Capcom is bringing back a legendary game series: Onimusha (franchise sales: 9.1 million copies). Following the remasters of Onimusha 1 and 2, released in 2019 and 2025 respectively, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the franchise's first new title in 20 years.
This action game takes players back to a dark fantasy version of Japan, where samurai must battle supernatural beings. The story follows Miyamoto Musashi, a samurai who wields a supernatural Oni glove, as he battles demons invading Kyoto during the Edo period. Despite this period of relative peace in Japan, evil has descended upon the ancient city. It has been transformed into an eerie and unsettling place, haunted by demonic Genma — once again brought to life superbly using the in-house RE Engine.
It would have been easy to turn this single-player third-person action game into a 'soulslike', but Capcom has resisted the temptation, although certain influences can be seen in the save point system. Instead, it offers intense combat that combines the series' signature Issen (a way of countering by playing aggressive) and soul-absorption mechanics with exhilarating swordplay. The result is a modernised hack-and-slash action game where the mechanics click together satisfyingly, and the interplay of dodging, parrying and critical counterattacks triggered by perfectly timed attacks works exceptionally well.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword © Capcom
The combat relies on high speed and fluid manoeuvres. Reducing an opponent's stamina drives them to exhaustion. This makes them vulnerable to a powerful Break Issen. With careful planning, it’s possible to take down multiple opponents in quick succession. In boss battles, players can choose which part of the boss's body to target with the technique. The effects vary depending on the body part hit. In regular battles, offence is often the best defence — it helps deplete enemies' stamina and sweep through entire groups — while against stronger opponents, players will need to dodge more frequently (including using slow motion) or parry more effectively. Attacking indiscriminately (button-mashing) will quickly lead to defeat. Players must learn the opponents' movement patterns, and the timing of evasion and parrying must be precise.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword's focus is undoubtedly the combat, and that part of the game works excellently. While veterans of the series will likely think the game too easy, new players are not only eased into the game with good tutorials and easy starter enemies, but will continually learn to use the more involved mechanics like the different Issen systems.
Where the game falls off a bit is the game world. It has some very good ideas, like gradually growing the save area of the midgame hub, Kyoto, by saving people and cleaning up demonic corruption, but in effect this leads to a lot of backtracking, especially for side quests that bring the protagonist back to former story dungeons. Because the upgrade system relies on the resources from these quests, at least some of them will also be mandatory for many players if they do not want to fall behind the power curve. Nevertheless, especially Kyoto as an exploration hub remains a lively, fun area to explore, in particular with Musashi's growing traversal options in the course of the main quest.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword © Capcom
The game was originally scheduled for release on 25 September 2026, but Capcom brought the release date forward to 4 September 2026. Players who purchase the Standard, Deluxe or Premium Deluxe Edition before 24 September will receive early-adopter bonuses as a reward. Furthermore, the publisher gathered player feedback in advance through a demo. While the atmosphere and combat system have been widely praised, the low difficulty level of the demo has sparked particular debate. In response to this, producer Akihito Kadowaki has confirmed that the enemies and bosses in the final version will be significantly more aggressive and provide a tougher challenge.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword © Capcom
Onimusha: Way of the Sword launches on 4 September 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S. It will be available as a Standard Edition priced at €69.99. The Deluxe Edition (€79.99) includes the Deluxe Kit, which contains items that can be used to alter Miyamoto Musashi's appearance, as well as charms that he can equip. Finally, the Premium Deluxe Edition (€89.99) includes the Premium Deluxe Kit, which features additional outfits and an in-game mini digital soundtrack.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword features spectacular, modernised hack-and-slash gameplay. It's a great comeback!
