In the third century, a coalition of generals ruled China. Each of them rose and fell to extend their power or simply protect their territory. But they allied their banners under Lord Yuan Shao against the forces of Dong Zhao. In present times, the developer, Omega Force, presents a new offering in the Dynasty Warriors franchise. Nine games in, they are looking for a way to make everything new again.
While the graphics are not noticeably better, realism is not all that necessary, for this fairy tale. The beta was released in late November, with seemingly a singular mission: unite the Three Kingdoms into a nation.
The beta opens with a lengthy montage of cut scenes, with the three generals pledging allegiance to the puppet ruler, Yuan Shao. You play as a traveling warrior who does not remember who he is but has a way with weaponry. For some reason, they decide to give this unknown xia troops to lead into battle. The game allows for customization of your character, with a different weapon, skills, and abilities. Then there are the accompaniments. There is the ability to choose your horse, set tactics for your troops, and choose your battle boo.
As with any game, customization can be key. This is also can be a bellwether. For those who are new to the game, there is no need to spend a lot of time on customization at first. With the tactical elements needed, the beginner should focus on learning the system. Each element plays a real role in the success of the campaign. This is not different from previous editions of Dynasty Warriors but is essential. For example, one favorite is your trusty steed. This seems a little peripheral but the speed at which you travel has implications all through the campaign.
Can you get there in time to rouse the troops to simply raise morale or arrive just in time to save a peer general from decimation? If you watch the game footage, unfortunately you’ll see what it looks like to not get there in the nick of time. New horses normally can be obtained through defeating enemy leaders; however, that was not present in beta.
Another element is having your battle boo, who sort of has your back. This seems to be someone to sort of help you out. It is nice when you gather enough musou (energy) to do your ultimate power move with them. The musou gauge is charged as the character hacks and slashes through hundreds and hundreds of enemy troops. This is independent of your character’s health and more importantly the morale of all the troops fighting for Lord Yuan Shao. The morale is as much attributable to how well the battle is going as to your presence among the troops.v This is not limited to the specific troops assigned to you but also the generals and their troops. This can affect whether they win a battle when you are there and not there.
In battle, hacking and slashing is essential but so is time. This is where the value of customization comes in. If you are not exceedingly familiar with the combinations, just hacking may give you the victory, but it may take too long. Choosing a weapon that supports your style is essential; if you are more a long-range attacker, have the settings so that you can call your troops to do the heavy lifting so you can charge the musou and take the general out. It can also be useful to send your troops to attack a lieutenant while you snipe at the general. Then get close to your boo and then musou.
Another element is the essential the boss duels. When you get close to a major general, you can select a person-to-person duel and then get ready for mortal combat. And that is what it is most like. This is where managing your consumables like the meat bun can become so important. Watch your health and musou meter as well as the quantity of your consumables. Quick hint: Run from Lu Bu until you are maxed up. He is essentially the big boss.
One other aspect of the game is strategic element. This version allows you to go back through your campaign to review your strategy and redo at specific event points. This can be nice for those times you heard a general asking for help while you were too much in the bloodlust whooping some butt. Your restart from that point allows you to change your approach to maybe make that historic ride to save a general, lift some needed morale, or push the campaign forward.
Overall, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is an updated version of the same game initially released in the late ’90s with its almost a dozen predecessors. For those of us who have played before, you will find all the things you loved about the game and some new things that make it a little easier, thus increasing the enjoyment. For new players, this is a game that has multiple elements that all combine to a strangely balanced epic campaign. There are hours and hours of fun and frustration, but all worth it to rise to rule the Three Kingdoms.
Check out our gameplay below of the beta version of the game:
Dynasty Warriors: Origins goes on sale on January 17, 2025.
