When working in the gaming industry, you occasionally get asked a question like this.
"What game changed your life?"
While my answer has shifted slightly over the years, thinking back as I approach forty, it has to be World of Warcraft. After all, it caused me to receive academic probation three times and eventually become a gaming journalist. Let's rephrase it to another frequently asked question: instead of the game that changed your life, what is your most memorable game?
Naturally, it's Onimusha. Three fierce showdowns with the strongest swordsman of the Genma Realm, my father barging into my room shouting, "All you do is play games!", a shattered DualShock, my total despair, and a delayed rematch with Gogandantess that took a month to happen. How could I ever forget that?
Thus, after crushing Onimusha 1 and 2 and thoroughly savoring 3 (skipping Dawn of Dreams...), I heard no news of a sequel until the boy became a middle-aged man. That was, until Onimusha: Way of the Sword (hereafter Way of the Sword) arrived. Therefore, today's review will be packed with immense affection, emotion, and obsession.
※ This article contains minor story spoilers for Onimusha: Way of the Sword.
'Swordplay Action,' Capcom's Action Peak Is HereTo summarize the plot of Onimusha as briefly as possible: in the underworld, there were once the "Oni," who protected humanity, and the "Genma," a grotesque evil force. The Oni were overwhelmed by the Genma and destroyed. The Genma constantly attempt to invade the human world by tempting powerful rulers, and the "Onimusha"—a warrior chosen by the gauntlet left behind before the Oni fell—stands in their way. This is the core formula of the previous Onimusha titles.
And all of this takes place at the edge of the protagonist's blade. Samanosuke Akechi, the protagonist of 1 and 3, and Jubei Yagyu, the protagonist of 2, are both master swordsmen who chop up every kind of Genma using a single sword—even if there was also a Western warrior played by Jean Reno who pulled off Issen with a whip and guns.
The term "swordplay action"—thrilling dramatic action fought with swords—is practically synonymous with the Onimusha brand itself. True to the developers' resolve to inherit Onimusha's original identity, this title delivers sword combat packed with the developers' very soul.
The fundamentals of action games are mastery and response. Achieving mastery to the point where you don't need to overthink skill effects and uses, and responding appropriately to the various situations faced during combat—that is the fundamental rhythm of an action game. Combat skills that require no mastery and situations that cannot be responded to are cardinal sins in action gaming.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword packs in everything possible under this grand principle. From basic light and heavy attacks, guard-breaking strikes, to six types of Oni weapons—each with distinct situational uses and effects—plus the bow, every single skill serves a clear purpose.
When it comes to "response," the options expand even further. Beyond basic guard and dodge mechanics, Onimusha: Way of the Sword offers five distinct counterattack options: Parrying by pressing guard with precise timing, Deflecting by pressing an extra button during a guard to meet an incoming attack, Reflex Dodge to evade attacks with compact movement, Grab Counter to respond to enemy grabs, and the iconic series signature—Issen—the hardest to pull off, yet immensely powerful.
Interestingly, each of these defensive techniques has a distinct purpose. Parrying breaks the enemy's posture to open vulnerabilities and fills the "Spirit Flame" gauge to increase damage, but it isn't as effective against non-weapon attacks. Reflex Dodge cleanly evades swift melee attacks and generates meter for follow-up strikes, but yields lower returns in ordinary situations. Deflecting heavily depletes enemy stance and reflects ranged attacks, but isn't valid against every pattern. Grab Counter triggers strictly against grabs. Lastly, Issen is the most powerful option, but also the most difficult to execute with a massive risk on failure.
Calculating and executing all of these in real-time might sound daunting, but the game's design makes it achievable. Showcasing Capcom's vast expertise accumulated over decades of action game development, the complexity ramps up gradually, granting players ample time and opportunity to adapt until they naturally weave every mechanic together seamlessly.
On top of this lies the presentation. The action staging in Onimusha: Way of the Sword doesn't just reach excellence—it reaches a transcendental level. Put simply, no other game comes to mind that can even compare.
There are countless action games, each pursuing its own stylistic direction, but within the realm of swordplay, Onimusha: Way of the Sword delivers an action presentation of transcendent quality that surpasses all peers. The psychological mind games during simultaneous strikes, the sparks flying during tsuba-clashing blade locks, counters that deflect enemy strikes into other foes, and the myriad of mechanics seen in boss battles leave absolutely no room for criticism.
All of these elements combine to produce pure fun.
Games succeed or fail for many reasons, but an action game must, above all else, make combat itself intrinsically fun. In an action title where you engage in countless fights, if combat turns tedious, it's a total disaster. The combat in Onimusha: Way of the Sword is immensely enjoyable. So much so that it makes you want to replay completed boss fights—where there are no rewards left to gain—simply because it's so fun.
A Protagonist Who Speaks with His Expressions: Miyamoto MusashiIf the action described above serves as the skeleton, there is another element that forms the flesh and muscle of Onimusha: Way of the Sword. That element is the protagonist, Miyamoto Musashi, and the characters surrounding him. Capcom has crafted Musashi into a terrifyingly captivating protagonist.
In the game, Miyamoto Musashi is still a young man, a wandering swordsman roaming around Kyoto to prove his strength. Following the "Way of the Sword" to prove his worth solely through bladecraft, he unexpectedly encounters a horde of Genma and meets his death. The game begins as he receives the Oni Gauntlet and is granted a second chance at life.
Capcom's depiction of Miyamoto Musashi knows absolutely nothing outside of fighting. He is even more clueless than Jon Snow. He doesn't know how to care for others, cook food, or even that you need to row oars to move a boat. Naturally ignorant of history, when the spirit inside the gauntlet reveals her true name, when the writer residing at the temple introduces himself, or when the final boss's identity is revealed, everyone else reacts with shock while he alone stands baffled, thinking, "Who's that?"
However, when it comes to battle, he is a true demon in combat, never yielding to his foes. He also holds his own firm philosophy regarding strength.
Capcom showcases this distinct personality without filter. He blurted out profanities whenever frustrated, yet rarely killed humans, valuing the duel itself; he seemed aloof and complained constantly, yet got the job done; he grew exhilarated before fighting strong opponents, openly showed bewilderment, flared with genuine anger at the Genma's atrocities, and shed bitter tears of grief when parting with those he had grown attached to despite his blunt attitude.
In this manner, against the supernatural backdrop of the Oni and Genma, the game continuously emphasizes the protagonist's humanity—an element that could easily feel trivialized—giving the narrative incredible immersion and conviction.
While the game is explicitly story-driven—where events drive Musashi's actions—playing it evokes a feeling that "Musashi would definitely do this." Even when tackling somewhat tedious side quests, you naturally do them with the thought that Musashi would grumble while fulfilling everyone's requests anyway.
Meanwhile, the side characters surrounding Musashi do not merely fulfill designated archetypes; they act as primary driving forces guiding the narrative alongside him. Izumo no Okuni, consumed by vengeance after losing her comrades to the Genma yet lacking the power to fight back, and Shizuka Gozen, who dwells within Musashi's gauntlet to guide and advise him, both display multi-dimensional personalities while expressing joy, sorrow, and rage.
What's fascinating here is that the foundation of all this emotional presentation lies in facial expressions.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword frequently uses close-ups on character faces. In these moments, characters express emotions so intensely through their expressions that it borders on theatrical, and this passionate presentation becomes another driving force to keep playing. Because it is so overt, character emotions reach the player without filter, allowing players to empathize directly with the situation.
And this is where the action comes in. The emotional build-up built through cinematic cutscenes before confronting an enemy bleeds into the player's own emotions, spilling into the fight that follows and fueling the momentum for boss encounters. Some bosses challenge you cheerfully, appearing before Musashi purely to test martial prowess; in these cases, the player's mindset remains light. The battles against them unfold merrily, whereas bosses built on heavy emotional build-up lead to far more desperate, grueling confrontations.
Kyoto Is Overcast Again TodayHaving examined the two core pillars of Onimusha: Way of the Sword—action and character depiction—it is time to look at other aspects. The biggest departure from previous Onimusha titles lies in its level design. Traditionally, Onimusha was a linear, arcade-style experience where you slashed through enemies to move forward. While several areas in this title retain that structure, an open world area called "Eastern Kyoto" is placed right at the center.
And "Eastern Kyoto" is one of the rare disappointing aspects of this game. Eastern Kyoto contains numerous side quests named "Karma from Past Lives" and "Kyoto Tales," along with various crafting and upgrade materials. As you progress, activities in Eastern Kyoto essentially become mandatory rather than optional; keeping pace with increasingly formidable enemies requires learning new skills and upgrading equipment, and materials acquired solely through linear stages fall short of what you need.
The problem is that Eastern Kyoto is paradoxically small yet unnecessarily sprawling.
It is quite small for an open world. However, considering Musashi travels on foot, moving around feels tedious. While "Magic Mirrors" placed across the map allow fast travel, if a side quest is located away from a Magic Mirror, you have no choice but to grit your teeth and sprint all the way back.
The combat scattered across the open world remains fun in itself, so it isn't unbearable, but because enemy variety isn't particularly vast, fights end up feeling repetitive. By mid-to-late game, you can sweep through encounters using just two or three skills. Furthermore, paths to hidden treasures or quest locations can be strangely convoluted, turning navigation itself into a frustrating hurdle.
While this open world section does not take up a huge portion of the game, it is the sole segment where you might think, "This is getting boring." Since skipping upgrades isn't an option, you are forced to tread through the same regions repeatedly.
Additionally, the upgrade system feels somewhat bland. Skill upgrades using Power Jewels or Oni Jewels feel rewarding as they unlock new abilities, but garments, weapons, and gauntlets offer mere numeric bumps. Across nearly 40 upgrade tiers, you get no visual changes or new abilities—just stat tweaks like a 3% attack increase or 20 health points. While mandatory for facing late-game foes, shifting some skill unlocks here or introducing visual changes would have offered far better motivation.
There is another slight flaw: the characterization of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, the game's main villain and final boss. In the story, Yoshitsune has annihilated the Oni clan, seized control of the Genma Realm, and is harvesting souls to open the Gates of Hell. Although established as a former Onimusha prior to his corruption, the game fails to clearly explain why he fell or became evil.
Historical backing suggests he wasn't the best person to begin with, but that alone falls short as an explanation. In the game, Yoshitsune never articulates his motives, instead dancing around madly while shouting "Make it red!" Of course, as the final boss, he displays tremendous strength in battle.
The 'Way of the Sword' Walked by Musashi and the Player AlikeIn summary, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a two-horse chariot driven by matchless action alongside captivating character and emotional depiction. Although the story itself adheres to classic clichés, the emotional motivation forged by well-crafted characters pushes the player forward, while the intense thrill of combat adds exhilarating speed.
In that process, the true meaning of the subtitle "Way of the Sword" comes alive.
Throughout the story, Miyamoto Musashi constantly seeks to walk the "Way of the Sword." To Musashi, the "Way of the Sword" means proving his power—winning is all that matters. Yet his view of means remains rigid. His idea of "proving strength" is relying solely on his own prowess and a single blade to cut down everything in his path. Consequently, he dislikes the "Oni power" forced upon him against his will, and before learning that removing the gauntlet would kill him, he repeatedly tries to strip it off using his blade.
However, as the game progresses, Musashi gradually matures, and his perspective on the Way of the Sword evolves. He realizes that while the Oni power wasn't something he asked for, it was a power desired by others, and one he must harness to protect those precious to him—revisiting his initial mindset that winning is what matters, even if it requires borrowed power. At the same time, he clearly distinguishes that this power is not his own, but merely borrowed for a time.
Conversely, Sasaki Ganryu—Musashi's rival encountered multiple times throughout the game—obtains a gauntlet as well, but loses himself in obsession over power itself, crossing the line. Through the conflict between these two characters, the game contrasts viewing power as a means versus viewing power as an end. Musashi, who borrows power to walk his path, ultimately sheds the gauntlet and reclaims his freedom, whereas Ganryu, who treats power as an end unto itself, remains obsessively attached to the gauntlet and souls even as his body tears apart.
Narratively, the "Way of the Sword" shifts. Musashi initially believes that using a human body and a single sword is the true Way of the Sword, but comes to accept the Oni power after realizing it is a force others needed but lacked. Famous as the founder of the dual-wielding "Niten Ichi-ryu," Musashi typically wields a single sword in the game. Only in the climax, when delivering the fatal blow to his final foe, does Musashi draw upon all his strength alongside the Oni power, taking up two blades to slay Yoshitsune.
While historical lore notes that he founded Niten Ichi-ryu near age 50, symbolically this marks the moment when Musashi, having ended the grand war against the Genma, embarks on his own Way of the Sword rather than relying on borrowed power. Afterwards, Musashi absorbs the countless souls pouring from the collapsing Genma Castle and finally sheds the gauntlet.
From a gameplay perspective, while players learn numerous skills, the core remains blade-to-blade combat against opponents. Slashing and being slashed, players naturally improve as with any Capcom action game, eventually finding themselves pulling off Issen effortlessly. Musashi strays briefly into the way of the Oni before returning to the Way of the Sword, while players forge their own "Way of the Sword" through countless clashes and fierce duels.
And that journey is intensely exhilarating—just as Musashi feels it.
- Top-tier action and presentation
- Intense, memorable character and emotional depictions
- Classic, cleanly wrapped-up narrative
- Somewhat tedious open-world segments
- Oversimplified equipment upgrade system
- Slightly lacking enemy variety
Review Platform: PC (Release Build)
