{"id":16400,"date":"2025-08-24T06:06:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T06:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=16400"},"modified":"2025-08-24T06:06:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T06:06:15","slug":"onimusha-way-of-the-sword-preview-a-potential-renaissance-in-the-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=16400","title":{"rendered":"Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Preview \u2013 A Potential Renaissance In The Making"},"content":{"rendered":"


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As someone who only admired the Onimusha series from a distance during its heyday, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is an exciting prospect. It\u2019s a modernized entry point for newcomers like myself that takes combat cues from its contemporaries while still feeling distinctly of its era. I traveled to Capcom\u2019s San Francisco office to check out the first playable demo of the game, and though my time was short, I\u2019m feeling good about this demonic romp.<\/p>\n

My demo unfolds seemingly early into the adventure. Protagonist Miyamoto Musashi, a fictionalized take on the real historical swordsman (and sporting the likeness of Japanese acting legend Toshiro Mifune), arrives at Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto to purify it of invading demons, known as Genma. Armed with the powerful Oni gauntlet, an heirloom the brash Musashi doesn\u2019t even want, and his trusty katana, he\u2019s well-equipped for the task.<\/p>\n

As I make my way down a mountain trail toward the temple, villagers flee the invading Genma, presenting my first opportunity to sample combat. The feel of Way of the Sword\u2019s light and heavy attacks reminds me of another recent Capcom title, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. It\u2019s not as crisp or fast-paced as some other action games; it\u2019s reminiscent of melee combat from the 2000s (ironically, Onimusha\u2019s prime), and that\u2019s a positive\u2026I think. Most of the enemies I encounter in this section drop fast, however, and the difficulty is extremely manageable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Musashi and enemies have stamina meters, and depleting a foe\u2019s energy with successive attacks allows the execution of finishing moves called Break Issen attacks. Musashi may backstab a foe, then slice it down the middle to split it in half, for example. On the defensive side, Musashi\u2019s auto-directional blocking means he can defend from all sides no matter where he\u2019s facing (provided you have the stamina), but I much prefer parrying attacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Parrying drains enemy stamina quicker, and it looks and feels great thanks to cool sword-clashing animations. Parrying also opens foes to attacks by often repositioning Musashi behind them, providing a window to slice and dice unimpeded. Hitting the parry button and immediately hitting X (on PlayStation) executes a strong retaliation attack, such as deflecting arrows back at their senders. Furthermore, parrying or dodging in succession builds respective meters: blue for parry, and red for dodge. When full, the parry meter blankets Musashi\u2019s sword in a sparkling blue aura, allowing me to execute multiple foes in quick succession. A filled dodge meter, meanwhile, unleashes a devastating mult-hit attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Defeated foes drop color-coded souls that Musashi absorbs with his Oni Gauntlet. Red souls serve as currency to purchase enhancements, and yellow souls replenish health. Blue souls fill the Oni Power Gauge, enabling the use of special weapons called Oni Armaments. I have twin daggers called the Two Celestials, and when the Oni Power Gauge is full, I hit R1 to unleash a short but powerful flurry. Landing hits with Oni Armaments also extracts yellow souls, making them great for siphoning health when Musashi is on the ropes.\u00a0<\/p>\n