REVIEW: ‘Dynasty Warriors: Origins Visions of Four Heroes’ Surprises In The Best Ways

Dynasty Warriors: Origins Visions of Four Heroes, developed and published by Koei Tecmo Games, is the new DLC expansion for Dynasty Warriors: Origins that, surprisingly, expands the base game narratively in a refreshing way, while including engaging new gameplay elements. While not perfect, the DLC offers a quintessential experience that more expansions should strive to match.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins Visions of Four Heroes offers a simple concept: “what if” scenarios for four characters in the game’s narrative whose stories were not fully explored beyond their roles as villains and obstacles in Ziluan’s path. The narrative is divided into four chapters, each dedicated to the characters Zhang Jiao, Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, and Lu Bu. However, unlike in the base game, players can choose which story to follow first on the selection menu. Each story provides an alternative path to the original.

The altered timeline leads to some interesting conclusions that make the narrative engaging.

For example, instead of defeating Zhang Jiao and his yellow turban forces, which happens at the end of the game’s first chapter, players can choose to join him and fend off his pursuers, essentially making you the betrayer and the villain in this story. However, like other stories in this DLC, it offers a fresh perspective, gives the character more attention, and, in the process, demonstrates the depth of his character. It provides more insight into his goals, motivations, betrayals, and more.

Visions of Four Heroes also excellently shows the repercussions of choosing to align with the villains despite being the Guardian of Peace. The altered timeline leads to some interesting conclusions that make the narrative engaging in a new, unique way. Some storylines, such as Zhang Jiao’s, are even more engaging than their original counterparts in the base game. Because the stories are more focused, players learn more about real-world historical figures and gain a sense of why they did what they did.

Visions of Four Heroes provides players with tons of new material, which justifies the asking price of the DLC.

What makes playing through the narrative even more interesting is that the DLC does not explicitly rehash chapters of the base game or simply offer slight variations of events seen in the base game. Visions of Four Heroes provides players with actual new story events, scenarios, and cutscenes, which justifies the $35 asking price of the DLC. The twelve-hour narrative is engaging from start to finish and enhances Dynasty Warriors: Origins‘ already great storytelling.

Narrative aside, Visions of Four Heroes also includes several new gameplay elements. The gameplay loop is the same as in the base game. It includes a range of game modes, from standard elimination and escape missions to capture-and-defend the base modes, with occasional segments where players need to strategize and thin enemy numbers. Other than that, the DLC features the same Musou gameplay loop. Still, it’s worth noting that some modes, like base capture, are incredibly daunting, unrewarding, and tedious, especially if a main mission forces players to play through them.

Players can access NPC companions early on who help reduce the burden of combat.

The DLC also adds brand new weapons, namely the Bow and the Rope Dart. The former works similarly to regular bows and arrows in most games, but in Musou combat, it feels lackluster. While it can be used to pick off specific enemies from afar, it doesn’t do enough damage to justify using it outside specific scenarios. Despite this, the bow is a unique weapon with cool combos but will likely only be chosen by a select few. The Rope Dart, on the other hand, is fast and flashy. Players can deal significant damage to several enemies at once with decent range. Compared to the Bow, it is easier to master.

Other than that, Visions of Heroes also includes a new training mode that lets players test their skills and weapons to prepare them for the battles ahead. The training mode works incredibly well, especially for players trying to min-max their builds.

While playing through the DLC, players will earn new visionary skill tree points that they can allocate to a unique skill tree. These elements make the gameplay a lot more engaging and refreshing, especially for players who have completed the base game. Lastly, unlike in the base game, players can access NPC companions early on who help reduce the burden of combat. Officers like Zhuhe and Diaochan are available from the start, and you can also switch to them, and they provide new, refreshing ways to engage in combat.

All in all, Dynasty Warriors: Origins Visions of Four Heroes is a great DLC that is worth its asking price, offering engaging, enhanced, and expanded combat. The narrative alone makes the DLC worth it, especially for fans of the base game and its historical elements.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins Visions of Four Heroes is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam.