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

Dynasty Warriors: Origins ups the ante with significantly more challenging enemy encounters. Producer Tomohiko Sho's directive to the development team was simple yet impactful: "Go and kill the player." This article delves into the design choices behind this increased difficulty.

A Deadlier Battlefield: "Go and Kill the Player"

The enhanced challenge in Dynasty Warriors: Origins stems directly from producer Tomohiko Sho's instruction to make the enemies far more aggressive and powerful. In an interview with PlayStation.Blog, Sho explained that this design choice aimed for a heightened sense of realism, emphasizing that the struggle for survival isn't limited to the player character; enemy soldiers and generals are equally desperate.

While significantly increasing the difficulty, Sho ensured the game remained engaging and rewarding. The challenges are designed to be progressively satisfying, offering a sense of accomplishment even for players less experienced with action games. He acknowledged the difficulty in balancing the series' signature "musou" exhilaration (defeating countless enemies) with the realistic brutality of a war-torn battlefield.

A Return to Roots: "Origins"

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

This "Origins" designation highlights the game's focus on the first half of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, unlike previous installments that covered the entire narrative. In an interview at the 2024 Tokyo Game Show with TheGamer, Sho clarified that the story concludes with the Battle of Chibi (Battle of Red Cliffs). He emphasized the team's commitment to a thorough and intense portrayal of this pivotal historical period.

Arriving seven years after the last main installment, Dynasty Warriors: Origins stays true to its source material, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Featuring an original protagonist, the Nameless Hero, the game immerses players in the conflicts of Han Dynasty China.

Released on January 17th, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is available on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. A Game8 review is linked below (link omitted as it was not provided in the original text).