January is really kicking into gear with some notable major releases this week, perhaps none bigger than Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors: Origins - and the good news is that it's getting some very impressive reviews ahead of launch.
Although we're not reviewing this one here at Pure Xbox, our sister site Push Square has given the game an 8/10 in their review, and some outlets have even gone a step further - notably in the case of IGN, which has given it a 9/10.
So, let's take a look at some reviews of Dynasty Warriors: Origins for Xbox and beyond:
VG247 (5/5)
"If you do decide to pick up Dynasty Warriors: Origins as your first title in the franchise, you'll be introduced to one of the most enjoyable action series and historical stories out there. If you're already a Dynasty Warriors fan, you know what you're getting into."
IGN (9/10)
"Origins is both a great entry point for newcomers and a triumphant return for veterans like me who felt the last few entries had become stale or missed the mark. It feels like the series I once loved is finally back."
Push Square (8/10)
"In many ways, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the series at its best. The gigantic, jaw-dropping battles, the tense wartime drama, the player-driven power trip — it's a thoroughly impressive return to form for a franchise that came so close to dismantling itself seven years ago. Origins isn't just some water-testing spin-off — this is both an evolution of the formula and a fantastic realisation of what Dynasty Warriors has always strived to be."
GamesRadar (4/5)
"More than getting the series back in the saddle after the disappointing Dynasty Warriors 9, Dynasty Warriors: Origins evolves the genre and injects fresh excitement. A stripped back approach champions the explosive combat's focus on visceral clashes and tactile battlefields, with charming characters and a more immersive story mode."
Windows Central (4/5)
"While the absence of being able to select from a roster of heroes pains me, the across-the-board gains to other gameplay systems, as a result, pay off. Especially after the disaster that was Dynasty Warriors 9, Origins gets Omega Force back to their roots in a way I didn't know I craved. A must-buy for any fan of the series."
TheGamer (7/10)
"There’s some fantastic action combat with an array of weaponry in Dynasty Warriors: Origins, and for some people, that will be enough. But as the game pivots to a more narrative focus, it only exposes its shortcomings, and feels too repetitive and inconsequential to sustain its own story."
VGC (3/5)
"Dynasty Warriors: Origins will offer enough for fans, but won't blow the minds of new players or series regulars. The scale of the game's battle and rock solid performance are impressive, but there's little to write home about outside of that."
The Metacritic average is a bit all over the place right now - the highest is on PC where it has a fantastic average of 85, while the lowest is on Xbox where it sits at 78. It'll inevitably change over the coming hours, days and weeks as more reviews roll in, but we can probably expect it to settle somewhere around the 80 mark when all's said and done.
A fantastic start for Dynasty Warriors: Origins, then! If you're interested in checking it out on Xbox, the Deluxe Edition offers 72 hours' worth of early access, while the standard version arrives this Friday (January 17th) at a price of £64.99 / $69.99 on the Xbox Store. There's a physical version for Xbox Series X as well if you're interested.