Capcom is preparing for the return of its samurai action series, Onimusha, with the upcoming release of Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Set to launch next month after a two-decade absence, the game has been confirmed by director Satoru Nihei and the development team not to be an open-world title or a Soulslike, despite what some players might have inferred. Instead, it is firmly positioned as a character action game.
While Onimusha: Way of the Sword will feature challenging boss encounters that demand mastery of protagonist Miyamoto Musashi's combat abilities, and players may die frequently, the game does not incorporate Soulslike mechanics such as losing resources upon death. Director Nihei stated that the difficulty, both for bosses and standard enemies, is not comparable to the Soulslike genre, nor does it feature the same kind of treacherous exploration. The core gameplay loop emphasizes mastering Musashi's swordplay, utilizing the environment, and engaging in demon combat.
The game also eschews a traditional open-world structure. However, the developers describe a hub area within the game's setting of Kyoto as an "open-town." This area is noted to be more expansive than the game's standard stages, offering exploration with side paths, hidden secrets, and various points of interest. Players can expect to find side quests, interact with NPCs, discover items, and engage with vendors within this hub. While it does not feature the checklist-driven design of many open-world titles, this scaled-down approach aims to provide a similar sense of discovery.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is currently available as a demo on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The game is scheduled to launch next month, including on Nintendo Switch.
Further coverage, including exclusive gameplay and behind-the-scenes content, is planned from Game Informer.