By Paladin of Justice
Platform Evaluated: PS5
Developer: Omega Force
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Release Date: January 17, 2025
MSRP: $69.99
Editor’s Note / Revision Notice: This is a revised and updated version of our original review from last year to reflect our updated review metrics.
Overview
The Dynasty Warriors franchise makes a glorious return in Dynasty Warriors: Origins. Following the failed open-world experiment that was Dynasty Warriors 9, Origins pivots back to what made the series legendary: 1 versus 1000 combat that feels better than ever. On PS5, it delivers great performance during massive battles while introducing a refined combat system and a stellar overall presentation.
Visuals & Technical Performance
Unlike DW9’s severe framerate drops (even on a PS4 Pro), Origins runs seamlessly on PS5. Enemy density on screen reaches franchise-record highs without too many FPS drops. Environmental art, lighting, and iconic officer designs are rendered with impressive clarity and detail. This is not only the best the series has ever looked, but the character designs have been toned down to reflect a more historical approach as opposed to the previous flashy attempts. That being said, the designs are down-right fantastic. The new world map, which is reminiscent of something you would find in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms franchise, is gorgeous and very detailed.
Gameplay & Core Mechanics
Hands down, this is some of the best combat Omega Force has ever put together. Switch off your brain and button-mash? Not here. Every weapon demands skill and proper timing. Specials from DW9 return, but they are easier to execute and more fluid this time around. Officer duels have made a huge comeback and are better than ever. The combat is deeply enriched by tactics integrated from Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Dynasty Tactics, such as archer barrages, artillery attacks, and cavalry charges.
Story, Lore, & Worldbuilding
Honestly, this is one of the best stories the series has ever put out, undeniable proof that Omega Force has writing chops. You actually feel the emotional weight behind key characters. It is a unique approach as you get to decide which kingdom to serve, but this also creates interesting story arcs. Even the new characters represent strong narrative craftsmanship that sets a new high bar for the franchise.
Audio, Sound Design, & Music
The improvement in the English voice acting from Dynasty Warriors 9 to Origins has been exponential, and it is right up there with my all-time favorite Dynasty Warriors 4. As expected, the music stays true to the franchise roots and never disappoints, while the combat audio truly encapsulates the feeling of a battlefield.
Value & Replayability
Unfortunately, playing as a single protagonist negatively impacts the replay value, which isn’t as strong as past entries. The game is often discounted, so there is a pretty good value proposition here, but you will not be spending as much time with this entry as older titles.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Series Back on Track: A return to greatness that gets the franchise back on solid footing.
Classic Stage Design Returns: Brings back expansive, controlled stages—a deeply welcome change for longtime fans.
Smooth Performance: Smooth 60 FPS on PS5—night and day compared to the mess DW9 was on PS4.
Fantastic Story & Character Design: Compelling historical narrative backed by outstanding, faithful character visual designs.
Unique Weapon Feel & Best Combat in Series: Every weapon type feels distinctly differentiated, delivering the finest combat mechanics in franchise history.
Superior World Map: The new world map system is a massive functional and visual improvement over DW9.
Duels Return: Duels are back and better than ever.
Rich Tactical Integration: Elements from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dynasty Tactics, and classic DW games are seamlessly blended together for a unique experience.
Dynamic Tactics & Morale System: New battlefield strategy and morale mechanics significantly enhance the command experience.
Outstanding English Voice Acting: Stellar English voice performances that surpass DW9 and rival series benchmarks like DW4.
Great Music & Top-Tier Series Visuals: Excellent soundtrack paired with the best graphical presentation in the series to date.
Cons
Forced Main Character: Playing as the nameless protagonist should have been optional; a custom character creation tool would have been better.
Severely Reduced Playable Roster: Drops from 94 playable characters down to only 10, with officer companions only controllable for limited windows.
Scrapped Co-Op & Multiplayer: Traditional series co-op and multiplayer modes have been completely removed.
Shallow Mounted Combat: Horseback combat still leaves much to be desired.
Bow Combat Removed: Dedicated bow combat has been removed once again.
Lackluster Ultimate Weapons: Late-game ultimate weapons are disappointing, as they all share identical base stat allocations.
Verdict & Paladin Index Scorecard:
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a fantastic, tactical action title that successfully reinvigorates a legendary franchise. While the roster reduction and removal of co-op will understandably frustrate longtime fans, the sheer quality of the core combat, massive battlefield scale, and performance on PS5 make this an easy recommendation. It stands as a brilliant example of a series returning to its roots, delivering an engaging narrative, and outstanding gameplay that remains strictly agenda-free.