After a 20-year absence, Capcom's samurai series Onimusha has returned with Onimusha: Way of the Sword. This latest entry marks a significant departure from its predecessors, shedding fixed camera angles and pre-rendered backgrounds for a contemporary action game experience where visceral combat takes center stage. While retaining the series' signature blend of Japanese history, mythology, and inventive creature design, Way of the Sword injects these elements with sophisticated melee mechanics honed by two decades of evolution in the action genre.
The game centers on Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary samurai known for his unparalleled swordsmanship. Influenced by historical accounts and folklore, Capcom's portrayal of Musashi, in his early twenties, immediately conveys the confidence and swagger of a warrior destined for greatness. Voiced by Yoshimasa Hosoya in the Japanese version and featuring detailed facial capture, the character is brought to life with a roguish charm reminiscent of Harrison Ford. The visual design also draws inspiration from the late Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, famous for his collaborations with Akira Kurosawa, lending Musashi a distinct and memorable presence, a notable leap in character modeling compared to the series' past use of actors like Jean Reno.
Musashi's journey begins in Edo-era Kyoto, where he seeks to prove his martial prowess. After besting a clan leader, he encounters a demonic Genma force and receives an Oni gauntlet from a mysterious benefactor. Unlike previous protagonists who embraced their Oni powers for the greater good, Musashi views the gauntlet as a crutch that undermines his belief in self-reliance and true swordsmanship. This internal conflict, as he grapples with his ethos while allies depend on him to defend Kyoto, forms a compelling narrative thread. Musashi's willingness to bend or break the rules when faced with life-or-death situations adds a human element to his otherwise unconventional samurai persona.
The core gameplay loop of Way of the Sword is built around its robust combat system. It eschews the complex combo chains of games like Devil May Cry or the punishing difficulty of souls-likes, opting for a middle ground that emphasizes deliberate action, defense, and reaction. Players can execute light and heavy attacks, seamlessly transitioning between them to form effective combos. Musashi's movements feel grounded, with each katana swing carrying palpable weight, underscoring the importance of defensive maneuvers. Blocking and parrying are central to success, with successful parries opening enemies to swift counterattacks. Deflecting attacks, while not creating a counter opportunity, depletes enemy stamina, leading to an exhausted state where players can deal significant damage. During boss fights, this exhaustion state can even trigger a slow-motion sequence, allowing players to target specific weak points, such as severing a tail to disable an attack or attacking a limb to absorb more souls.
A stylish Reflex Dodge can be performed by evading an unarmed enemy strike at the precise moment, which also serves as the only way to counter grab attacks. The combat encourages players to read enemy tells and respond with devastating precision, as button mashing is quickly met with punishment. Mastering the game's more deliberate cadence rewards players with stylish and satisfying engagements. The Issen attack, a series staple, allows for instant kills on most regular enemies if timed correctly just before an opponent's strike lands. This precise timing offers a greater reward than other defensive maneuvers, especially when upgraded to chain multiple Issen attacks.
These combat mechanics are enhanced by exceptional animation work. Parries are particularly well-realized, featuring dramatic weapon locks, a cascade of sparks, and the use of enemy momentum to reposition them, echoing classic samurai cinema. Successfully chaining parries and deflections builds a meter that activates Blazing State, augmenting Musashi's katana with blue flames, increasing attack power, and causing enemies to drop more souls, including yellow souls for health replenishment and blue souls for powering Oni Armaments.
Throughout the game, Musashi gains access to a variety of Oni Armaments, offering temporary but powerful attacks. Weapons like the Two Celestials deal direct damage, the Wind-Whipper naginata excels at crowd control, the Earth-Shaker hammers are effective at depleting enemy stamina, and the Firebird Flute summons flaming birds for ranged attacks. Players must strategically choose the right armament for each encounter. Beyond these, Musashi can also utilize environmental elements, such as flipping tables for makeshift shields or parrying enemies into torches. The game also features some traditional levels that evoke strong moods and atmospheres, such as an eerie underground laboratory filled with grotesque experiments and a twilight trek up Mount Oe towards a palatial castle.
However, the game's structure, particularly its semi-open-world hub in Eastern Kyoto, presents a significant drawback. While intended to provide space for side quests and collectibles, these optional excursions, including the "Mysteries of Kyoto" side missions that involve relaying mythological tales to Murasaki Shikibu, are largely uninspired and formulaic. Most side quests boil down to defeating waves of enemies, and skipping them can leave players at a disadvantage due to a lack of upgrade materials. This repetition makes the hub area feel superfluous. Despite these structural issues, Onimusha: Way of the Sword's exceptional combat and engaging protagonist make it a strong return for the series, solidifying its place among modern action games.