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Onimusha: Way of the Sword Feels Like the Return We’ve Been Waiting For
A Long-Awaited Homecoming
It felt like a homecoming that was too long in the making when Capcom finally unveiled Onimusha: Way of the Sword back at The Game Awards 2024. Closing in on almost two decades since Dawn of Dreams, making a comeback would require more than just nostalgia from players yearning for PlayStation 2 gaming goodness.
Yet, that doesn’t mean going all-in on modern sensibilities, as we found out from a deep dive into the game with producer Akihito Kadowaki and director Satoru Nihei. Onimusha: Way of the Sword is an earnest attempt at finding the right balance between keeping what made the series special, but also providing a modern take that caters to new players.
While hearing from the developers was reassuring, experiencing the actual gameplay cemented the approach from Capcom.
At gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show 2025, I had the opportunity to try out a short demo of the upcoming entry, and it was easily the highlight of the show. Perhaps it’s the rose-tinted glasses, but it was an excellent exhibition of how beloved gameplay elements can both stay true to the classics while being modernised.
A Legend Comes to Life
Moving around as Miyamoto Musashi in Kiyomizu-dera temple, gone are the fixed cameras and the tank controls. In their place, a much more realised world shines through, creating that sense of forboding that comes with the threat of the Malice and Genma, as well as more intuitive and smooth controls that add to that sense of momentum of controlling a legendary samurai.
This is most pronounced during combat, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword delivers a swordfighting experience that feels right in almost all ways. Those trained in the art of True Issens will have an easier time with parrying attacks from the Genma and staggering them, while new players are still given enough breathing room to get up to speed.
Your reward will be utterly satisfying finishers, where Musashi deftly eliminates his enemies with spectacular cuts and slices, with blood and gore to match. The heft and flow of attacks, deflections, parries, and dodges is quite something to behold, which makes me really excited to keep chasing this high when the actual game rolls around. That, and being able to absorb souls while still moving, are game-changing.
Combat That Cuts Deep
Eventually, the path ahead leads to what would likely be one of many showdowns with Sasaki Ganryu in Onimusha: Way of the Sword, who stays true to his origins of being one of, if not the, leading rival of Musashi. A potent blend of flair and unhingedness creates a memorable villain, and the battle that ensues is a treat, albeit one that feels a little easy at this stage.
The way animations played out organically, depending on when and from which direction you parry Ganryu’s attacks, was spectacular to say the least. My only complaint is that the feedback from being hit could be more impactful, allowing players to feel the consequences of failing to defend themselves properly.
Defeating the villain marked the end of the demo, after which I jumped right back in, this time using the English voice-acting to recapture that thrill. What was once nostalgia-fuelled interest has now solidified into bona fide anticipation, if this is the quality for a demo for Onimusha: Way of the Sword, I absolutely cannot wait for the full-blown revival that will arrive sometime in 2026 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword will release sometime in 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
