| Onimusha: Way of the Sword | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Pre-Order & DLC | Demo Review |
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is an upcoming action-adventure hack-and-slash title where players are thrust into a fictional Japan full of demons. Learn more about the game’s plot, gameplay, release date, our review of the demo, and more.
Everything We Know About Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Plot
Set in Kyoto during the Early Edo period—a time of relative peace in Japan's history—the ancient city has fallen under a dark curse brought forth by a plague of an incursion of demonic Gemma. A lone legendary swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi, set off on a journey to continue to master the sword, but met his end at the hands of this new threat.
Unwillingly, he accepts an Oni Gauntlet for his revival and must now purge the Genma from the land and reclaim peace once more. Along his mission, he will meet allies and face his old rival, Sasaki Ganryu.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Gameplay
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a third-person action game that puts players in the role of master swordsman Miyamoto Musashi as he journeys through a curse-ridden Kyoto. Its combat revolves around common action mechanics like parries, blocks, and dodges, while incorporating usable environmental elements for an engaging, reactive fighting style.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Release Date
Drawing Its Blade This September 25, 2026
Onimusha: Way of the Sword will be released on September 25, 2026 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Review (Demo)
Short, Sweet, and Heavy
It’s undeniable that Capcom has been on an outstanding run recently. Be it their blockbuster IPs in Monster Hunter, Dragon’s Dogma, and Resident Evil, or their latest new one in PRAGMATA, it seems that they can do no wrong. Now, they look to continue that run by reviving a relatively older franchise, Onimusha.
It’s interesting because Onimusha’s core gameplay loop doesn’t seem to fit today’s standards compared to more popular action titles. For context, the franchise has always been rather slow and more reactive than Capcom’s other popular titles, such as Devil May Cry and the titles mentioned above.
Nevertheless, the franchise has long been overdue for a reboot, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword is already shaping up to be a title worthy of picking up where they left off with the franchise. In the demo’s hour-long runtime, the game already showcases enough to convince me that it’s likely going to be yet another Capcom success. With cinematic action visuals, a likable character, and an engaging combat system.
But it doesn't feel like this is the game’s final form just yet, and I need to see more from it to call define it as one.
A Good Idea of Musashi Already
The demo doesn’t have much of a story just yet, featuring only a few scenes and lines of dialogue, and the only context we really get is that this happens right after Musashi gets the Oni gauntlet. In fact, the demo doesn’t cover how he gets it or why he gets it, aside from what was revealed in the trailer, of course. But one thing’s for sure: Musashi certainly has character.
From the dialogue and animations, Musashi is a relatively nonchalant character with a certain quiet confidence. Think, Spike from Cowboy Bebop in a fictional fantasy samurai form. There’s also a lot to like in his expressiveness and movement through the game’s facial and body animations that certainly exude self-assurance.
His one-liners and dialogue against his enemies, including Sasaki Ganryu, showcase his prowess with the blade, often taunting them to show him what they’re all about. Additionally, his short, yet playful dialogue in the few scenes with the "Gauntlet Lady" already showcases much about his colorful personality, and suggests that his relationship with her is something to look forward to in the full release.
Samurai Cinema in Motion
Speaking of animations, the visuals in the game are very well done. While the textures aren’t all that great using the RE Engine, the visual effects and animations certainly are remarkable and worthy of notice. It’s even more noticeable in Onimusha: Way of the Sword because of the game’s inherent heaviness, similar to how you’d notice the hits and impact in Resident Evil: Requiem.
These are specifically seen and felt in the game’s Parries and Deflects, particularly in how Musashi and his enemies’ swords clash, as well as the instant, vibrant sharpness that finishers have. It’s also in its other mechanics, like Blade Barrages and Break Issens, which also show the game’s cinematic panache.
I’m excited to see more of the game’s visuals in the full release, as the demo only reveals so much compared to what was already confirmed in the trailer. Specifically, I want to see more of the game’s boss fights, especially with bigger bosses, where I’m sure there are going to be even more cinematic moments and cuts involved.
Defined Combat Identity With Key Flaws
Now, on to the most important part: the gameplay. The short summary is that Way of the Sword does have that Onimusha-style combat identity, but it has two, technically three, very distinct flaws that hold it back based on what the demo has shown.
Combat is what you’d imagine how Onimusha would be if it were made today, where it has a few attack moves and a ton of defensive mechanics to rotate from. You’ve got one-handed attacks, two-handed attacks, parries, dodges, deflects, and, of course, the series’ iconic Issen Counter. I won’t talk about the attack mechanics as they’re very self-explanatory, but instead focus on the game’s defensive options.
Parries and dodges are exactly how you’d expect them to be from other action games, where a successful one would net you small openings to hit enemies with. The rewards for using them successfully are different, however, as each of them grants you access to the Blazing State and Reflex Combos, respectively.
Blazing State is a flat damage increase when you pull off successful parries as long as it's active. On the other hand, Reflex Combos are follow-up attacks that can only be done after a perfect dodge, dealing significant stamina damage. Additionally, Deflects are quick defensive flourishes used to either deflect a projectile back to an enemy or against enemy melee combos to quickly deplete their stamina without relying on follow-up attacks.
Consequently, when you deplete an enemy’s stamina, you are able to use a Break Issen or finisher to deal massive damage. From these options, it’s clear that the game's idea is to be reactive, primarily through defensive aggression. And this is all encompassed by Issen Counters, which are precisely timed button attacks against an enemy about to hit you for a massively damaging counter that avoids any hit.
This brings us to the game’s flaws, which hold back the combat due to its reactive gameplay design.
The leniency behind the game’s more basic defensive options is extremely noticeable when compared to the window for Issen Counters. The timing for Issen Counters is relatively tight, and justly so, as they can instantly kill most enemies or deal massive damage against bosses. However, since parries and dodges are so easy to pull off, there isn’t much of a need to use these Issen Counters.
In my experience, I was able to defeat Sasaki Ganryu quite easily just by using Parries, Dodges, and the occasional Deflect. Not once did I actually consider doing an Issen Counter, as I already felt comfortable using the basic defensive maneuvers. Whereas I fought him again when I tried to incorporate said counters, the difference was night and day.
But that actually pales in comparison to the next flaws, which are more systemic: low enemy HP pools and low aggression. In one of the combat encounters in the demo, it’s clear that they wanted to showcase a scenario where you’re outnumbered. But since the enemies are extremely passive and fragile, it never becomes overwhelming.
With the huge number of defensive options available, it’s natural for you to want to be able to use all of them, especially when you’re swarmed by a huge group of enemies. The problem is that the enemies don’t attack enough for you to be able to use them. Yes, you can be the one to make the first move, but that doesn’t nearly feel as satisfying as pulling off Perfect Parries to get Blazing State, Perfect Dodges for Reflex Counters, or a plain old Issen Counter.
Let me get this straight, though, the system isn’t bad. On the contrary, it’s actually quite enjoyable, especially since there's more to it than just the defensive options with environmental hazards that you can use to your advantage. It really just feels like the combat in the demo is held back from being as fun as it could be, and it doesn’t show enough of its true potential in its short runtime.
September Can’t Come Soon Enough
With all that said, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is still on track to become another hit in Capcom’s generational run. The amazing cinematic action, paired with an engaging combat system, makes for an experience that could pave the way for more titles in the franchise. There are noticeable flaws in its combat systems, but these could simply be demo-specific issues that can be alleviated in the full release.
I’m very much looking forward to Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and I desperately want more of it because an hour's worth of content simply isn’t enough for a game like it. For now, I’ll continue practicing my Issens in Dawn of Dreams and in Samurai’s Destiny, hopefully that carries over by the time September rolls around.
Game8 Reviews
You may also like...
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Product Information
 |
|
| Title | ONIMUSHA: WAY OF THE SWORD |
|---|---|
| Release Date | September 25, 2026 |
| Developer | Capcom |
| Publisher | Capcom |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Genre | Action |
| Number of Players | 1 |
| ESRB Rating | M17+ |
| Official Website | Onimusha: Way of the Sword Official Website |
