# Dynasty Warriors: Origins

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a 2025 hack and slash game developed by Omega Force and published by Koei Tecmo. The tenth installment in the Dynasty Warriors series, it was released for PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S on January 17, 2025. Upon release, it received generally positive reviews from critics and sold 1 million units by February.

## Plot

Like other entries in the Dynasty Warriors series, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is based on the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. According to Producer Tomohiko Sho, however, Origins differs from previous titles in that it only covers the first half of the novel while being more thorough in telling the story, which in turn is responsible for the new naming scheme.

## Gameplay

Gameplay consists of both hack-and slash and strategic elements; the player controls a main character but can also issue commands to troops on the battlefield. Aside from the main character, players can select another general as a teammate. Multiple weapons and other character customizations are available.

## Development

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the first addition to the series in 7 years that is not a mobile game. It was developed to take advantage of PlayStation 5 hardware. Development of a numbered sequel in the franchise, which would have been called Dynasty Warriors 10, was halted following the release of the PlayStation 5 in 2020 in order to redirect resources to Origins. Sho considered this move to be necessary in order to reinvent the series; Dynasty Warriors 10 would have been similar to previous games, which he believed fans were "starting to get a bit bored of". Omega Force set a goal of displaying 10,000 soldiers on the screen. According to an interview with Push Square, Sho reportedly practiced martial arts as part of development for the game.

## Reception
### Critical reception

Aggregate scores :
| Aggregator | Score |
| Metacritic | PS5: 79/100 Win: 84/100 XSXS: 78/100 |
| OpenCritic | 79% recommend |
Review scores :
| Publication | Score |
| Digital Trends | 3/5 |
| GameSpot | 7/10 |
| GamesRadar+ | 4/5 |
| Hardcore Gamer | 4/5 |
| IGN | 9/10 |
| PCGamesN | 8/10 |
| Push Square | 8/10 |
| Shacknews | 7/10 |
| TechRadar | 4/5 |
| Video Games Chronicle | 3/5 |
| VG247 | 5/5 |
Dynasty Warriors: Origins received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. OpenCritic determined that 79% of critics recommended the game.
CGMagazine praised the game as the best entry in the Musou franchise in years, reclaiming lost goodwill and offering a much-needed overhaul for the series. The game was also commended by IGN for its deep combat mechanics, engaging storyline, improved visuals, and replay value, successfully balancing story and combat to offer a fresh take on familiar characters and stories.
Critics such as GamingTrend pointed out repetitive gameplay and lack of cooperative play as areas where the game falls short, while VideoGamer described it as a middle-of-the-road experience that lacks depth and feels stuck in the past.

### Sales

In Japan, Dynasty Warriors: Origins sold 63,805 physical units on the PlayStation 5 during its first week of release, making it the second best-selling game in the country behind Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. The game had sold 94,583 physical units in Japan on the PS5 by February 9, 2025. Koei Tecmo announced on February 14, 2025 that it had sold 1 million units worldwide.