In the first demo of “Onimusha: Way of the Sword,” it came across as Capcom doing an impression of a “Souls” game. It had that slow pacing, the Estus Flask-like healing and the reliance on pattern recognition in combat.
The influence was strong, but in a second demo, the “Onimusha” side showed out more. Capcom offered a chance to play about four hours of the game that takes off right after the battle with Ganryu Sasaki. It revealed the likely villain that protagonist Miyamoto Musashi will face in this new chapter. Minamoto Yoshitsune was a strategist who went to hell and took it over, defeating the Oni who guarded hell.
He’s the reason for the Oni residing in Musashi’s gauntlet, and the two must work together to overcome the malice that has descended upon Kyoto and surrounding environments.
THE ONI REFUGE
The first part of the demo took place in a supernatural realm called the Oni Refuge that’s opened up via a special Oni vision. The fantastical realm is filled with the same zombie-like enemies from the first demo. This part of the campaign introduces players to the Oni Bow, which gives them unlimited arrows and lets them eliminate annoying archers who take potshots at Musashi from above.
What’s notable in the fights is that players are encouraged to fight smarter than harder. That means firing at the yellow cores of floating rocks so that they collapse above enemies, acting like a trap. The Refuge also shows the bow’s potential to act as a puzzle-solving device. It breaks open locks on doors and activates trigger switches to lift or lower barriers to access new areas. Overall, it acts almost like a tutorial for the vital weapon.
The whole scenario is focused on finding a creature called Daidara, who is hunting for souls to devour. The Oni Refuge has a winding layout with an environment that beg to be explored. Players will see obstacles that seem impossible to reach, but by paying attention to the blinking gauntlet, they can know when and where to activate Oni Vision to progress.
FIRST BOSS BATTLE
Players who can’t figure out some harder puzzles don’t have to worry too much. “Onimusha: Way of the Sword” allows people to fast travel and return to previous areas via save points called Spirit Mirrors. That’s also where players can upgrade Musashi’s gear and skills. Players can enhance equipment with Red Orbs and materials, while skills are improved via Power Stones. They can also upgrade charms, which offer perks, by Red Orbs and Favor at Enma’s Hall.
Players eventually reach Diadara, and a boss fight ensues. It’s a complex battle. The boar-like creature swings a club and goes after players. It’s a two-part fight. The first stage happens in the ruins of walls, and players can climb atop the walls to attack from above. They can also muck up his club with the bodies of dead victims. Players can also use the bow to shoot off his armor. All of these create openings to do damage and shift the battle to its second stage.
This takes place in a more confined room, and it tests players’ reaction time. Players will again have to use pillars and the environment to maintain an advantage, and they’ll have to wait for Diadara to charge at Musashi. This is when they have to time their parries to deflect those heavy blows or dodge the attack so it smashes into the wall and leaves it vulnerable.
A WIDE-OPEN KYOTO
It’s a fun fight, but it’s just the beginning of the fascinating boss fights in “Way of the Sword,” because the next phase of the demo showed off a more wide-open aspect of the campaign. In this section, players are introduced to Eastern Kyoto and Ono no Takamura. He’s based in Rukodo Chinnoji Temple and mentors a woman named Okuni.
The temple serves as a home base for this section of the game. It has a Spirit Mirror where players can upgrade equipment and skills. There’s an Enman’s Hall to level up charms. It even has a practice area where players can learn parrying timing and techniques. They can even rechallenge bosses through Takamura’s ability. Completing boss fights offers rewards.
Players also obtain a new Oni craftsman weapon called the Wind Whipper, which is a twin-bladed naginata. Using it creates a wind-based attack that blows enemies away from Musashi.
Takamura tasks Musashi with eliminating the malice that has spread around the city. This part reminds me of “Onimusha 2” in how it features a central base and lets players explore a wider world freely. Eastern Kyoto isn’t enormous, but it’s a sizable place that players must explore and cleanse.
SHADES OF ‘ONIMUSHA 2’
Musashi visits three places, and he must defeat the malice points by defeating different swarms of enemies. It introduces different types of adversaries, which include flying foes and Roller Dog-type enemies. “Way of the Sword” gives players freedom to wander around, and they’ll see people in need of help, and they can also explore farms and homes for power-ups and other collectibles.
It’s a more modern take on the early structure of “Onimusha 2,” and “Way of the Sword” uses the more powerful technology to offer a more expansive environment that builds on the storytelling as players try to solve issues. As part of the plot, players discover another Oni hero who is taking refuge in the city’s Hachidai Rikison Shrine, and Musashi needs to help talking temple statues in order to gain his aid. It’s another collection quest that shows off the environment and culminates in the hardest boss fight yet.
A DIFFICULT FIGHT
The demon Rasho-gan has taken over the shrined and corrupted worshippers prayers. The battle is elaborate, and it will test a players observation skills. Rasho-gan has several arms and tendrils, and players will have to figure out how to eliminate its strength and counter moves such as a charge, a grab and one where he lifts up boulders and shacks to toss at Musashi.
It took me several defeats to solve the fight. Like much of “Way of the Sword,” it’s not exactly a test of quick-twitch skill. Every fight is like a puzzle with a solution that’s achievable with the right power-ups and preparation. After the battle, Musashi gained a new power-up that lets him rip apart concentrated malice. It allowed me to further explore Kyoto and unlock paths that were previously blocked off.
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It eventually led to a third boss, Byakue, but I didn’t have enough time to fight him on the PlayStation 5. I was able to fight him during Takamura’s training hall boss battle stage on the Nintendo Switch 2. “Onimusha: Way of the Sword” ran reasonably well but didn’t hit the frame rates of the PS5. The Switch 2 version did feature motion controls, which added to the immersion of the game though and made some moves, such as the bow aiming better.
Taken out of context, I couldn’t quite get a handle on the Byakue’s confrontation, but it did seem closer to the Diadara fight compared to the Rasho-gan. I’m sure the boss battle contained another puzzle, and that’s where players would have to use more observational and logic skills rather pure reaction speed. That quality gives “Onimusha: Way of the Sword,” a distinct sense of combat and level design. It’s an intriguing revamp to the venerable series that could give it new legs in a modern age.
Capcom has moved up the release date; “Onimusha: Way of the Sword” arrives on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and Xbox Series X and Series S on Sept. 4.
Original article
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