦意, Sen'i, lit. "Battle Spirit") to differentiate it from the overall army morale. AI officers with low Courage often have patterns that are easily telegraphed while those with a high amount tend to behave in a more aggressive and unpredictable manner. Depending on how high an allied officer's Courage is, they may be able to fight on their own or require assistance from the player in order to survive, much like older titles. Markers are designated to indicate how well the player's allies are doing from a distance. Aiding an allied officer in time will automatically replenish their health like in Warriors Orochi 2.
When facing an enemy officer, the player must diminish their Fortitude gauge by hitting their weak points or striking them with Battle Arts. Once the opponent's Fortitude has been depleted, they can be hit with a powerful assault move that varies depending on how much health the target has. Those with enough health will be struck by a barrage of hits similar to the Storm Rush feature in Dynasty Warriors 8 while opponents with very little health left are subjected to a powerful finishing blow like in Dynasty Warriors 9. Diminishing the Fortitude of an opponent in Rage Mode will also have an added effect of preventing them from using their Musou Attacks against the player.
If an opponent glows while attacking, it indicates that the incoming blow is unblockable and needs to be dealt with accordingly. Attacks that glow orange can be repelled with the aforementioned Special Battle Arts. while those that flash red are only neutralized through Musou Attacks. Most of the time, it is highly recommended to stay out of the way when an opponent is about to unleash an attack that is flashing red.
Duels from previous entries make a return, though they have been revamped to have both combatants push for dominance. By filling up their part of the duel gauge through well-timed attacks, they can win the duel and significantly increase morale for their side. Losing results not only in heavy damage for the player, but also a blow to their side's morale.
Eyes of the Sacred Bird (霊鳥の眼, Reichō no Me, lit. "Spirit Bird's Eyes") is an ability that enables the player to see through the unseen, slowing down time with a targeting field reticle that can be directed in the meantime. Activated by holding L2, it can unveil enemy sorcery, check an enemy officer's health, select a variety of Tactics (戦法, Senpō) by giving commands to the player's personal army, and view other information used to gain a battle advantage. The camera angle during this time can be adjusted with the right analog stick. This feature is also used for creating gems or finding pyroxene deposits when outside of battle.
Other forms of traversal like swimming or climbing ladders return from past titles. When attempting to open up gates with battering rams or dismantling archer towers, there must be a number of allies present for these actions to work.
Should the player lose a battle, they are given the option of recreating the battlefield to see where they went wrong and restart it from a specific point in time.
Exploration
Players can traverse a continental map of China. Unlike in the prior installment's open world setting, the player is restricted to traversing around a miniature map. They are able to visit certain areas, participate in battles, and interact with officers. A quick travel option is also available via waymarks similar to those from the prior installment.
Battles include not only historical clashes from the story, but also minor missions and skirmishes. The amount of paths available increases depending on how far players are in the story with a higher rank unlocking extra events and quests. More content can be accessed to by clearing the game once.
By visiting different towns, players may come across different officers from the series and befriend them. Fulfilling their requests and challenges causes their bonds with the protagonist to deepen. Bonding with a character enables the player to learn new skills. Finishing the game once paves the way for more officers to be interacted with.
Characters
Aside from the protagonist, select characters from the previous installment return with many now reduced to NPC roles. Their appearances may change as the story progresses.
According to the words of Tomohiko Sho, the development team sought to revive the exhilaration of the "one warrior worth a thousand" concept by returning to series' roots. They even revamped their team's logo to further demonstrate the need to carve out a new history for both Dynasty Warriors and themselves.
In another interview, Sho and the team used the second and third games as the foundation to recreate the series from the ground-up as they weren't sure if a standard sequel would suffice. One of their goals involved making the defeat of enemy officers more challenging as a nod to the aforementioned titles. The story was also rewritten to add more context and depth while making it approachable for newcomers. To that end, Sho hopes to emphasize the ways that different characters live their lives as a way to garner interest. They also opted for a fleshed-out protagonist rather than an edit character to provide the story with a sense of mystery.
Related Media
Formally announced during Sony's State of Play broadcast on May 30, this game was designed to stay true to its original roots while bringing something new. By borrowing elements from Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War, the developers hoped to demonstrate their ability to create wide-scale battlefields while adding tactical elements along the way.
Footage of the game was presented at ChinaJoy 2024 on July 26, giving players a glimpse of the story and gameplay mechanics.
On August 27, it was announced that the game would be shown at Tokyo Game Show from September 26 to 29 with Makuhari Messe serving as the venue. An accompanying program was broadcasted on September 6 with Tomohiko Sho and entertainer Hatsune Matsushima providing commentary for the game's presentation. Related merchandise include 11 different clear files, long towels featuring the protagonist, and small metal trays. The TGS version of the game featured a unique challenge where players who received an excellent evaluation for clearing the stage would be given the opportunity of facing Lu Bu head on. Only 0.5% of the participants were reportedly able to best him in battle.
The second day of the Tokyo Game Show featured Sho answering questions from fans alongside director Mitsuhiro Oshima. Information on various bonuses for the game were also mentioned around that time. The game was also among the list of titles made playable for the PlayStation 5 Pro.
A demo of the game was released on November 22. Unlike the TGS version, the difficulty setting can be adjusted to the player's own liking.
The game is set to be localized and distributed in the Middle East and North Africa through an agreement with Manga Productions, a Saudi Arabian IP management and distribution company. This partnership aims not only to make the game more accessible in different regions, but also to expand Koei Tecmo's presence.
To promote the game's upcoming release, a contest is being held from January 13 to 17 where fans in X would requote campaign posts with their favorite character's name. One lucky winner will receive an illustration card signed by their preferred character's voice actor. The final day is reserved not only for the leaders of the Three Kingdoms, but also includes luxurious goods. Around the same time, another contest has players share posts of their experience with the game using the appropriate hashtag. Ten lucky winners will receive an original fan and 11 clear cards featuring the main cast. This particular contest starts on January 14 and ends on February 2.
Shin Sangoku Musou Apuri held a collaboration event where players of the game would have the opportunity to collect gacha tickets for special costumes and ability cards based on characters from Origins. Two special time-limited stage maps were also added which provided rewards based on how well the players finished them. The event ends on January 14, 2025.
The game had been presented by comedic duos Yarenzu and Shinkuu Jessica.
In commemoration of the game's release, a meat bun cooking video had been released on X.
Starting on February 3, Sapporo Ichiban will be releasing special dandan noodles in various stores as part of a collaboration with the game. The noodles were said to have originated from Chengdu which served as the capital of Shu at the time.
A collaboration campaign with Ichiran will be fully announced at an unspecified date in the near future.
Special products through a collaboration event with gaming peripheral giant BIGBIGWON will be released at a later date.
Trivia
This is not the first title in the series to use the term "bugei" (武芸) as they were utilized in the fourth installment and its Xtreme Legends expansion as part of the unlock confirmation message for level 10 and 11 weapons.
This is the first Dynasty Warriors game to make use of the terms "commandery" and "county" within the English script. Prior titles before the sixth installment utilized "territory" in place of "commandery" whereas titles afterwards merely used their pinyin reading of "jun". Counties, on the other hand, were not previously mentioned at all.
Gallery
English logo
Japanese logo
Chinese logo
Taiwanese logo
Korean cover
Saudi Arabian cover
Tokyo Game Show 2024 countdown
Tokyo Game Show 2024 exhibit booth
Future Division trophy from the 2024 Japan Game Awards
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