Like other entries in the Dynasty Warriors series, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is based on the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.[3] According to Producer Tomohiko Sho, however, Origins differs from previous titles in that it only covers the first half of the novel while being more thorough in telling the story, which in turn is responsible for the new naming scheme.[3]
Unlike other entries, the game entirely focuses on an alternate history narrative in which the protagonist Ziluan, an amnesiac wanderer who only knows he must find a hero who will unite China, plays a decisive role throughout the events of the novel, such as personally defeating the Yellow Turban leader Zhang Jiao, killing several of the Ten Eunuchs, and assisting Wang Yun in the assassination plot against Dong Zhuo. Involved in this story is a youthful healer named Yuanhua who uses incense to help Ziluan recover his memories and three enigmatic figures from his past who respectively assist, advise, and oppose his journey.
The game also features a branching storyline in which the player identifies Liu Bei, Cao Cao, or Sun Jian (later Sun Ce and Sun Quan) as the hero Ziluan is seeking, with the choice determining the faction Ziluan joins, battles which may be played, and characters Ziluan may form bonds with and have assist him in battle. Each branch is further split into two endings, one which loosely adheres to the classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms plot up to the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Red Cliffs, and the other requiring the player complete difficult additional objectives to change the outcome of a battle or avert the death of a historical figure which yields a more favorable position for the player's chosen faction into the following era.
Gameplay
Gameplay consists of both hack-and slash and strategic elements; the player controls a main character but can also issue commands to troops on the battlefield.[4][5] Aside from the main character, players can select another general as a teammate.[5] Multiple weapons and other character customizations are available.[5]
Development
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the first addition to the series in seven years that is not a mobile game.[6][7] It was developed to take advantage of PlayStation 5 hardware.[4] Development of a numbered sequel in the franchise, which would have been called Dynasty Warriors 10, was halted following the release of the PlayStation 5 in 2020 in order to redirect resources to Origins.[8] Sho considered this move to be necessary in order to reinvent the series; Dynasty Warriors 10 would have been similar to previous games, which he believed fans were "starting to get a bit bored of".[8]Omega Force set a goal of displaying 10,000 soldiers on the screen.[9] According to an interview with Push Square, Sho reportedly practiced martial arts as part of development for the game.[4]
On August 3rd, 2025, in relation to the Dynasty Warriors 25th anniversary event, a major DLC was announced to be in development. [10]
CGMagazine praised the game as the best entry in the Musou franchise in years, reclaiming lost goodwill and offering a much-needed overhaul for the series.[32] The game was also commended by IGN for its deep combat mechanics, engaging storyline, improved visuals, and replay value, successfully balancing story and combat to offer a fresh take on familiar characters and stories.[21]
Critics such as GamingTrend pointed out repetitive gameplay and lack of cooperative play as areas where the game falls short,[33] while VideoGamer described it as a middle-of-the-road experience that lacks depth and feels stuck in the past.[31]
Sales
In Japan, Dynasty Warriors: Origins sold 63,805 physical units on the PlayStation 5 during its first week of release, making it the second best-selling game in the country behind Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.[34] The game had sold 94,583 physical units in Japan on the PS5 by February 9, 2025.[35] Koei Tecmo announced on February 14, 2025 that it had sold 1 million units worldwide.[36]
Notes
↑ The Deluxe edition was released on January 14, 2025.
↑ Known in Japan as Shin Sangokumusou: Origins (真・三國無双ORIGINS, Shin Sangokumusō Orijinsu)
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