The Dynasty Warriors series, known for its linear hack-and-slash gameplay, took a detour with Dynasty Warriors 9's open world, a feature widely criticized for its emptiness. 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 game wisely avoids the pitfalls of a sprawling, content-less map seen in its predecessor.

The prevailing trend in AAA gaming suggests that open worlds equate to high quality, but this isn't always true. Dynasty Warriors 9 serves as a prime example of an open world implementation that detracted from the core gameplay experience. Its vast, empty world diluted the impact of large-scale battles.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins instead offers a condensed overworld map of ancient China. Players navigate between towns to acquire weapons, items, and rest. This compact map, easily traversed in under a minute, includes a fast travel option (though arguably unnecessary given its size). The overworld facilitates side quests, item discovery (Pyroxene, Old Coins), optional battles for skill enhancement, and story progression through cutscenes. While functional, this overworld is streamlined and avoids the emptiness of a full-blown open world.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is currently available on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.