Onimusha: Way of the Sword's announcement was one of the highlights of last year's The Game Awards show, even though it wasn't exactly a surprise since there had been a few indications before the reveal that CAPCOM was planning to bring the series back in some form. No matter how loved the series was during its PlayStation 2 days, however, there's no denying the franchise was going to face some challenges in the modern video games market, where the soulslike genre has become the predominant formula for action RPGs, a genre the series could easily fall into by shedding away the gameplay elements inspired by the Resident Evil series. Thankfully, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is not heading this way, as the game will stay very true to the series' roots while providing a modern gameplay experience that is sure to make it stand out as a rather unique experience.
During Gamescom last month, I had the chance to try out a playable demo of the game lasting around 30 minutes. Though short, and a little rough around the edges, which is making me wonder if the game is a little further from release than the way more polished PRAGMATA, this demo did an excellent job showcasing how Onimusha: Way of the Sword will feature a modernized take of the series' classic formula. Controlling Miyamoto Musashi as he searches the iconic Kiyomizu-dera temple for the source of the Malice that has gripped the temple, I was able to appreciate not only the incredibly atmospheric rendition of the temple, but also the gameplay mechanics, which will set the game apart from other similar games combining a historical Japanese setting with fantasy elements.
Although Onimusha: Way of the Sword does away with the fixed camera angles of most of its predecessors, controlling Musashi felt instantly familiar, with some camera angles mirroring some of the series' typical angles, but with increased dynamism. Similarly, combat also felt pretty familiar and unmistakably Onimusha, with a focus on staggering Genma demons, parrying their attacks and eliminating them with one-hit Issen counterattacks. In just a few minutes, I instantly felt at home navigating the temple, solving some simple puzzles, and absorbing wandering souls using the Oni Gauntlet to power up weapons and enable special techniques, which both felt rather varied in the demo despite the limited selection.
After exploring the moderately intricate temple for a few minutes, I was confronted by Sasaki Ganryu, a character clearly based on some of the most popular representations of Kojiro Sasaki, the most famous of Musashi's rivals in real history. The battle that followed was rather cinematic, and watching Musashi and Sasaki Ganryu trade blows was a true spectacle, if not a little too easy, as parrying his attacks was far from difficult. As the game is likely still far from release, I am not too worried about game balance, although I don't expect the game to be a massive challenge, as CAPCOM already confirmed it is not focusing on difficulty.
Back when Onimusha: Way of the Sword's gameplay was finally shown, I wasn't particularly keen on what looked like a slow and clunky experience, but playing the Gamescom demo completely dispelled any doubt I may have had about the game. If the final release holds to the quality level showcased in the demo, Onimusha: Way of the Sword will undoubtedly be the revival the classic action-adventure series deserved after years of complete silence. Hopefully, it will make its way on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S before the end of 2026, as announced.
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