Onimusha: Way of the Sword Will Not be Open-World, is Not a Soulslike – Director

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For some time now, FromSoftware’s approach to action RPG combat in third-person games has been leading the pack. However, it’s been made clear by Capcom that Onimusha: Way of the Sword, their upcoming game, won’t follow the Souls formula. In a conversation with Automaton Media, director Satoru Nihei explained that

Way of The Sword isn’t a game with an open world or one that punishes you for dying frequently like some other games might. Instead, it’s designed to be approachable and enjoyable for players who aren’t typically into action games. The developers aimed to emphasize the feeling of sword clashes through the gameplay.

As a gamer, I’ve noticed that the Onimusha series has always emphasized close-quarters combat, with my characters over the years mastering skills like parrying and dodging to defend themselves. Yet, many games from that era, including mine, have moved on from such fast-paced combat, with exceptions being a select few like Capcom’s Devil May Cry and Platinum’s Bayonetta.

In the upcoming game, players can strategically deflect attacks at opportune moments to set up lethal counter-attacks called Break Issen. This move allows them to damage larger enemies and outright kill smaller ones. Unlike the combat style in Souls games, Onimusha: Way of the Sword will emphasize using Break Issen to defeat weaker opponents with a single strike. The Oni Gauntlet is also integral to gameplay.

In his statement, Nihei noted that one distinctive game feature of the series is the instant-kill of weaker foes with the standard Issen move, which is also present in the latest release. Additionally, actions connected to the Oni Gauntlet remain unchanged, and the soul absorption ability can be found in Way of the Sword too. This ability is considered crucial to the series’ identity.

In collaboration with producer Akihito Kadowaki, Nihei disclosed that Capcom spent two years acquiring likeness rights for actor Toshiro Mifune, enabling the main character, Musashi Miyamoto, to be modeled after him. Nihei elaborated on his search for a young samurai who fought aggressively, often caked in blood and mud. Eventually, it was Mifune’s image that resonated with Nihei when he pondered what made samurai truly captivating.

Kadowaki commented that there are numerous depictions of Musashi Miyamoto’s character currently available. As a result, they were meticulous in creating a fresh character for our new Musashi. In this sense, we were resolute in using Mifune’s likeness to portray him. Given the attention to detail, we are confident that he evolved into an exceptional series protagonist.

2026 marks the anticipated arrival of “Onimusha: Way of the Sword,” a game that will be playable on personal computers, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S platforms.

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2025-06-19 16:11