Onimusha: Way of the Sword Review — Demonic Duelling Delight?

Capcom has been on a run of note lately. With Devil May Cry 5, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Resident Evil 9, and Pragmata, the Japanese developer has been delivering hit after hit, and one somewhat forgotten franchise can now be added to that red-hot list: Onimusha.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the fifth game in the veteran franchise that hasn’t seen a release in over 20 years. However, Way of the Sword is a standalone entry into the Onimusha universe, acting as kind of a reboot for the series, that should have newcomers and long-time fans excited.

Much like the Resident Evil remakes, Onimusha: Way of the Sword has been given a modern makeover for this entry, shifting from the old fixed-camera angles to a fully-fledged, over-the-shoulder third-person action game. You play as Miyamoto Musashi, a rough-around-the-edges samurai who is killed and brought back from the dead to help the Onimusha fight against the Genma demons. To help, he is given the Oni gauntlet, which bestows upon him some great powers.

The Good

It still feels like an Onimusha game, but there’s definitely been some inspiration from the likes of the more recent God of War games, having you work through a fairly linear world, alternating between combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving that helps mix up the experience.

While the game does a good job of shifting up the gameplay with some slower moments, it really is all about the swordplay, which was always a staple of the series. The combat mechanics are finely tuned to make every encounter with a demon feel like a real duel. It’s not ‘slow’ by any means, but more methodical than going in like a madman and mashing buttons. You have to focus on parrying, blocking, or dodging to get the better of enemies, with moments where you end up in one-on-one ‘Blade Barrage’ where you engage in a rock/paper type moment to land a killer blow.

The multi-enemy combat is a true highlight, with the ability to parry and block attacks from any direction, and seeing Mushashi parry an incoming attack with an excellently choreographed flick of his sword behind his back is just A-level cinema. Way of the Sword really does make you feel like you’re having a technical sword fight, and you have to play it to experience.

The finishers are also fantastic to watch. When you work down an enemy’s health, you can dispose of them in some elegantly violent ways, with some fantastic dismemberment and animations on show. Also, some items around the environment can be used too, as you can kick boards and furniture into enemies to catch them offguard, which is a nice touch.

Admittedly, it’s not easy by any means. Of course, it’s not supposed to be a Dark Souls-level self-flagellation, but the windows to parry and dodge are small, and you’ll need to focus on combat and learn enemy attack patterns, especially in boss fights.

The sword is your main death-dealer, but you’ll unlock a number of Oni weapons throughout the game, including a bow that can be used for puzzles too. The environmental puzzles are actually a fantastic break in the intense combat action, and while they won’t leave you scratching your head, overcoming some multi-level hazards and obstacles in this fantastical Japanese world is a joy.

A few bumps

Visually, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is stunning. Running on Capcom’s RE Engine (which powered Resident Evil 9), the game is gorgeous to look at, with some dense environments, some pretty sparking particle effects during sword fights, and details on Mushashi. However, aside from Mushashi and a number of key characters, there are some underwhelming secondary characters. They don’t look ‘bad’, it’s just quite a stark difference between Mushashi and them when they converse, as their facial animations and basic design just juxtapose all the other gorgeous bits the game has to offer.

And tying into that, the English voice-cast does a good job delivering the lines, but for some reason or another, a predominantly British cast did the English voice-overs, and it really doesn’t fit with the aesthetic of the game. There are some characters that have that Japanese/English accent, which sounds right; then you’ll suddenly fight a demon with a Northern English accent as if he came straight out of a Sunday football game, and it’s just a bit jarring. Thankfully, you can switch to Japanese dialogue, which is highly recommended.

Should I Play Onimusha: Way of the Sword?

Despite the small presentation quirks, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is an awesome entry into the single-player, story-driven, action-adventure genre that fans of God of War, Devil May Cry, and Ghost of Tsushima should definitely play. The unusual, Jack Sparrow-esque character of Mushashi and the sublime swordplay and combat mechanics make Way of the Sword a contender for Game of the Year.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2 and PC from 4 September 2026.