Capcom is on one of the truly great runs of any video game publisher this year. From Resident Evil Requiem to Pragmata and Monster Hunter Stories 3, multiple Game of the Year contenders have come from the company. The latest is Onimusha: Way of the Sword, which successfully revitalizes the franchise with an incredible action game, its first new one since 2006.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword makes an incredible first impression thanks to its new protagonist, Miyamoto Musashi. Featuring some of the best and most charming facial animations I’ve seen in years (using the likeness of the late Toshiro Mifune), Musashi is such a fun character to be around. The legendary samurai is shown as someone willing to bend the rules of combat, but still refuses to cross certain moral lines. An early twist in the game shows this well, and Capcom does a great job of making Musashi fun and relatable.
Like past games, players find themselves battling plenty of demons. The combat is a real joy, as you can switch between one-handed and two-handed sword strikes, use the environment around you to take care of crowds, and parry opponents to destroy their stamina. Throw in some of the most brutal finishing move kills that I’ve seen in recent memory, and you have a tactile and bloody combat system that constantly keeps you on your toes.
As the game goes on, players unlock more weapons, such as a long-range bow, and other skills that aid with both combat and exploration. There’s a good mixture of puzzle-solving and combat challenges, making this feel like a true action-adventure game. Rather than being yet another Soulslike spin on an established series, Capcom has crafted a rewarding and carefully constructed action game that stays true to the series’ roots.
Stages build to some truly epic boss fights, which is where the combat really shines. While large groups of regular foes can offer quite the challenge, especially if they surround you, they pale when compared to the more challenging boss encounters. Your pattern recognition and ability to dodge and parry attacks will be put to the test, as these are the most rewarding and difficult fights in the game. Featuring some stellar art design for the Genma demons, you get to face off against some monstrous foes that are as terrifying as opponents as they are cool-looking.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Review: Final Verdict
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a reboot done right. Rather than chase trends, Capcom has updated the gameplay while staying true to its roots. With stellar combat and rewarding exploration, this is one of the best action-adventure games released for the PlayStation 5.
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Incredible boss fights
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An engaging story
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Phenomenal combat
