Dynasty Warriors: Origins demo prompts comparisons to Soulslike games with unexpectedly difficult Lü Bu boss fight 

Dynasty Warriors: Origins’ free demo, which released last Friday, November 22, was supposed to give players a glimpse at Koei Tecmo’s latest entry in the hack-and-slash franchise. While some could play it to completion, many found the demo’s boss, Lü Bu, to be a lot more difficult than what they’re used to. 

The Dynasty Warriors: Origins demo features an action-fueled retelling of the Battle of Sishui Pass depicted in Luo Guanzhong’s fiction novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Lü Bu’s large health pool, resilience to most attacks, and high damage output (specifically his grab attack) have resulted in players likening him to a Soulslike boss. While Lü Bu has proved to be a challenge in past Dynasty Warriors titles, he seems to be especially difficult to defeat in this new demo.  

Another factor that could serve to Lü Bu’s overall difficulty is Dynasty Warriors: Origins’ parry and perfect dodge mechanics, which require players to be more on-point with their button inputs. Considering that the franchise is known for allowing players to wail on hordes of foes with reckless abandon, some may still be adapting to the latest entry’s more sophisticated gameplay mechanics. 

Dynasty Warriors: Origins’ producer Tomohiko Sho has since responded to fan complaints regarding Lü Bu’s difficulty, saying that the character was specifically adjusted for the game’s demo. Lü Bu will not be a fightable enemy in the Battle of Sishui Pass in the final game, but he could make an appearance and be fought elsewhere. 

Despite complaints, some find the Lü Bu fight to be a welcome challenge. A few players were able to beat the Chinese warlord after hours of trying, and while some of these victories were earned on the lowest difficulty, a defeated Lü Bu is still a defeated Lü Bu.  

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is scheduled to launch on January 17 for the PC (Steam), PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The free demo with the crazy-hard Lü Bu boss fight is available now for all compatible platforms.