Dynasty Warriors: Origins Dev Team Was Instructed to “Go Kill The Player”

Dynasty Warriors: Origins ups the ante with significantly more challenging enemies. Producer Tomohiko Sho's directive to the development team? "Go and kill the player." This simple instruction dramatically altered the gameplay experience. Learn more about these impactful changes in the latest Dynasty Warriors installment!

A Deadlier Battlefield: "Go And Kill The Player"

The increased enemy strength in Dynasty Warriors: Origins isn't just a random tweak; it's a deliberate design choice by producer Tomohiko Sho. His goal? To inject a heightened sense of realism. The battles aren't just about the player's survival; enemy soldiers and generals are fighting for their lives as well.

In an interview with PlayStation.Blog, Sho explained the development process. The challenge lay in balancing the series' signature "musou" exhilaration (the thrill of mowing down countless foes) with the gritty realism of a true battlefield. While significantly increasing the difficulty, Sho ensured the game remained engaging and rewarding, offering satisfying challenges that players could overcome with skill and strategy. He aimed for a design where even less experienced action gamers could find success through gradual progression.

A Return to the "Origins": A New Chapter

A notable departure from previous entries is the absence of a sequential title number. Instead of Dynasty Warriors 10, the game is titled Dynasty Warriors: Origins, marking the first unnumbered title in the franchise's history.

This naming convention reflects the game's focus on the first half of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, unlike previous iterations that covered the entire narrative. In an interview at the 2024 Tokyo Game Show with TheGamer, Sho confirmed that the story concludes with the Battle of Chibi (Battle of Red Cliffs). He emphasized the team's dedication to a thorough and intense portrayal of this pivotal historical event.

Seven years in the making, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the latest main installment in the long-running franchise. Based on the classic Chinese novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the game features a blend of historical fact and fiction, set during the Han Dynasty. Players take on the role of the Nameless Hero, navigating the power struggles of warring factions across ancient China.

Released on January 17th, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is currently available on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Read Game8's review for a more in-depth look at the game!