The Dynasty Warriors series, historically known for its linear hack-and-slash gameplay, saw a departure with Dynasty Warriors 9's open world. This raises the question: does Dynasty Warriors: Origins follow suit?
Does Dynasty Warriors: Origins Feature an Open World?
No, Dynasty Warriors: Origins does not have an open world.
The recent trend in AAA gaming suggests that open worlds automatically equate to high quality. However, this isn't universally true. Dynasty Warriors 9 serves as a prime example; its vast, largely empty open world was widely criticized for diluting the core gameplay experience. The expansive design made even large-scale battles feel sparse and underwhelming. It was a clear case of forced implementation.
Concerns arose whether Dynasty Warriors: Origins, given its experimental nature, would repeat this mistake. Thankfully, it avoids the open-world pitfall. Instead, it offers a condensed overworld map.
Between missions, players navigate a small-scale representation of ancient China, visiting towns to acquire weapons and items, and resting at inns. The map is easily traversed in under a minute. While fast travel is available, its necessity is questionable given the map's size. This overworld allows interaction with NPCs for side quests, item discovery (Pyroxene and Old Coins), optional battles for skill enhancement, and story progression via cutscenes. This streamlined approach, though perhaps uninspired, is a significant improvement over the emptiness of Dynasty Warriors 9's open world.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is currently available on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
