Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a new mainline entry to revive the Onimisha franchise for today’s platforms. Bringing life back to the game decades after a new title. The game is set in a dark fantasy during the Edo period in Kyoto, Japan.

Having had the chance to play this title twice, once back at PAX West and at this year’s Summer Game Fest, fans should be looking forward to playing. In the first demo, you’ll play against your rival, Sasaki Ganryu. That demo, starting the adventure towards the beginning of the game, was set to get players familiar with your protagonist, Miyamoto Musashi, and his moveset. While playing in different difficulty levels, there are some challenges, but some players may find it easier than expected.

In the latest demo during Summer Game Fest, I was placed further into the game, where I must fight against a Genma (demon) named Rasho-gan that’s making a small village delusional by taking body parts away to make the villagers feel comfort. For example, your knee is giving you pain? Rasho-gun will remove the leg from the knee down, and the villager is happily oblique.

Find Me if You Can

Screenshot from the Nintendo Switch 2 version.

Before the battle, players have to gather missing statues from a local shrine to help set the stage. You’ll travel in linear-style paths, but there’s a variety of paths, some of which take you in sections to grab items. If lost, players can activate a temporary guide which casts a sprinkling trail to their next objective. I don’t expect Onimusha: Way of the Sword to be an open-world-style game, and it is set to be more of a mission, storytelling game to stay within the course of the events in Kyoto. Playing this demo and watching a Capcom representative playing a demo of a different area, players will have to do some legwork and complete objectives before facing the boss in the area. 

It’s not a smooth stroll, as you’ll battle enemies that await for you to enter the scene. While you’ll use your trusty set of weapons, you can use a large piece of lumber to block attacks and run into foes. If I had instances where it didn’t work out as well as it could have and swinging my blade felt more reliable.

Boosting with Success

Weapon changes are easy to adjust and a variety of styles. From your samurai sword to a polearm, they have their advantages. A polearm is great for wielding when surrounded by a group of enemies. In the upcoming boss battle, use your trusty sword or a set of short swords. Additionally, when the gauge that’s located next to your active weapon is full, you can unleash a heavier attack to create more damage.

Onimusha’s latest adventure carries upgradable options using role-playing game (RPG) mechanics. Musashi’s equipment, such as his gauntlet, weapon, and robe, can be upgraded. Each carries a different stat such as attack power for the weapon. There’s also a skill tree that will carry Onimisha’s abilities further. Whether you can learn all skills in a short timeframe or are locked until further into the story, I could not get a confirmed answer. It’s something to look forward to in how the game will function when the game comes out at the end of September this year.

Calm and Steady Wins the Race

Screenshot from the Nintendo Switch 2 version.

Fighting against Rasho-gun and watching a different demo boss battle at Capcom’s Summer Game Fest, the game requires players to be patient and observe the enemy. It took me a couple deaths against Rasho Gun to understand that. Rasho-gun carried a lively, comical approach which made the battle entertaining.

Guard and parry were the big keys to surviving the battle, and winning felt satisfying. If the game proves too difficult or too easy, you can adjust the game’s difficulty at a local shrine, which is located on the game’s map menu. A great feature to have during gameplay and not having to create a new file.

Visually, the game looks great and carries that dark-toned, dreadful environment. Some of the non-playable characters’ (NPCs’) mouth movements looked like they could be a little smoother and animated better, but their designs fit right in with the time period. Some objects, like the statues you gather, have a rougher polygon shape and are not as smooth, but that’s noticeable during the cutscene when the camera is more zoomed in.

A Sharpen Blade

Overall, I’m looking forward to the full version of Onimusha: Way of the Sword and what it can deliver in Onumisha’s next adventure. I appreciate Capcom setting aside time for us to experience more of the dark fantasy adventure.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set to release on September 25, 2026 for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Fans can visit the official website for additional information and purchasing options. Screenshots attached to this article represent the demo but are from the Nintendo Switch 2 version. The demo was played on a different platform.