Why Dynasty Warriors: Origins’ Nameless Protagonist May Be Exactly What it Needs

Highlights

• Dynasty Warriors Origins offers a fresh take on the series, allowing players to step into the shoes of a nameless protagonist with amnesia.
• The game promises massive battles and the ability to switch between characters mid-fight, keeping gameplay engaging and dynamic.
• With updated visuals and a new approach to the traditional hack-and-slash formula, Dynasty Warriors Origins aims to attract a new audience to the franchise.

It’s incredible to think that Koei Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors franchise has been around since 1997. The hack-and-slash series has spanned numerous console generations, spin-offs, and even a movie, but Dynasty Warriors 9, released back in 2018, marks the last time a mainline game was released. That’s set to change in 2025 with the release of Dynasty Warriors Origins, a prequel title that puts players in the shoes of an unnamed protagonist, which will be a brand-new approach to an aging formula that needs a fresh coat of paint. If executed correctly, this could bring a whole new audience to the niche series.

Despite being best known as a musou hack-and-slash series that lets the player play as one of the infamous Three Kingdoms generals fighting against hordes of enemy soldiers, the Dynasty Warriors series actually started life as a more traditional fighting game. 1997’s debut title was a somewhat tepid brawler not offering too much in the way of creativity or innovation. However, starting with the 2000 sequel Dynasty Warriors 2, the series swiftly transformed into something else entirely, and, aside from a few more tactical spin-offs along the way, has remained rooted in the third person action hack-and-slash genre ever since. Dynasty Warriors Origins offers a chance for a fresh take on the Three Kingdoms saga.

Dynasty Warriors Origins Represents a Fresh Start for the Franchise

As a prequel title, Dynasty Warriors Origins is actually set just before the Three Kingdoms period. The nameless protagonist has amnesia, and will presumably try to piece together his memories by interacting with and fighting alongside (or against) other established characters such as Guan Yu, Cao Cao, and the legendary Lu Bu. The large-scale battles promise to be some of the series’ biggest ever thanks to current-gen technology, which should allow for visuals that comfortably surpass anything it has previously offered. It’s the nameless main character, though, that should really set the game apart from its predecessors.

Traditionally, Dynasty Warriors players can choose from a large roster of characters to play through a campaign, acquiring new weapons and abilities for that particular character as they play. Depending on the specific title, players can sometimes also switch between other warriors from the same faction in between missions. Each fighter has a traditional style of weapon and move set, such as Lu Bu using a Halberd, meaning once the player has settled on a character, it doesn’t leave much room for creativity. A nameless protagonist, with no set style, could be the perfect remedy to this.

Character Switching Could Keep Dynasty Warriors Origins Feeling Fresh

It’s unclear how customizable the protagonist will be, but it seems that he will be male, and will have a name of the player’s choosing. Footage of Dynasty Warriors Origins has shown him wielding a sword, but hopefully, the player will be able to choose from a range of other weapons depending on preference. Should certain conditions be met in battle, players can also switch to other generals who they are fighting alongside, such as Guan Yu, known for his fearsome strength and imposing size. This option to switch between characters mid-fight should keep battles feeling fresh and engaging.

There’s no concrete information concerning a release date as yet, but it seems likely that the game is targeting the first half of 2025. This will represent the longest gap between entries in the Dynasty Warriors series to date. Despite this, other Warriors spin-offs, such as the Nintendo Switch’s Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, have shown that there is still an appetite for this specific genre. Fans will be hoping that Koei Tecmo has made good use of the time since the last entry, to create an innovative, modern experience that helps showcase the niche series to a whole new audience.