Dynasty Warriors: Origins – Visions of Four Heroes [REVIEW] – From Villainy to Victory

If you caught my review of Dynasty Warriors: Origins last year, you’ll know I was a big fan of the fresh direction that Omega Force took with the game. It felt like a proper reboot that finally breathed some new life into the series, bringing with it some refreshing refinements to combat to make it feel less button-bashy and a meaty yet meaningful campaign that kept me hooked for hours. So, naturally, when Visions of Four Heroes was announced, I was always going to jump back in. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

The biggest draw here is undoubtedly the narrative flip. Instead of the usual heroic slog, we get four distinct ‘What If?’ scenarios that let us team up with the antagonists: Zhang Jiao, Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, and, of course, the absolute unit that is Lu Bu. I have to say, these stories actually hit a lot harder than I expected, and whilst I expected it to be a bit gimmicky or on the nose, there’s some surprisingly thoughtful storytelling going on that adds emotional weight to the villainy of the antagonists. You’ll end up rooting for them by the end, and whilst you’ll know you’re working with the ‘bad guys’, maybe they aren’t so bad after all… 

Gameplay-wise, the core Musou loop is as satisfying as ever, but there are some interesting new wrinkles. The standout addition is the Strategic Battle mode, which utilises the overworld map in a turn-based style where you move your armies around to whittle down enemy forces before the big decisive clash. It’s a brilliant concept, and whilst it does have a few hiccups (more specifically with the AI), it certainly sets the groundwork for future developments in the series. I haven’t played a Dynasty Warriors Empires game for a long time – maybe we’ll see a refreshed take on that formula down the line? 

One of my complaints in my original review was that it was a bit limited on the weapon front compared to its predecessors, so I’m happy to report there are some cool new weapon types to use: the Bow and the Rope Dart. The Rope Dart is an absolute blast – it’s fast, flashy, and great for crowd control, but the Bow feels a bit more ordinary. It’s functional, sure, but in a game where you’re usually surrounded by hundreds of enemies, it doesn’t quite have the impact or damage output to justify choosing it over something more visceral. But hey, it’s nice to try out something new, and for pure historical accuracy, it’s something I think that a lot of players will be fond of. 

“Dynasty Warriors: Origins – Visions of Four Heroes serves as a fantastic companion piece to an already great game.” 

Size-wise, Visions of Four Heroes is meaty, and you’re looking at easily another 20 hours of gameplay if you want to see everything. Story missions alone will probably take around 12 if you’re not a completionist, so there’s plenty to get stuck into. If anything, the only downside is that I wanted to see more by the end – not because it didn’t offer enough, but because it reinvigorated my love and appreciation for the main game. If Visions of Four Heroes is anything to go by, the team at Omega Force still have plenty of fresh ideas to continue to build upon what they achieved with Dynasty Warriors Origins. 

Developer: Omega Force, Koei Tecmo 
Publisher: Koei Tecmo 
Platform(s): Xbox Series X|S (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch 2 
Website: https://www.koeitecmoeurope.com/dw_origins/