Capcom announced Onimusha: Way of the Sword during The Game Awards 2024. Described as the newest entry in the series after a 20-year hiatus, Way of the Sword looked incredible and excited many fans and critics alike.
After the massive success of Resident Evil Requiem and Pragmata, the question now is: does Way of the Sword continue this trend? After spending time with the game this past week, my resounding answer is HELL YES. Here are my thoughts on the overall experience and why this heavy-hitter was the perfect way to bring the series back.
Demon Slaying Master
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a single-player third-person perspective action-adventure game set during the Edo period. The story revolves around Miyamoto Musashi, a 17th-century Japanese samurai whose life changes drastically after being killed and revived through the power of a mysterious Oni Gauntlet. With Ido now being corrupted by demons and supernatural forces, Musashi and his allies must work together to eradicate threats and restore order.
If you’ve played any of the demos out now on consoles or PC, you’ve probably seen bits and pieces of Musashi’s story evolve. Beyond what you have seen, I can personally guarantee that you’re in for a treat, as the narrative will have you locked in from start to finish. Musashi, modeled after Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, is a deeply layered character that you’ll see grow throughout his journey. Watching him transform from a cocky samurai ready to take on all challengers to someone willing to fight for the people around him suffering truly is endearing and made the overall experience even more enjoyable.
Stunning Visuals
Switching gears to graphics, Way of the Sword is arguably one of the best-looking games I’ve played so far this year. The RE engine delivers again with highly defined character models, rich and immersive environments, a wide range of diverse light and shadow color palettes, and grotesquely designed creatures ready to rip your head off. The musical soundtrack is the cherry on top of this visual masterpiece. I reviewed this game on my base PS5 console and can only imagine how much more gorgeous this game looks on a PS5 Pro or PC.
On the performance end, Way of the Sword ran flawlessly, and I didn’t encounter any glitches, crashes, or significant frame rate drops. Loading screens between cutscenes and gameplay were seamless, making it incredibly easy to jump back into the fight after losing a battle. Performance mode targets 60 FPS with upscaled 4K resolution, while Quality mode runs around 30-40 FPS. Whether Performance or Quality, the game runs incredibly well, guaranteeing you a great experience.
Top-Tier Gameplay
Gameplay is one of the main features that I love about Onimusha: Way of the Sword. I thoroughly enjoy the addictive combat mechanics and how fun it is to explore the world. If you played the demo, you know exactly how satisfying combat is, from surgically dissecting enemies, breaking their guard effortlessly, perfectly parrying oncoming attacks, and then using your oni gauntlet to collect souls. If you’re concerned about the final game being too easy, I can assure you this isn’t the case, as the boss battles will push you to the limit as you progress through the story. There’s a hard mode option that unlocks once you beat the game too, and that option is specifically designed for those looking for the ultimate challenge.
Navigating through the world is very straightforward. Story missions and side missions are readily available to keep you busy. Spirit mirrors located throughout the world are the perfect places to fast travel to other areas, save your progress, change your appearance, practice, and enhance your equipment and abilities. You naturally unlock more abilities as you play through the story, and it’s really cool to see how you have evolved by the end of your journey.
Final Verdict
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is nothing short of spectacular. The pulse-pounding action, intriguing storyline, slick combat mechanics, and breathtaking visuals make this one of the best action games so far this year. Capcom has delivered once again and is on an incredible run we will be talking about for many years to come.
This review was based on a review copy of Onimusha: Way of the Sword for PlayStation 5 provided by Capcom.
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