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

Dynasty Warriors: Origins ups the ante with significantly tougher enemies. Producer Tomohiko Sho's directive to the development team? A simple, yet impactful, "Go and kill the player." This article delves into the design choices behind this challenging new entry in the series.

A Deadlier Battlefield: "Go And Kill The Player"

The increased enemy strength in Dynasty Warriors: Origins isn't arbitrary. As revealed in an interview with PlayStation.Blog, producer Sho aimed for heightened realism. The struggle for survival isn't limited to the player; enemy soldiers and generals fight with equal ferocity.

While boosting the difficulty, Sho ensured the challenge remained fair and rewarding. He aimed for satisfying difficulty curves, stating, "Even if you're not that good at action games, if you learn them in order, you can play comfortably and feel a sense of success." The development team faced the significant challenge of balancing the series' signature "musou" exhilaration (defeating countless foes) with the grittier realism of a true battlefield.

A Return to Roots: The Meaning of "Origins"

The absence of a sequential number in the title – a first for the franchise – is significant. Instead of Dynasty Warriors 10, we have Origins. This reflects the game's focus on the first half of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, unlike previous installments which covered the entire narrative.

In a Tokyo Game Show 2024 interview with TheGamer, Sho clarified that Origins concludes with the pivotal Battle of Chibi (Battle of Red Cliffs). He emphasized the team's commitment to a thorough and intense portrayal of this crucial period: "We really wanted to be thorough and intense in telling this story; it’s one of the epic points, so we’re only focusing on up until that point."

Seven years after its predecessor, Dynasty Warriors: Origins arrives as a fresh take on the beloved franchise, based on the classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Featuring a new protagonist, the Nameless Hero, players embark on a journey through a war-torn China.

Released January 17th, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is available on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Read Game8's review for a more in-depth look!