Onimusha Returns: Capcom revives classic franchise with "Way of the Sword"

Onimusha's Tumultuous History

Information regarding Onimusha: Way of the Sword remains scarce. Capcom has released only a teaser trailer and some basic plot details on the game's official website. The trailer showcases a samurai wielding the iconic Oni Gauntlet, battling monstrous creatures, absorbing their souls, and grappling with questions of his own humanity. The game is set in a distorted version of Edo-era Kyoto, overrun by Genma creatures and shrouded in toxic mists.

This brief glimpse has sparked numerous questions and speculations among fans. What type of game will Onimusha: Way of the Sword be? Will any characters from previous installments return? Why has Capcom chosen this moment to resurrect Onimusha?

Onimusha was originally conceived by Yoshiki Okamoto as a Sengoku-era take on Resident Evil. Instead of a haunted mansion, players would explore a ninja stronghold filled with traps and dangerous foes. Initially planned for the Nintendo 64DD, it was later partially developed for the PlayStation before finally launching on the PlayStation 2 during the console's early years.

Onimusha: Warlords became a massive success, becoming the first PlayStation 2 game to sell a million copies. The sequel, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny, offered a more expansive adventure with a new protagonist, Jubei Yagyu. However, despite strong reception in Japan, its Western sales underperformed.

Onimusha 3: Demon Siege marked the return of Samanosuke Akechi and introduced a French officer portrayed by Jean Reno. This installment also transitioned to a fully 3D engine, similar to the latest Resident Evil games. While reasonably successful, Onimusha 3 failed to reach the sales heights of the original. The fourth entry, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, released in 2006 to lower sales, seemingly marking the end of the franchise.

A Chance for Revival

What ultimately became of Onimusha? Perhaps players simply grew tired of the series. Within a five-year span, six different Onimusha games and a remake were released. Some argue that Onimusha: Warlords was simply a case of being in the right place at the right time, and its success was unsustainable.

However, others suggest that Onimusha lost its purpose for both Capcom and its audience. As Resident Evil and Devil May Cry gained increasing popularity, Onimusha became stuck between these two successful "siblings," and its "jack-of-all-trades" approach put it in a difficult position.

Furthermore, Onimusha's strong Japanese historical theme may have become a disadvantage as the global market shifted towards more Western-centric themes. Its signature gameplay mechanic, the Issen, a flashy parry requiring precise timing, arrived at a time when the trend was leaning towards more accessible games.

However, much has changed since 2006. The Dark Souls series and its many inspired titles have demonstrated that players appreciate challenging, precision-based combat. Games with Japanese settings no longer struggle to find a global audience, with titles like Sekiro, Ghost of Tsushima, and Rise of the Ronin showing that the samurai theme is more popular than ever. Resident Evil has firmly embraced horror, while Devil May Cry appears to be on hiatus. The stage is set for Onimusha's return.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword may not be strictly bound by the series' traditions. The trailer suggests the game will not use pre-rendered backgrounds or fixed camera angles. However, encounters with Genma creatures and the Issen parry are almost certain to feature. Whether the game adopts an open-world format or returns to the linear structure of its predecessors remains to be seen, but either direction holds significant potential.

In the ever-evolving gaming landscape, there is always room for a comeback. Onimusha: Way of the Sword has the potential to bring the series back to the forefront of the gaming world upon its release in 2026.