When Dynasty Warriors: Origins was released in 2025, it ushered forth a new vision for the series, one bold yet fantastic in its delivery. I had the pleasure of reviewing the game for ComicBook back then and called it “addicting, exhilarating, and a mighty good time.” Now, with the newly released expansion DLC, Visions of Four Heroes, I can say that the statement holds true, returning fans to the hectic battlefields in interesting new ‘what-if’ scenarios that work well with the established narrative.
Diaochan is now a playable companion in Dynasty Warriors: Origins – Visions of Four Heroes.
There are many characters in the sprawling world of Dynasty Warriors: Origins, which is no surprise for fans of the series. In the base game, Origins lets you pledge your allegiance to one of three groups. However, with Visions of Four Heroes, you get to see four other possibilities stemming from story beats following major characters from the plot. Essentially, you enact a ‘What-If’ situation, seeing what would’ve happened should you’ve stepped in or joined another side. Your choices, Zhang Jiao, Dong Zhao, Yuan Shao, and Lu Bu, fit ideally with the story, so it doesn’t feel out of place when available.
Each of the routes doesn’t take up much of your time at all, surprisingly. Unlike the main routes, which last for chapters on end, it’s a quick few big battles, and you’re done. I’d estimate each one can run to around 2-3 hours, depending on your playstyle and difficulty. Still, they hit their mark and move things along rather than overstay their welcome. It’s concise, giving you bite-sized stories to dive into and enjoy without the constraints of lore.
One of the early antagonists of Origins, Yellow Turbans leader Zhang Jiao, is the best of the four new routes.
If I had to choose a favorite, it’d have to be the inaugural one, Zhang Jiao. As someone who liked his mini-arc with the Yellow Turbans in the base game, his chapter is a great one. The opening is also epic, which is a shame since the other routes don’t have those types of moments. Lots of the story is done via text, with cinematics being for battle planning and bonding with companions. It would’ve been cool to utilize the ‘what-if’ scenarios to place Ziluan’s involvement in a neater way, as done for Zhang Jiao, but it still gets the job done.
The gameplay remains intact for Visions of Four Heroes, letting you continue the epic Musou 1v1000 Origins did so well. I still believe that there’s nothing like charging on your horse into a crowd of enemy soldiers and jump-slashing into them. You’ll still need to take care of taking out enemy bases, upholding your own, and ensuring the survival of your allies across the sprawling battlefield. With battles lasting 15-30 minutes, it is a thrill from start to finish.
While the bow is fun at times, it was a bit clashy with the other weapons, though the rope dart was a fun one to slash around with.
Despite being an expansion, there isn’t too much new content outside of the additional story. Two new weapons, the bow and rope dart, were added, and both fit quite well into the already established arsenal. I wasn’t too into the bow, given how different it felt from the other weapons, but the rope dart made up for it. I still defaulted to my better-rated swords and spears, but they provided some levity to battles. In addition, they did add Strategic Battles, which allow you to do smaller battles to weaken enemy forces before the big showdown. I do wish there was more to it, as it feels a bit underused. If a sequel is green lit, it would be cool to see it return and get some expansion.
As far as whether it’s worth the time, it depends on if you enjoyed Origins or not. If you loved seeing Romance of the Three Houses be reborn, it’s well worth it. The same goes for if you enjoyed the Musou gameplay loop. However, if you are looking for a deep investment or new ways to play, you’ll be a bit disappointed.
In any case, Dynasty Warriors: Origins – Visions of Four Heroes is more of the same, but that’s not a bad thing at all. The epic Musou action and thrilling battles make it a worthwhile investment for fans, as well as those who enjoyed certain character arcs like Zhang Jiao or Lu Bu. With Dynasty Warriors 3 Complete Edition coming soon, it does ease that wait and have some good old-fashioned fun.
While not too much content, Dynasty Warriors: Origins – Visions of Four Heroes is still just as good as the original, keeping the fun of the Musou gameplay and story.
When Dynasty Warriors: Origins was released in 2025, it ushered forth a new vision for the series, one bold yet fantastic in its delivery. I had the pleasure of reviewing the game for ComicBook back then and called it “addicting, exhilarating, and a mighty good time.” Now, with the newly released expansion DLC, Visions of Four Heroes, I can say that the statement holds true, returning fans to the hectic battlefields in interesting new ‘what-if’ scenarios that work well with the established narrative.
Diaochan is now a playable companion in Dynasty Warriors: Origins – Visions of Four Heroes.
There are many characters in the sprawling world of Dynasty Warriors: Origins, which is no surprise for fans of the series. In the base game, Origins lets you pledge your allegiance to one of three groups. However, with Visions of Four Heroes, you get to see four other possibilities stemming from story beats following major characters from the plot. Essentially, you enact a ‘What-If’ situation, seeing what would’ve happened should you’ve stepped in or joined another side. Your choices, Zhang Jiao, Dong Zhao, Yuan Shao, and Lu Bu, fit ideally with the story, so it doesn’t feel out of place when available.
Each of the routes doesn’t take up much of your time at all, surprisingly. Unlike the main routes, which last for chapters on end, it’s a quick few big battles, and you’re done. I’d estimate each one can run to around 2-3 hours, depending on your playstyle and difficulty. Still, they hit their mark and move things along rather than overstay their welcome. It’s concise, giving you bite-sized stories to dive into and enjoy without the constraints of lore.
One of the early antagonists of Origins, Yellow Turbans leader Zhang Jiao, is the best of the four new routes.
If I had to choose a favorite, it’d have to be the inaugural one, Zhang Jiao. As someone who liked his mini-arc with the Yellow Turbans in the base game, his chapter is a great one. The opening is also epic, which is a shame since the other routes don’t have those types of moments. Lots of the story is done via text, with cinematics being for battle planning and bonding with companions. It would’ve been cool to utilize the ‘what-if’ scenarios to place Ziluan’s involvement in a neater way, as done for Zhang Jiao, but it still gets the job done.
The gameplay remains intact for Visions of Four Heroes, letting you continue the epic Musou 1v1000 Origins did so well. I still believe that there’s nothing like charging on your horse into a crowd of enemy soldiers and jump-slashing into them. You’ll still need to take care of taking out enemy bases, upholding your own, and ensuring the survival of your allies across the sprawling battlefield. With battles lasting 15-30 minutes, it is a thrill from start to finish.
While the bow is fun at times, it was a bit clashy with the other weapons, though the rope dart was a fun one to slash around with.
Despite being an expansion, there isn’t too much new content outside of the additional story. Two new weapons, the bow and rope dart, were added, and both fit quite well into the already established arsenal. I wasn’t too into the bow, given how different it felt from the other weapons, but the rope dart made up for it. I still defaulted to my better-rated swords and spears, but they provided some levity to battles. In addition, they did add Strategic Battles, which allow you to do smaller battles to weaken enemy forces before the big showdown. I do wish there was more to it, as it feels a bit underused. If a sequel is green lit, it would be cool to see it return and get some expansion.
As far as whether it’s worth the time, it depends on if you enjoyed Origins or not. If you loved seeing Romance of the Three Houses be reborn, it’s well worth it. The same goes for if you enjoyed the Musou gameplay loop. However, if you are looking for a deep investment or new ways to play, you’ll be a bit disappointed.
In any case, Dynasty Warriors: Origins – Visions of Four Heroes is more of the same, but that’s not a bad thing at all. The epic Musou action and thrilling battles make it a worthwhile investment for fans, as well as those who enjoyed certain character arcs like Zhang Jiao or Lu Bu. With Dynasty Warriors 3 Complete Edition coming soon, it does ease that wait and have some good old-fashioned fun.
by Michael Murphy
