Capcom's Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a surprisingly viable option for Steam Deck owners, offering a playable experience on Valve's handheld PC, though it requires a compromise on frame rate. While not as perfectly optimized as some other recent PC ports, it stands as a notable success for the RE Engine on portable hardware.
The game consistently targets a frame rate between 30 and 40 frames per second on the Steam Deck. In less demanding areas or when employing upscaling technologies, it can occasionally reach the 50s and 60s. However, during intense combat sequences or in busy hub areas, the frame rate will dip back into the 30s. For those who prioritize a stable, albeit lower, frame rate, locking the game to 30 fps and disabling the performance overlay offers the most comfortable way to play.
Default graphical settings on the Steam Deck are set to their lowest values. However, a few adjustments can significantly improve visual fidelity without compromising the stable frame rate. Raising texture quality from low to medium, disabling FSR 3.1.4 upscaling, and maintaining the native 1280 x 800 resolution with a 30 fps cap provides a good balance. Even on the low preset, character models like Musashi Miyamoto remain detailed, and cloth simulations for his cloak are well-executed. The primary visual enhancement comes from upgrading texture quality to medium, which rectifies blurriness on some environmental objects.
The use of FSR 3.1.4 upscaling, while offering a potential increase in frame rate towards 40 fps, introduces noticeable ghosting around moving objects and character hair, detracting from the overall visual quality. For many players, the stability of a 30 fps lock is preferable to the visual artifacts introduced by the upscaler. This performance level is sufficient for the game's pacing, as even challenging boss encounters felt manageable without a significant disadvantage compared to playing on a high-end PC.
After several hours of gameplay, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is considered a prime example of 'playable' on the Steam Deck. While it may not surpass the experience of playing on a dedicated gaming PC, it offers a sufficiently polished and enjoyable way to experience the game on the go, such as during travel or downtime away from a primary gaming setup.