The demo for Dynasty Warriors: Origins is now available, and I was able to try it out! The Dynasty Warriors series is especially dear to me, and each new title feels like Christmas for a child who can’t wait to see what Santa left for him. So, let’s jump right into the impressions of the Dynasty Warriors: Origins demo.
The demo introduces you to a cinematic scene where Yuan Shao gathers volunteers to occupy the Shi Shui Gate. They must pass through the Si Shui Gate to reach Dong Zhuo, who has taken control of the capital. Cao Cao then turns to your character, Wanderer, and asks you to perform a special task of leading a group of soldiers who currently serve no lord. The design of the character models and their appearance in these cinematics is impressive.
The dialogue is a combination of the over-the-top acting of Dynasty Warriors 6 and the more down-to-earth style of Dynasty Warriors 9. This is actually a good approach. Dynasty Warriors 9 seemed monotonous and boring. With a bit of drama, the voice acting in this title seems a bit cheesy, but fun.
After the cutscene ends, you enter a war council where the plan to capture and conquer Si Shui Gate is explained. There is also an interesting moment of insults exchanged between Sun Jian and Yuan Shao directed at Yuan Shu. If you know what is happening on the map, it is clear why Yuan Shu becomes a bitter and stubborn leader. He is known for not giving food and resources to Sun Jian during this battle. This interaction only further explains that part of the battle.
The council of war ends and you go to me. Here you can change companions and view map objectives. Tickets are back! Goodbye open world with nothing, welcome complex and large maps! Your companion now plays the role of a bodyguard from the old games. Follows you and helps in battle. If his Musou gauge is full at the same time as yours, you can perform a massive joint Musou attack that combines your hits.
The combat in Dynasty Warriors: Origins is interesting. The old system is back where Square is used for normal attacks, while Triangle is used for certain moves in a combo. Holding R1 opens a skill board containing your character’s four abilities. You can use these skills through action energy; either as part of a combo or as a reaction to an enemy attack to stun or injure them.
My favorite thing about entering large armies at Si Shui Gate is the aggressiveness of the enemies as they charge at you and your allies. This is a real battle of two armies. More recent titles in the series had the problem of enemies not paying attention to an opposing force’s attack unless the captain was nearby. This is where the situation changes, which makes the fights more exciting, but also more challenging because the enemies will follow you until they catch you, unless you hide in an allied base.
On the left side of the screen is a special skill board known as the Eyes of the Sacred Bird. In the demo you have access to Volley, Charge and Encircle skills. Volley orders your troops to continuously fire arrows at a designated area. Charge commands them to charge with spears, while Encircle allows soldiers to surround an area and attack anyone within it.
When your army faces the enemy’s, the enemy’s general will sometimes come out and challenge you to a duel. You can accept the challenge or continue the attack. I especially liked the dueling mechanics because it introduces elements that are fun in one-on-one combat. Both armies surround you and the general, while you have options to dodge, block and parry their attacks.
Parrying leading up to a combo and then using Triangle to launch an enemy into the air is incredibly satisfying. After that you can attack them in the air and knock the general back into the circle with a lot of lost morale. The goal of the one-on-one combat is to completely fill the morale gauge to blue in order to completely defeat the general. If you achieve this before the time runs out, the enemy general is automatically defeated and the army loses morale, making it easier to eliminate the soldiers.
After I defeated Li Jue and completed the map, the victory scene was interrupted by the Si Shui Gate opening and Lu Bu arriving on the battlefield. He appeared on a red horse, without a troop, and I thought I had the upper hand. I was delusional. Lu Bu used one of his abilities and became giant, crushing all nearby troops. Even my companion was eliminated from the fight.
I tried to defend myself, but he immediately broke through my guard. Dodging became key as I ducked under his massive halberd and struck from behind. However, his shield indicator was extremely resilient. After almost 50 minutes of trying, using allies and the Eyes of the Sacred Bird ability, I was able to defeat him. That was so satisfying!
This game is already one of the most anticipated for 2025! Dynasty Warriors is back!
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