Product Info

Platform

Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PC

Publisher

Capcom

Developer

Capcom

Series

Onimusha

Genre

Action, Adventure

Players

1

File Size (Minimum)

34.2 GB

Release Date (NA)

Sep 4, 2026

Purchase From

eShop

PSN Store

Microsoft Store

Steam

Epic Games

Home » Onimusha: Way of the Sword (Review)

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the latest series entry of Capcom’s legendary samurai action-adventure series. Delivering a bloody new adventure filled with demons and purrtastic swordplay action.

A Samurai Worth Following

Way of the Sword is a new entry to the Onimusha series in the dark-fantasy version of Kyoto during the Edo period. While the plot of the game is fictional, it carries that gloomy, dark theme where the samurai thrive and folklore creatures such as demons roam and torture the humans. Expect a bloody time with a side of gore as you wield your sword and the power of the oni.

The game begins by following the protagonist, Miyamoto Musashi. We see him challenging the leader of a local villager to a sword duel that highlights his cocky attitude. Afterwards, an army of samurai comically chases him down in a cinematic fashion. Never knew I could enjoy a protagonist so early in a dark action-adventure game. Molded after the famous Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, Capcom captures his demeanor in Miyamoto very well. Starting the game off in a fun path before things go dark is a smooth way to ease players into a journey that feels well worth exploring.

Unfortunately for Miyamoto, things don’t go too well after he successfully escapes from the enraged army of samurai. He’s confronted by the Genma and, well, wakes up in a different world where he’s forced to wear an Oni Gauntlet. A piece of armor attached to his right arm and taking it off will take his life. You’ll encounter another gauntlet user named Ono no Takamura and a young dancer named Izumo no Okuni who will aid Miyamoto from the sidelines. With the assistance of the Oni Lady living inside the gauntlet and with his allies, Miyamoto will need to defeat the Genma that terrorizes the human world before a swarm of these monsters break from the underworld and take over.

Even if the characters don’t interfere with your battles, they breathe life into the dreary, miasma-infected world. Takamura, hundreds of years old, is like a teacher to Miyamoto, where he teaches him how to use the gauntlet to get his journey started. Okuni is a young woman who initially seems to be a sidekick to Takamura, but she actually plays a significant supporting role in helping the protagonist progress in his journey, as well as utilizing a few sewing techniques to enhance your inventory stash.

The buildup and the pacing of the story feel good. Dialogues are entertaining when Miyamoto opens his mouth, and the characters that bounce off his personality make it more enjoyable. The story is spoon-fed piece by piece as it builds up for some fun, bloody adventures as you dismember enemies left, right, and above. After years of waiting for a new Onimusha game and a fresh story, players will enjoy the unfolding tale.

A Cut Above the Rest

While you’ll enjoy your samurai journey, the battle mechanics feel superb, making it a sword-wielding good time. You play as one character as you carry not just the moves of a samurai warrior but also the power of an oni. Attacks are simple enough to understand, but some moves require timing, which becomes essential in battles, especially against powerful Genma. Wield your sword with one or two arms to create rapid offense moves or block enemy attacks. Time your controller input correctly and you can parry or dodge attacks so you can create an opening against your foe for additional damage.

With the power of your gauntlet, you can use specialized oni weapons such as bows, spears, and more. These oni weapons, except for the bow, require a gauge to be filled first before using them for a short time. Think of using these weapons as special attacks. Your specialized bow can be used by a press of a trigger button, and holding down for a short period of time creates more damage to enemies. Continuing the tradition, players can collect souls after defeating an enemy, which replenishes gauges and can be used for upgrades or trades.

After demoing the game twice at PAX West in 2025 and at Summer Game Fest Play Days, Onimusha is not a hack-and-slash game where you smash buttons as quickly as possible. Watching enemy movements and responding is like a rock-paper-scissors match but with more action and more gore involved. Fundamentals are more ingrained in this game’s mechanics along with button prompts to match today’s modern action games. Using these prompts is crucial for gaining the upper hand in battles, as these can take a significant amount of health from enemies.

The “Story” mode is a solid start for newcomers who prefer less stress and are more interested in the game’s narrative. The “Action” mode is designed for players seeking a greater challenge. You can always swap difficulties during the game when visiting one of the “Spirit Mirror” shrines; there is no need to create a new save file, which is a nice quality of life feature to have. While the first two demos Capcom offered us to play occur within the initial 25% of the game, the overall difficulty does increase as you progress. A greater variety of enemies appears, and some of them attack simultaneously. The game also offers a practice area where you can relearn the game’s tutorials and battle bosses again in various difficulties.

Sharpening the Blade

Upgrade mechanics carry a few role-playing game (RPG) elements in Way of the Sword. Players can enhance Miyamoto’s equipment: clothing, sword, and gauntlet. Specific materials are needed per upgrade and will improve your warrior’s stats. Taking on side quests from the locals is necessary if you want to improve your stats to the fullest. Once you upgrade a certain amount, the item’s proficiency level is increased and resets the upgrade count so you can continue its stat increases. Basic skills from your sword techniques and special skills of your oni powers can be improved with the right amount of specific stones or enough “red souls” available. Additional skills are locked until you reach specific points in the game so players can’t try to farm items to unlock everything early. Accessories called charms can also be upgraded with the right amount of “offerings” and other required items. These charms provide special benefits for Miyamoto, such as filling gauges more quickly during battle. It’s recommended to keep some equipped and upgrade them when possible.

It’s a simple RPG mechanic but adds value to the gameplay as it places players in a scenario to not only take on every quest but also be on the hunt for items in pots or chests in random areas around Kyoto. The game is not designed to be a full-fledged RPG, and it doesn’t need to be. The game provides enough features to satisfy players who want to upgrade their characters.

Play it Your Way

Players are given full control of the camera controls. Whether you are strolling down a street of worrisome citizens of Kyoto or in the middle of clashing swords with a Genma, for the most part the camera angles feel smooth. There were some situations where enemies trapped Miyamoto in a corner, making it difficult to see the situation and help him escape from that predicament.

The number of accessibility options in Way of the Sword is impressive, with the variety of ways to adjust the game’s visuals and gameplay. It’s not just text sizes but also adjusting the heads-up display (HUD); turning on/off action prompts, which is a wonderful feature for new players to this style of gameplay; blood effects; blood colors; enabling/disabling dismemberment animations and effects when enemies die; various camera adjustments; color blindness; ray tracing; motion blur; and more.

When a game can offer this amount of options to make players feel comfortable, it shows dedication from the developers. It’s very impressive, and I hope to see these features continue in future titles from Capcom’s team.

A Beautiful, Bloody Return

Visuals in the latest Onimusha are impressive. With ray tracing and motion blur turned on while testing on the PlayStation 5 Pro, there weren’t any noticeable hiccups during gameplay. Battles were smooth while textures and details looked excellent. Some facial details in the NPCs could use further refinements, as some of them did look a little flat. Otherwise, Way of the Sword is shaping to be an impressive visual game.

The game’s soundtrack uses traditional Japanese stringed and percussion instruments and musical textures that fit the Edo period. With the game taking place in a dark ominous atmosphere, the music carries a darker tone and heavy emphasis during dramatic cinematic scenes, particularly sword fights. Sound effects feel authentic and clean, and with Capcom having a strong history of sound design, such quality shouldn’t come as a surprise.

The Final Clash

Onimusha: Way of the Sword returns with a bloody new adventure that cuts deep with satisfying combat, a charismatic protagonist, and a supernatural world that’s claw-some from start to finish.

A PlayStation 5 review code provided by the publisher. Onimusha: Way of the Sword releases September 4, 2026 for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Fans can visit the game’s official website for more information and purchasing options.