Onimusha: Way of the Sword Has “Elements That Pay Homage” to Older Titles, No Returning Characters

by

If you see a game with Genma enemies, the Oni Gauntlet weapon, and a Feudal Japan setting made by Capcom, it’s probably an Onimusha game. However, Onimusha: Way of the Sword still feels different from the other games in the series, even though it shares many familiar features.

I was really excited to hear the director, Satoru Nihei, talk about the new Onimusha game with Game Informer. He emphasized that action is at the heart of what makes an Onimusha game special, and they’ve definitely brought back the iconic stuff like absorbing souls and using those perfect Issen counters – they’ve really polished those up! But it’s not just about button mashing; he also said there will be moments that make you actually think and use strategy, which is awesome.

Recent gameplay has shown that skillful blocking (parrying) is crucial, particularly for boosting Musashi’s fighting skills, and can even be used to control enemy movements. Enemies now have stamina, and a key strategy in boss battles is to wear them down so you can land a powerful ‘Break Issen’ attack.

There’s a lot happening, but the creators have made sure to include nods to previous games, according to Nihei. And what about that signature downward-driving mechanic? It’s back, though in a slightly different way.

Yes, under specific circumstances, Musashi can execute a finishing move where he impales a defeated foe with his sword. However, the game won’t continue the story from previous Onimusha titles, meaning you won’t see characters from those games appear in Onimusha: Way of the Sword. That’s fine, though, as the new story promises a compelling take on the tales of Miyamoto Musashi (inspired by the iconic actor Toshiro Mifune) and his rival, Sasaki Kojirō.

Okay, so Onimusha: Way of the Sword is coming out later this year on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC – awesome! But honestly, I’m already wondering if it’ll also show up on the Switch 2. We’ve seen other games like Pragmata and Resident Evil Requiem do that, and there’s even talk of Monster Hunter Wilds heading to Nintendo’s next console too. I’m putting money on it happening!

Read More

2026-01-29 19:11