The historical novel of the fourteenth century Romance of the Three Kingdoms It has served as one of the most important influences from Chinese culture, producing many different re-imaginings of its characters and events across various media. In the case of the Japanese company Koi Tecmoremains the inspiration for its series of turn-based tactical role-playing simulation games of the same name, dating back to 1985.
But strategy isn't everyone's cup of tea, so I took an alternative form of adventure Warrior breeda casual game rooted in hack-and-slash action (except for the first entry in 1997, which was a traditional one-on-one fighting game) that would go on to set the gold standard for the musou genre. As a developer Omega power It has worked to solidify and tweak its identity over the years, and certain elements have become mainstays – most of which have to do with straying from historical records, such as having characters use outdated weapons, the ability to use magic, and turning women with no combat experience into intimidating females. Warriors.
All of this is set to return in the future Dynasty Warriors: Originsthe tenth main entrance to wear a shiny new coat of paint after a seven-year absence. This won't be the only change either, with a 20-minute demo coming up Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2024 Preview of the updated version offers many permutations, but still retains a certain sense of familiarity. There are heavy echoes of the taste of Dynasty Warriors 9infused with meaningful additions, which chart a bold new direction for the series.
Loadout switching is prominent from the start, even before the battlefield events begin. Instead of characters hailing from different factions or kingdoms, players take on the role of the Wanderer, a mysterious amnesiac hero who rises through the ranks. He joins the “long-haired man” and the “bearded hero.” The Create a Warrior feature and Edit mode have not been carried over here, meaning it is the default and non-customizable protagonist.
Unlike its predecessors, the game will also significantly reduce the roster. Whereas the previous main entry offered 94 playable characters, Dynasty Warriors: Origins It only offers control over nine of them: Xiahou Dun, Guo Jia, and Zhang Liao, led by Cao Cao, Sun Shangxiang, and Zhou Yu (Sun Jian); ).
It's unclear whether the three generals will ever be playable, but the character trimming process appears to be designed to fit the overall story, which spans from the Yellow Turban Rebellion to the Battle of Red Cliffs. In fact, the war continues to deepen here, with the trailer opening amid the Battle of Sishui Gate, where General Yuan Shao – who led the effort to overthrow Dong Zhou – sets himself the task of defeating the latter's officers, Li Guo and Hua Xiong.
Before heading into combat, players can choose their preferred weapon. The General's Sword, Gnashing Fang, and Crescent Blade were available in the preview, along with the accompanying choice of Xiahou Dun, Guan Yu, or Sun Shangxiang, each tied to a different starting point on the map. With Gnashing Fang in hand and Sun Shangxiang's alliance, the battlefield welcomed Dong Zhuo's massive army with open arms.
And boy, was it a breathtaking sight! While swarm forces have always been a staple of the series, Dynasty Warriors: Origins It takes enemy density and environmental detail to the highest level, delivering action scenes on a massive scale never seen before. The cinematic quality is also evident, with charging scenes displaying smooth animation and realistic dust effects, and close-up sequences highlighting vivid facial expressions.
What's even more impressive is that it ran smoothly on PlayStation 5. Despite the load, there were no noticeable drops in frame rate, making for very enjoyable immersion – especially since the combat proved enthralling. Downward combo chains brought an addictive rush, and alternating between normal attacks and power attacks (square and triangle buttons by default, respectively) came with a comfortable, steady rhythm. Once the special meter is full, players can trigger Rage Mode and unleash four different Battle Arts moves, dealing more damage to enemies.
It's a straightforward gameplay loop that will work on combined forces, but not on elite units like Li Jue, Guo Si, Jia Xu, and other more impressive commanders. She is now protected behind Fortitude, indicated by a glowing shield symbol, and defeating her requires more than simply pressing a button, as all attacks become less effective in this state. Activating martial arts or a perfect block is the most effective way to drain them, though be sure to keep your guard up as some attacks from certain generals are unblockable, so it all boils down to dodging, blocking and countering. The right time.
The new system adds tactical depth to the mix, allowing for a more interactive and dynamic experience than before. The basic control system is also intuitive and easy to understand, which is a bonus for newcomers, even if they will likely feel overwhelmed by the frenetic action. Meanwhile, legacy franchisees may be concerned about the potential issue of cloned skills – a recurring issue that has run its course in Dynasty Warriors 7, 8and 9, Which results in a loss of individuality as move sets and weapons are shared between characters.
Adding a welcome layer of combat excitement is a new mechanic where powerful opponents can challenge the Wanderer to a one-on-one duel. In the preview, Hua Xiong cuts an imposing figure with his powerful ax and powerful armor, dealing massive damage with every successful strike. The General's attack pattern takes some getting used to, but his slower, more subtle movements definitely help with dribbling, blocking, and counterattacking once players can get into the groove of things. Being surrounded by enemy soldiers means that victory feels more joyful and sweeter than usual, with an all-new ration system (up to five in the beta) giving access to consumables.
Once the confrontation was settled, a two-minute timer appeared with the goal of killing 500 people, which seemed like an impossible task. This is where the chosen ally shined – transforming into Shangxiang destroyed her Musou Ranbu's awakening ability on the battlefield, wiping out over 1,000 soldiers in the vicinity. In this mode, the Wind and Fire Caster can perform Musou team maneuvers with the Wanderer as well, opening up a neat animation sequence.
However, brute force is not always the way to go. Strategic element Dynasty Warriors: Origins It allows players to command up to 21 soldiers and fight alongside them, offering a new twist on the guard system in previous works of the series. To facilitate the process of issuing commands such as charging or shooting arrows, players can call upon the eyes of the sacred bird to get an aerial view of the battlefield (think of an eagle's vision in… Assassin's Creed series).
At the end of the road stands the ever-frightening Lu Bu, but unfortunately, time remains a precious commodity. Although there was no chance of facing the most powerful general in the Three Kingdoms, the game's bold tweaks to its classic formula appear to be on the verge of redemption after their last mediocre outing. It holds a lot of optimistic promise, finding a solid foundation in combat and cinematography that hopefully makes the risk worthwhile.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins Editions January 16, 2025 For PS5, Xbox Series
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart — or as casual as someone who has a Sephiroth theme on her Spotify playlist. A fan of Japanese movies, games, and culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any sale on Steam, really.
