Dynasty Warriors: Origins had a lot to live up to ahead of its release. When it was first announced in May 2024, the mainline Dynasty Warriors franchise had been inactive for quite some time, and its last numbered entry, Dynasty Warriors 9, was seen by many as a huge disappointment. To make matters worse, the series' gameplay formula was starting to get stale in the eyes of some fans. Although a handful of the recent Warriors spin-offs, such as Persona 5 Strikers and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, had been well-received, many gamers were hoping that the franchise's developer, Omega Force, would have some new tricks up its sleeve for Dynasty Warriors: Origins.
Dynasty Warriors fans finally got their hands on Dynasty Warriors: Origins earlier this week, and to their surprise, the game ended up being far better than expected. Dynasty Warriors: Origins received widespread praise from both players and critics for overhauling the traditional Warriors formula and becoming a great starting point for newcomers to the franchise. With that being said, not every aspect of the game was celebrated by fans. Dynasty Warriors: Origins' combat, level design, and storytelling garnered positive reception, but its limited character customization options were widely criticized.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins - 7 Early Side Quests You Should Not Skip
From low-level challenges to one-on-one fights, these are the side quests worth seeking out early on in Dynasty Warriors: Origins.
Character Customization in Dynasty Warriors: Origins is Far Too Limited
Unlike its Predecessors, Dynasty Warriors: Origins Only Has One Main Character
Although most Dynasty Warriors games have dozens of playable characters, Dynasty Warriors: Origins focuses primarily on a single protagonist. The main character of the game, who is simply titled the Wanderer, is a traveling martial artist with amnesia. Unlike the other characters in the game, many of whom are based on real-life figures from Chinese history, the Wanderer is an entirely fictional individual. As is typical of Dynasty Warriors protagonists, he is a literal one-man army that can wipe out entire troops of soldiers with just a slash of his blade.
Throughout the course of the game's campaign, there are a total of ten companions that gamers can bond with and play as. However, unlike the Wanderer, these characters can only remain playable in battle for a temporary period of time. The decision to reduce companion functionality and limit the number of player characters in Dynasty Warriors: Origins has been the subject of controversy among fans of the franchise. Some argue that focusing on a single protagonist makes it easier for Omega Force to tell a more coherent story, while others claim that the omission of such a major feature diminishes the fun factor of the game.
There Are Almost No Cosmetics in Dynasty Warriors: Origins, Aside From a Few Outfits
Speaking of omissions, the character creation feature that was present in previous Dynasty Warriors games has also been entirely removed from Dynasty Warriors: Origins. The ability to design a playable character and change their appearance at any given time has been a staple of the Dynasty Warriors franchise for several years, so its absence in Omega Force's latest game can strongly be felt. This wouldn't be that much of a problem if players were allowed to customize the look of the Wanderer with unique skins, accessories, and outfits. However, even this isn't fully possible.
There are only a few cosmetic items that the Wanderer can equip in Dynasty Warriors: Origins, and each one of them is an outfit. One of the outfits in question is the default costume for the main character, which is called the Garb of the Flying Bird. Another outfit is named the Luan's Wing Uniform, and it can be obtained by progressing through Dynasty Warriors: Origins' main campaign and joining a faction in Chapter 3. Finally, a third outfit, the Nameless Warrior Garb, is only available to those that have pre-ordered the game.
There is a fourth piece of clothing that was only obtainable by pre-ordering a physical copy of Dynasty Warriors: Origins, and it comes in four different colors: azure, crimson, emerald, and violet.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins Should Have Had a Wider Selection of Outfits
Limited variety aside, perhaps the biggest issue with Dynasty Warriors Origins’ costumes is that they all look very similar. This is a bit disappointing, especially since Omega Force could have made far more interesting-looking costumes for the Wanderer. Players had tons of unique, equippable outfits to choose from in many of the company's previous games, so it's safe to say that the character customization in Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a major step backwards.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 85%
- Released
- January 17, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Omega Force
- Publisher(s)
- Koei Tecmo
WHERE TO PLAY
Fueled by exhilarating 1 vs. 1,000 action and the rush of massive armies, DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS delivers an unrivaled sense of realism to the battlefield! A nameless hero conquers the turbulent and chaotic Three Kingdoms alongside legendary figures in the latest entry of the DYNASTY WARRIORS series.
The most exhilarating action in the series’ history: Tension-filled battlefields where you are challenged by a massive, endless army as far as the eye can see. How will you face the onslaught of enemies? In addition to your own military prowess, you can fight in tandem with your allies’ armies in tactical battles unique to the DYNASTY WARRIORS franchise and experience the most exhilarating action in series’ history.
A new Three Kingdoms from the perspective of an original protagonist
The Three Kingdoms story is set in the vast Chinese continent, where beliefs of heroes intersect. See how this magnificent and alluring world is newly depicted through the eyes of the original protagonist, a “nameless hero”.
- Engine
- Omega Force
- Franchise
- Dynasty Warriors
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- PC Release Date
- January 17, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- January 17, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- January 17, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
- Genre(s)
- Action, Hack and Slash
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
