Capcom's Onimusha: Way of the Sword attempts to revive the samurai action franchise with a modern action RPG structure, focusing on challenging boss encounters and a narrative that explores the nature of strength. While the game delivers moments of satisfying, skill-based combat and a protagonist with a compelling arc, it ultimately struggles under the weight of its own repetition and an overly extended runtime.
The series, which began in 2001, is reimagined as a fast-paced action game reminiscent of modern titles like those inspired by FromSoftware's Souls series, though it eschews direct Souls-like mechanics for its own combat system. Players step into the shoes of Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary swordsman who finds himself bound to a powerful Oni gauntlet. Initially resistant to its demonic power, Musashi embarks on a quest that pulls him into a conflict against the Genma, monstrous beings plaguing Edo-era Kyoto. The game blends linear levels with a central hub village that gradually expands, offering side-quests and collectibles, a structure that provides a functional, if not entirely unique, identity for the revival.
The Thrill of the Duel
At its core, Way of the Sword excels in its combat. The gameplay emphasizes precise timing for dodges, blocks, and parries. Successful parries are particularly rewarding, visually and audibly accentuating the clash of swords. Musashi's Oni abilities offer additional tactical layers, allowing players to break enemy guards or unleash powerful counter-attacks. This focus on reading opponents and reacting with calculated moves creates thrilling duels that demand constant attention and skill. The game's thematic resonance is tied to Musashi's journey of accepting and mastering his newfound strength, mirroring the player's own struggle and eventual triumph over difficult encounters. Phrases like "To live is to suffer" and "All you can do is learn to love the challenge" are not just plot points but also reflections of the player's experience.
Stretched Thin
Despite the engaging combat, Way of the Sword falters in its pacing and content variety. The game's difficulty, while central to its design, becomes a source of frustration due to compounding issues. Healing mechanics are described as surprisingly sensitive and easily canceled, leading to punishing deaths. Furthermore, the enemy roster suffers from a significant lack of variety, with common demons reappearing frequently. This issue is exacerbated by the repeated recycling of boss encounters, which are simply given increased health and power rather than any meaningful new mechanics. These repeated encounters, alongside repetitive mission objectives and backtracking through familiar areas, contribute to the feeling that the game is artificially lengthened, stretching a potentially strong 12-hour experience into a 25-hour slog.
The RPG progression system also fails to provide a satisfying sense of growth. Upgrades to health, strength, and Oni power are incremental, barely noticeable against the continually scaling enemy difficulty. This lack of impact undermines the game's thematic exploration of strength and progression. While a 'Story' difficulty setting is available to alleviate some of the challenge, the core issues of repetition and unrewarding progression persist across modes.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set to release on September 4 for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.