A demo for Dynasty Warriors Origins dropped a couple of days back, so I decided to see what this newest entry in the series would be like. I came away from it impressed, as the demo manages to recreate a massive, sprawling, and over-the-top war setting with all the extreme action one would hope for and expect from the Dynasty Warriors franchise.
The demo consists of one stage preceded by cutscenes that set up the story. You play as a nameless wanderer who is set to lead others in the battle, making it easy to immerse yourself in the role if you so choose. Your main objective is to take a large gate that is being heavily guarded, though there’s quite a bit of distance between your starting point and the gate – most of which is occupied by enemy forces.
I spent most of my time plowing through big hordes of enemy grunts while taking on the occasional enemy officer. It’s so satisfying to see your foes get bunched up and blasted through the air as you perform massive combos to take out hundreds of them at a time. That’s always been the most exciting part of Dynasty Warriors for me, as no other franchise gives off that feeling of destroying so many enemies with such immense power.
“There’s an interesting duel feature that lets you take on enemy officers 1-on-1, with both you and your opponent trying to cover most of a bar at the top of the screen by soundly beating up the other.“
Taking bases still feels great, and you get to watch your team’s morale either rise or fall as you conquer or lose territory in skirmishes. The special moves look dynamic to pull off and further add to that feeling of extreme power that Dynasty Warriors Origins gives you, plus they make duels with enemy officers feel like much more grandiose clashes.
There’s an interesting duel feature that lets you take on enemy officers 1-on-1, with both you and your opponent trying to cover most of a bar at the top of the screen by soundly beating up the other. I wasn’t especially good at this, but the concept is neat and I enjoyed taking part in the duels, as they changed up the flow of the level and combat.
After taking the gate, the fearsome Lu Bu leapt out of the door, leading to an incredibly challenging battle with the titan. He pretty easily wiped out my allies and guards, making for a terrifying opponent. I was surprised by this since it had already said “Victory” on the screen, which made him even more menacing. Plus, NPCs were all discussing how inhumanly powerful he was, which added to the oppressive tone. If fights like this are a big part of Dynasty Warriors Origins, I think I’ll enjoy the campaign.
I had a great time with the Dynasty Warriors Origins demo, as it got me excited for the full game when it releases on January 16 of next year. If the full game is as packed with bombastic combat and intense boss battles, fans of the series will doubtlessly be pleased with what’s on offer.
