Onimusha: Way of the Sword Review: Capcom’s Samurai Epic Overstays Its Welcome Late in Onimusha: Way of the Sword, when I was growing weary from facing down the same few demonic bosses in demanding duels, I found some much-needed wisdom in a stone slate. “When going through hell, one must keep going,” it told me. It’s the advice I needed to hear 20 hours into Capcom’s new samurai action game, because Way of the Sword can feel like hell in its hardest moments. The franchise revival does away with the Resident Evil-like exploration of its PS2-era games in favor of a typical modern boss gauntlet filled with parries. Even when your power is rising through piecemeal RPG progression, it always feels like you’re in the duel of your life. And as old foes you swear you vanquished already rear their ugly heads again, you have no choice but to give up or stand and fight. I chose to keep going until the end, but Way of the Sword struggled to earn my patience in a promising action game bogged down by needless repetition. Sometimes, it’s a battle worth surviving. Powerful swordplay moves in lockstep with thematic takeaways about the nature of strength, making for the rare hard game that actually has something to say about its own difficulty. But by the end of my quest, I couldn’t say that I felt enriched from all that suffering. Way of the Sword is more or less a total reboot for the Onimusha series, which debuted in 2001 and largely wrapped up in 2006 after four mainline games. The originals were tight horror-action games with fixed camera angles and puzzles — Resident Evil’s samurai cousins. Way of the Sword does away with that in favor of a more modern action RPG, one that contains shades of Dark Souls, Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi games, and the Yakuza series.#capcom #miyamoto_musashi #onimusha_way_of_the_sword #toshiro_mifune #kenichiro_thomson
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Review – CAPCOM Revives The Series With One Of Its Best Entries Yet CAPCOM’s return to the Onimusha series with Way of the Sword marks a significant milestone for the franchise, delivering a polished and engaging action-adventure experience that balances traditional elements with modern design sensibilities. The game follows the legendary ronin Miyamoto Musashi, a historical figure renowned for his mastery of swordsmanship, as he navigates a tale steeped in Japanese history and folklore. While the narrative doesn’t break new ground, its execution and integration with the game’s combat system elevate it to one of the series’ strongest entries in years. The story begins with Musashi challenging Seijuro Yoshioka, the head of a kenjutsu school, in a duel that mirrors real historical events. After defeating Yoshioka, Musashi becomes a target for his followers, forcing him to flee Kyoto. His journey takes a supernatural turn when he is transported to hell, where he receives an Oni Gauntlet from a mysterious figure. This artifact grants him the ability to confront the Genma, a group of demonic entities seeking to corrupt Kyoto. Guided by the guardian of hell, Ono no Takamura, Musashi embarks on a quest to purify the city, defeat the Genma, and prevent their plans. While the plot is straightforward and occasionally lacks depth, it serves as a framework for the game’s core mechanics. Musashi’s character is portrayed with a mix of determination and humor, making him an endearing protagonist. The narrative’s reliance on historical and mythological references adds cultural weight, though some sequences feel rushed or underdeveloped. Nevertheless, the story’s emotional beats and the stakes of Musashi’s mission provide a compelling backdrop for the gameplay.#capcom #miyamoto_musashi #seijuro_yoshioka #oni_gauntlet #onimusha_series
