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Title: Onimusha: Way of the Sword might be a more forgiving kind of samurai
epic

Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2025 11:00:20 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/gaming/onimusha-way-...

CapcomΓÇÖs Onimusha series has been on a long hiatus. Combining Resident Evil-
style rendered backgrounds with more agile characters, adding in demons,
magic and a feudal Japan setting, the series span multiple sequels ΓÇö and
consoles ΓÇö til the fourth entry in 2006.

Roughly two decades (and console eras) later, Capcom has returned to the
series, even getting the definitive samurai actor, Tom Cruise Mifune Toshiro,
to play the hero, the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. At Gamescom, the
company is now demoing an early slice of Way of the Sword, which covers most
(but not all) of the game shown at SGF 2025 just a few months ago.

ItΓÇÖs an interesting time to return to the samurai-meets-demonic-threat
universe of Onimusha, following a sudden boom in games tapping into feudal
Japan. Most recently, the latest AssassinΓÇÖs Creed was set there, while,
SonyΓÇÖs upcoming Ghost of Yotei (not to mention its predecessor) both tap
bushido and swordplay in historical Japan.

While I played through the demo, I made a lot of mental comparisons to Sekiro
ΓÇô a game thatΓÇÖs now several years old and still unbeaten by me. Onimusha
draws together similar themes of demon forces run amok, but has a more
forgiving approach. Gameplay centers around blocks and parries, plus weak and
strong attacks, all while pulling in orbs dropped by dying enemies that act
as the gameΓÇÖs currency. (Health orbs are also dropped by certain foes.)

Capcom

The Oni gauntlet that absorbs these souls can also be used to see invisible
demons and unlock areas that are spiritually blocked. ItΓÇÖll also act like a
sort-of demonic movie projector, showing what happened during the demon
invasion in the area.

Early enemies were predictably sluggish demon swordsmen and archers, getting
me back up to speed with how Onimusha fights play out. Even if it predictably
looks lightyears ahead of its predecessors, Way of the Sword doesnΓÇÖt
reinvent how you cut up these demon hordes.

In comparison to other action games, guarding seems very forgiving. You can
hold the guard button down, and itΓÇÖll block basic projectiles and melee
attacks from all directions I spent some time leaning into exhausting stamina
gauges, timing parries for one-hit Issen critical attack and batting away
arrows back where they came from.

DonΓÇÖt get me wrong, itΓÇÖs satisfying and fun, but IΓÇÖm itching to see how
the series will build on whatΓÇÖs pretty basic attack flow. Musashi had
acccess to a dual-short sword special attack, Two Celestials, that barrages
the enemy with attacks and tops up his health levels.

This suggests more special attacks and magical flourishes should open up
later in the game. The preview during SGF 2025 also showed ways to utilize
the environment for defensive attacks, holding up wooden boards to block
arrows, for instance, although that didnΓÇÖt trigger during my playthrough.

Capcom

The highlight of the demo was a confrontation with MusashiΓÇÖs rival, Ganryu
Sasaki. HeΓÇÖs great villain fodder ΓÇö and has also been somehow gifted his
own Oni gauntlet. The duel was the only time I felt under threat during the
demo, and even then, I didnΓÇÖt die once. ThereΓÇÖs enough of a health meter
to test yourself against SasakiΓÇÖs lavish sword attacks and lunges. Once you
wear down more powerful enemies, you can make a single, concentrated attack
to either glean more orbs from them or hit for heavy-duty damage.

The early taste of Way of the Sword is a fun, easy romp, so IΓÇÖm curious to
see how Capcom evolves the formula of Onimusha ΓÇö and where the true
challenges might lie.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set to be released in 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series
S|X, and PC.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/gaming/onimusha-way-...
forgiving-kind-of-samurai-epic-110020221.html?src=rss

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