Capcom continues a decade-long streak of successful releases with the launch of Onimusha: Way of the Sword. This latest entry in the long-dormant samurai series demonstrates a strategy that has revitalized franchises like Resident Evil and Monster Hunter: a careful integration of established series strengths with proven mechanics from contemporary gaming.
Onimusha, a series that last saw a new installment in 2006 with Dawn of Dreams, has been absent for twenty years. While earlier titles utilized fixed camera perspectives and pre-rendered backgrounds reminiscent of early Resident Evil games, the series' most recent prior entry introduced a fully 3D camera. The original Onimusha: Warlords, released in 2001, shared significant DNA with Resident Evil, featuring puzzle-solving, door unlocking, and resource management within a castle setting, even receiving guidance from Resident Evil co-creator Shinji Mikami.
However, Onimusha: Way of the Sword eschews a direct return to survival horror roots. Instead, Capcom has drawn inspiration from modern action-adventure titles, most notably Sony Santa Monica's God of War series. The gameplay emphasizes fast-paced melee combat with elaborate abilities, encounters with recurring monstrous bosses, and environmental puzzles. Protagonist Miyamoto Musashi navigates these challenges, accompanied by a talkative advisor, and the game incorporates expressive character models, inspired by actor Toshiro Mifune, for comedic effect.
Capcom's approach to Onimusha: Way of the Sword reflects a broader company strategy observed in recent successes. Resident Evil 7, for instance, revitalized the series by studying the horror genre and incorporating elements from titles like Amnesia: The Dark Descent and P.T. to create an oppressive atmosphere. Similarly, Monster Hunter: World transformed a niche franchise into Capcom's best-selling game by embracing the popular open-world format. Onimusha: Way of the Sword applies this same philosophy, adapting lessons learned from successful Western games.
The tone of the new Onimusha also marks a deliberate shift. While earlier games possessed unintentional camp due to the writing styles of their era, Way of the Sword leans into a deliberate, flavorful campiness. The English voice acting, with its distinctive British inflection, contributes to this comedic tone, transforming demonic adversaries into a sort of Kyoto equivalent to orcs. While the game retains elements of darkness and survival horror from its predecessors, it actively encourages players to find humor in the experience.
A significant area of innovation for Way of the Sword is its combat system, which takes direct inspiration from FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The parry mechanic is central to gameplay, requiring players to learn enemy attack patterns to create openings for damage. This focus on wearing down an opponent's stamina through precise defense and offense, rather than simply attacking or using consumables, mirrors Sekiro's combat loop. The game features multi-phase boss battles, limited healing, and a frenetic combat flow that demands careful resource management and tactical engagement.
Despite these similarities, Onimusha: Way of the Sword avoids becoming a full-fledged Soulslike. It omits common Soulslike mechanics such as bonfires, world resets, and resource loss upon death. Regular enemies are generally less challenging, and the absence of frustrating run-backs after defeats prevents the experience from becoming overly grueling, even during difficult boss encounters. This selective adaptation ensures that the bosses serve as significant but not insurmountable challenges, maintaining a more accessible gameplay loop.
Capcom's consistent success stems from its ability to identify popular trends and reinterpret them in a way that is appropriate for its established intellectual properties. Onimusha: Way of the Sword, like Resident Evil 7 and Monster Hunter: World before it, combines the legacy of its franchise with successful external design philosophies. The game has garnered significant critical acclaim and built anticipation through its demo, suggesting that Onimusha has been successfully revived and positioned for future installments.