Intro and Gameplay
The Dynasty Warriors series has seen its fair share of ups and downs over the past several decades (!) over multiple platforms. With a stellar return to form, Koei Tecmo focuses on cohesive story elements along with the tried and true formula of beating thousands of enemies to a pulp all at the same time. It isn’t a revolutionary entry into the series but an absolutely solid and necessary one after some previous missteps.
The story of fighting the Yellow Turbans starts off with a bang and rarely lets go, that being said, this is a near-perfect mix of surprisingly quiet moments mixed with the beautiful chaos that the series is known for. With a ton of weapons to choose from and interactive story elements to experience, there is something for everyone from newcomers to series vets. The good news: gameplay is king and Origins delivers in spades for sure. While I wish there was more variety in playable characters, there is plenty here to sink your teeth into.
Graphics and Sound
I was surprised at how amazing some of the character designs and environments look in Origins. Not to mention, the battle animations and effects are fantastic. It runs like a dream on PC and with a bajillion settings including DLSS, Steam Deck settings, and more, you can run this game on almost anything. It really is a sight to behold.
The sound and especially the music are especially well done. With the signature butt rock returning during battles, there are a lot of gorgeous tracks in the quiet moments as well. If you want a tongue-in-cheek romp, select the hilarious English voices. If you want a more serious epic, select the original Japanese voices. Trust me.
Feedback and Verdict
When I first saw Origins announced, I barely gave it notice. After being burnt from some of the more recent entries, I wasn’t expected much. After installing the game and diving in, I couldn’t believe how simple yet effective the formula was. Origins is exactly what we needed for the series and I can’t wait to see where we go from here, especially if we can open up more playable characters in the next entry which would be my main piece of feedback for the dev team.
Whether you are new to the series or one who has played them all, Origins is stellar and a title worthy of your hard-earned money. Chilling by the fire and listening to the story mixed with moments of pure battle chaos works surprisingly well.
