Capcom’s Onimusha series is in the midst of a renaissance. First, we saw the release of the Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny remaster in May, a game we said proves that a 20-year-old game can still cut deep in our review. Then, at Summer Games Fest, we saw the forthcoming Onimusha: Way of the Sword in action. This is the first new entry in the franchise since 2006, and if what we saw is any indication, it has a great chance to be worth the wait.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword centers around Miyamoto Musashi, the famed swordsman from the Edo period of Japan. His likeness is based on a young version of the late Toshiro Mifune, a legendary actor and frequent collaborator of Akira Kurosawa.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
Musashi is an up-and-comer at this stage of his life, looking to prove himself. As the demo begins, he arrives at Kiyomizu-dera temple. A burning red cloud of malice burns overhead, demon-like beings called Genma are terrorizing the people inside, and Musashi is there to put a stop to it.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword asks you to become one with the blade.
It’s not long before the first fights break out. A group of sword-wielding Genma attack Musashi, and we get our first glimpse of Musashi’s skill with the blade as he begins cutting through his enemies in a fury of slashes, executing a slick behind-the-back block in the process. Perfectly timed blocks act as parries, setting up attack opportunities. Executing a slash at the moment just before a blow from an enemy arrives sets up a sidestep and devastating counters.
The effects playing out during these fights are equally as impressive. Sparks rain down as swords clash. At one point, Musashi sends a demon stumbling into a torch, setting it ablaze, and at another moment, he cuts a demon clean in half at the waist. The action looks deep and dynamic, combat for sickos if ever there was any.
As Musashi gets further into the temple, things become stranger and more twisted. A pair of demons that resemble a mashup of ninjas and ravens put up a tough fight, dodging slashes and trying to flank at every turn. Later, there are groups of flying enemies firing ranged attacks. At one point, one swells in size, unhinges its jaw to swallow Musashi from the waist down, and explodes for massive damage.
Affixed to one of Musashi’s hands is the Oni Gauntlet, which will factor heavily into both the story and gameplay. This has several functions, like absorbing souls from fallen enemies, which acts as a kind of upgrade currency. It also allows him to interact with dark masses, which resemble floating, smoke-emitting orbs. When he connects to one, he sees an image of villagers being forced to carry their family and neighbors to be used as sacrifices.
As he nears the inner area of the temple, he’s attacked by a name named Sasaki Ganryu. Ganryu acts as Musashi’s chief rival, and he, too is in possession of an Oni Gauntlet. After an exchange of words, a boss fight begins, demonstrating how fast and dynamic these fights can be. An intricate dance of slashes, counterattacks, and parries begins.
Health and Stagger gauges are visible at the top of the screen. This sets up another of the key mechanics to these fights, as draining the stagger gauge with repeated attacks creates an opportunity to aim an attack at one of several marked locations. The first of these is directed at Ganryu’s head; the blow takes a large chunk of health away, and, adding insult to injury, destroys his hat in the process.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword offers spectacular action.
Capcom’s hands-off Demo for Onimusha: Way of the Sword puts action at its center.
As the furious clash of steel concludes, Ganryu withdraws in a puff of smoke, allowing Mushashi to reach the deepest areas of the temple. Here, he finds the source of the malice, a rift connecting directly to hell. Before he can close it, however, he has to deal with another boss, a towering axe-wielding Genma called Byakue.
A gorgeous fight ensues, filled with spark-shower clashes of sword on axe, last-second dodges, and aggressive attacks from Musashi. Byakue’s body is covered in paper seals, which help contain some of its power. As the slashes and blood accumulate, the seals lose their power, and Byakue becomes stronger and more wild as the fight continues. By the end, he’s furiously swinging his axe one second, running on all fours like a beast the next, then immediately transitioning into his next attacks.
Eventually, the monster’s health depletes, setting up a button prompt for the killing blow. As Byakue falls, Musashi uses the Oni Gauntlet to close the rift, which seals away the Storm of Malice above, which concludes the demonstration. The action throughout the Onimusha: Way of the Sword demo was spectacular, especially as the two boss fights evolved. But you’ll have to wait a bit longer before you can take up Musashi’s sword yourself.
