The Dynasty Warriors series, famous for its 1 vs. 1,000, is making its grand return in 2025 with its latest PS5 entry, Dynasty Warriors: Origins. This upcoming title made its first hands-on exhibition at Tokyo Game Show 2024, where I had the unique opportunity to be guided through a playthrough by Mr. Tomohiko Sho, producer and head of Omega Force, Koei Tecmo Games. Here’s the full breakdown of the demo along with the advice and insights I received from Mr. Sho.
Choose your companion and go to battle
As the game begins, I find myself in the middle of the Battle of Sishui Gate, standing in a war council meeting with General Yuan Shao, the key figure leading the coalition to overthrow Dong Zhuo. My mission was clear and the stakes were high – I was to defeat the officers of Dong Zhuo, Li Jue and Hua Xiong, who were defending the Sishui Gate.
When the council ended, it was time for me to prepare for battle. I checked the locations of various armies on the map, chose the main character’s armor and weapons, and chose my companion to fight with.
There are three weapon types to choose from: Swordmaster, Grinding Fang, and Crescent. While Mr. Sho recommends the versatile General’s Sword for its ease of use, Dynasty Warriors veterans and skilled action game players are encouraged to choose one of the other two.
Next, I chose my companions from Xiahou Dun, Guan Yu, and Sun Shangxiang to fight with me on the battlefield. The interesting thing is that each warrior has a different starting location on the map.
The 1-on-1,000 hack and slash action is full of excitement and satisfaction
As I embarked on my mission, an army of Dong Trac appeared, causing a quick battle. Balancing the Square button for regular attacks and the Triangle button for power attacks, I cleared enemies from my path, increasing my spirit gauge with each attack. Once full, I activate Rage mode to unleash a series of Battle Arts moves. Controlling the main character is intuitive and easy, making it a game that even players new to the series will quickly get used to.
While defeating regular soldiers is simple, dueling with army commanders or famous generals requires strategic thinking. These formidable enemies are distinguished by a special aura, Strength, represented by a shield symbol. While they are glowing, your attacks are significantly less effective. The key to dealing heavy damage is to deplete their Fortitude by using special Fighting Arts moves or perfect timing to block attacks. However, it’s important to note that some champions can unleash special attacks that cannot be guarded against. In such situations, you must rely on evasion, distance or kinetic energy to counter their attacks. These clearly powerful enemy champions add to the exciting experience of this combat action game.
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Strategic command to wipe out enemies
The main character commands and fights alongside an army of 21 guards. Pressing the L2 button activates the Eyes of the Sacred Bird, a feature that allows you to switch to an aerial view of the battlefield. From this vantage point, you can issue strategic orders to allied defenders, such as firing a volley of arrows, charging through enemy lines with spear in hand, and laying siege to surround the enemy.
Mr. Sho explained that the protection system had been implemented in previous works of the series, but was removed midway through to focus more on the companions. However, the developers’ constant desire to bring them back has led to the reinvention and reintroduction of the guards in the latest installment of the series to enhance the feel of large-scale battlefields .
Thousands of individual soldiers stirred up the tide of war
Dynasty Warriors: Origins boasts an unprecedented number of soldiers in the series’ history. Managed by individually assigned algorithms, thousands of independent soldiers crowded into a single screen, either under the command of their leader or at their own will.
Indeed, the game meticulously recreates an entire battlefield, with each clash breaking out on every inch of the map, stirring up waves of war.
The duo, the supporting companions, and the tense final battle
As I advanced towards Sishui Gate, I faced a large army led by Li Jue and Hua Xiong. The dynamic clash between the two forces immediately ignited my adrenaline.
I skillfully deployed the guards, then they stormed the enemy camp and wreaked havoc. With the successful ambush on Sun Jian, the morale of my punishment force skyrocketed. However, as if to stop this momentum, the enemy general Hua Xiong challenged me to a duel. Surrounded by enemies, only the winner can leave alive. As Hua Xiong attacked ferociously with his giant hammer, I felt a great thrill as I dealt with his blows and counterattacked.
The next move of the enemy army is a major attack, launching many units continuously. This means I have two minutes to defeat 500 soldiers. I quickly switched to the Musou Warrior I was saving for this battle and charged in for the kill.
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My Musou warrior, Sun Shangxiang, is peerless. When her Musou awakens, she destroys enemies with her unparalleled attack power and stalks through attacks, completely unfazed. She used her powerful move, Musou Ranbu, or a peerless dance, to wipe out the enemy. The main character is very strong, but the strength of the Musou Warrior is the true representation of 1-on-1,000 action.
Confront Lu Bu, the strongest warrior
After my resounding victory in the Battle of Suishui Gate, my S rank was proudly displayed on the demo results screen. I was surprised when an unexpected side scene started. The formidable Lu Bu, known as the strongest general, stood before me. His powerful and wide-ranging attacks are a sight to behold. As level 10 Fortitude points out, he is a force to be reckoned with. His strength exceeded my expectations and I was only able to weaken his Fortitude a little before being defeated. Despite the defeat, the feeling of accomplishment when confronting the strongest general of the Three Kingdoms is undeniable.
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In this demo gameplay, I mainly experienced battles against enemy generals. The tactical element of large-scale battles can be thoroughly explored only in the full version of the game. Strategy action game @ by the time Dynasty Warriors: Origins launches on PS5 in 2025.
