Onimusha: Way of the Sword Reviews
Way of the Sword is a game with great fighting, exciting boss fights, an interesting lead character, and great presentation, the kind of game that can keep you riveted to the screen despite its limitations. If you ask me what’s the most important thing about this new Onimusha, my answer is simple: this game knows sword fighting.
Capcom essentially "issen"-ed its way back into every action gamer fan's heart with this fifth mothership samurai-versus-demons-and-soul-vacuuming action entry. With a likeable protagonist, beautiful aesthetics, spot-on controls and fighting, and memorable boss encounters, there's never a better time to get into Onimusha than with this big-budget samurai supernatural combo.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a truly excellent comeback, as it demonstrates once again how purely action-oriented games can evolve without losing their soul.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Capcom has another solid title on its hands. Onimusha: Way of the Sword sounds at odds on paper. A goofy rice bun eating samurai amidst a sea of dead villagers and ferocious Genma sounds like tonal whiplash but Capcom nails this balance. Musashi is now one of my favourite protagonists in the action genre and the moment to moment combat, despite a slow start, builds into some of the best boss battles I’ve seen in some time. There is some run of the mill padding that detracts from the spectacle and visuals that don’t hold up outside of cutscenes. But these issues don’t get in the way of what Onimusha does best: a goofy character that I’ll continue to follow into hell, with my own rice bun in hand.
With sharp combat and a story mixing humor and weight, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the kind of well-written, stylish revival fans have waited decades for.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a masterclass of action, blending fast-paced swordplay with graceful character movement for an experience that feels both fantastical and grounded. Rather than sticking to the formula of its predecessors, it takes bold risks and delivers an unforgettable story about the greatest swordsman who ever lived. Capcom couldn’t have closed out its stellar year on a higher note.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword shines with excellent combat, fantastic bosses, and a Musashi full of personality. Some sections slow the pace down, but when it gets good, it gets really good.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
No longer slumbering, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a fully realized successor to Onimusha that makes it more than it ever was. CAPCOM has managed to reinvent and reinvigorate the series for new and old fans. Onimusha: Way of the Sword offers excellent soulslike combat and systems within a character action game, representing a new hybridization of game design I’m all for. Parries carry the game to make the combat exciting, deep, and rewarding. As Takamura Ono says, “Just sublime, boy.”
Onimusha: The Way of the Sword lowers the barrier to entry with relatively easy parrying, while still delivering that satisfying combat feel for veterans through the series' signature 'Issen' mechanic. Furthermore, it attractively reinterprets familiar narratives by weaving bizarre occurrences at historical locations into captivating 'ghost stories'.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a fantastic revival of the franchise that once again proves that Capcom can seemingly do no wrong this console generation. The sheer quality of the blade-to-blade combat, the gorgeous visuals, and the epic storytelling make it impossible to put the controller down, with Onimusha: Way of the Sword offering a deeply rewarding adventure that honours its PlayStation 2 roots whilst carving out a brilliant new path for the franchise.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword sets a new standard when it comes to reviving long-forgotten IPs. The series returns with a vengeance in the RE Engine, where Capcom has shown clear improvements in overall optimization and presentation. And to top it off, the game offers some of the most intuitive combat designs in an action game, which, paired with well-crafted boss fights, creates a memorable experience in multiple ways. After 20 years of dormancy, it feels like the franchise is getting its Resident Evil moment, and we’re sure to see more of the IP in the near future.
Manages to effectively straddle the line between quicker action and deeper satisfying sword combat
Onimusha: Way of the Sword opens up a bright future for the series, providing plenty of room to refine existing ideas and introduce new solutions. Ultimately, it may move away from what defined the original game, but it does so in a way that can appeal to both new and longtime fans through a polished, high-quality structure.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Onimusha: Way of the Sword delivers exhilarating swordplay built around intricate clashes and counters, while the charismatic Miyamoto Musashi and a strong emotional cast keep the journey compelling. Its open world can feel tedious and parts of the story fall short, but none of that dulls the brilliance of its combat—an experience so satisfying that simply fighting is reason enough to keep playing.
Review in Korean | Read full review
I haven’t embraced its open world map quite as much as Capcom probably hoped I would, but those are minor issues. All in all, despite my already sky-high expectations, Onimusha: Way of the Sword ended up being even better than I could have anticipated. By borrowing elements from pretty much every acclaimed samurai game out there, it somehow manages to create a gameplay loop that feels entirely like its own thing. It’s got heart, it’s a feast for the eyes, and it boasts one of the best combat systems I’ve experienced in recent memory.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a very good action game that suffers from a fair amount of unnecessary repetition. Despite this significant flaw, it offers plenty of enjoyable gameplay that’s both spectacular and challenging, especially on higher difficulty levels. If you’re a fan of this kind of gameplay, you’ll find plenty to keep you entertained for hours.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a triumphant return for the series, with Issen-based combat that rewards precision and risk like few action games before it, anchored by a magnetic protagonist and genuinely moving storytelling.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Capcom’s long-awaited return to the Onimusha series after 20 years lives up to the name. Starring Japan’s legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, Onimusha: Way of the Sword delivers sword combat worthy of its protagonist, showcasing katana-based action at its finest. The game’s deliberately slower combat pace may sound awkward on paper, but thanks to its high-quality animations and finely tuned combat system, it instead becomes one of the game’s greatest strengths. Musashi himself, brought to life with the facial likeness of Toshiro Mifune, is also charismatic enough to carry the story and makes it easy to become invested in his journey.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Overall, I am thoroughly impressed by Onimusha’s comeback. In practice, it is yet another Capcom title that more than earns its place among the modern gaming greats, and it is an easy recommendation for fans of action games, particularly thanks to its excellent story and superb combat mechanics. At the same time, I cannot help but wonder how much better it could have been with a little more variety and slightly more thought put into the pacing. That said, these complaints are fairly minor when viewed in the bigger picture. Capcom has once again hit the mark and shown how a proper samurai adventure should be made.
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a well-crafted, atmospherically dense comeback that impresses with solid combat mechanics, strong presentation, and a polished German localization.
Review in German | Read full review