Dynasty Warriors: Origins, the latest installment in the iconic franchise, has finally arrived, and it's a welcome refreshment for fans of the series. Developed by Koei-Tecmo's Omega Force, Origins adapts the famous Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms into 1 vs 100 style battles, offering a vastly improved gaming experience compared to its predecessors.

After the lackluster reception of Dynasty Warriors 9 in 2018, Omega Force took a break from the series to work on licensed games like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Persona 5 Strikers, and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. This detour seems to have paid off, as the studio has returned to its signature franchise with a newfound perspective, shaking things up in a much-needed way.

In Origins, players take on the role of the Wanderer, a single character with no memory of themselves, who slowly regains their memories and special powers throughout the game. This departure from the traditional character-switching mechanic allows for a more focused and immersive experience. The Wanderer can wield any type of weapon, each with its own abilities and unlockable skills via skill trees.

Combat in Origins is easy to pick up but challenging to master, requiring players to strategically use their abilities, dodge, and parry to take down enemy generals. The game's difficulty curve is well-balanced, making victories feel earned and satisfying. Even on standard difficulty, players will need to employ their skills wisely to overcome the surprisingly formidable enemy generals.

Battles take place on large, winding maps, complete with bases to capture and enemy generals to defeat. While the primary objective is to take down the enemy leader, the game encourages exploration and completionism, making it feel rewarding to rush to the aid of allied generals and protect them from harm.

One of the standout features of Origins is its ability to make players feel like heroes, executing special abilities that trigger elaborate cutscenes with animations reminiscent of wuxia films. The game's story moments also allow players to build relationships with beloved characters from Chinese history, adding a rich layer of depth to the gameplay.

While some critics have noted the Wanderer's lack of personality and the somewhat unengaging memory-regain storyline, these drawbacks are easily overlooked in light of the game's numerous improvements and innovations. Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a triumphant return to form for the franchise, offering a refreshing take on the legendary series.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is now available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, marking a new chapter in the beloved franchise's history.