The Dynasty Warriors series has largely been a linear hack-and-slash experience, but recent entries like Dynasty Warriors 9 experimented with an open world. This raises the question: Does Dynasty Warriors: Origins also feature an open world?
Does Dynasty Warriors: Origins Have an Open World?
No, Dynasty Warriors: Origins does not have an open world.
The trend in AAA gaming suggests that open worlds equate to high quality, but this isn't always true. Dynasty Warriors 9's open world serves as a prime example; its vast, empty landscape was widely criticized. The scale diluted the impact of large-scale battles. It was a clear case of forced mechanics.
Concerns arose about whether Dynasty Warriors: Origins would follow suit, given its experimental nature. Thankfully, it avoids this pitfall. Instead of an open world, it utilizes a condensed overworld map.
Between missions, players navigate a small representation of ancient China, traveling between towns to buy equipment, rest, and interact with NPCs. These maps are easily traversed in under a minute. A fast travel option exists, though it's largely unnecessary due to the map's size. Players can initiate side quests, find items (Pyroxene and Old Coins), participate in optional battles, and trigger story cutscenes. While this overworld system is somewhat basic, it's a significant improvement over the emptiness of Dynasty Warriors 9's open world.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is available on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
