Is Dynasty Warriors: Origins Open World? Explained

The Dynasty Warriors series has largely been a linear hack-and-slash experience. However, recent entries like Dynasty Warriors 9 experimented with an open world, to mixed results. 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 recent trend in AAA gaming towards open worlds isn't always beneficial. Dynasty Warriors 9's open world is a prime example; its vastness lacked content, diminishing the impact of its large-scale battles. The open world felt forced, a mechanic ill-suited to the franchise.

Fortunately, Dynasty Warriors: Origins avoids this pitfall. Instead of an open world, it offers a condensed overworld map of ancient China. Players navigate this smaller map to visit towns, purchase items, rest at inns, and interact with NPCs to initiate side quests. The map's compact size allows traversal in under a minute, rendering the fast travel option largely unnecessary. This overworld facilitates side quests, item discovery (Pyroxene, Old Coins), optional battles for proficiency boosts and soldier recruitment, and story progression via cutscenes. While this system might feel somewhat rudimentary, it's a far more streamlined and effective approach than the largely empty open world of Dynasty Warriors 9.

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