Onimusha: Way of the Sword shows the journey of a younger Musashi

by

Fans familiar with Onimusha might recognize the name Miyamoto Musashi. Though he makes his video game debut in Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Musashi was initially presented as the main character in Netflix’s Onimusha series. While that portrayal showcases a more experienced Musashi, the upcoming Capcom game introduces a young warrior learning to master the art of the sword. Shacknews recently attended a live gameplay demo at this year’s Summer Game Fest, held in a private theater, for further details.

In 2024 at The Game Awards, Onimusha: Way of the Sword’s narrative was unveiled, placing protagonist Musashi in Edo-era Kyoto. A sinister miasma called Malice shrouds the sky, spawning demons from the underworld known as Genma. These malevolent spirits are wreaking havoc by possessing and killing innocent people, but only Musashi, armed with the Oni Gauntlet, can eliminate them.

In Onimusha, the battle system draws inspiration from Soulsborne games, but the souls players deal with are not the ethereal entities known from those titles. Instead, they gather souls abandoned by defeated Genma. Musashi might not be a seasoned master swordsman, yet he proves to be an effective fighter. He’s capable of defending from any direction, parrying incoming attacks and turning them against other adversaries. Ranged enemies attempting to attack will have their projectiles deflected back at them thanks to the Oni Gauntlet’s power.

1) In addition to being skilled in combat, Musashi is proficient at utilizing his surroundings effectively. He can lure opponents into dangerous areas such as fires and eliminate them. Any objects within reach can be turned into strategic advantages. For instance, during a close-quarters fight with a Genma-possessed archer, Musashi managed to flip over a table, using it as a shield against arrows. Later, he could use the same table as a weapon, hurling it at his adversaries for significant damage.

When foes perish, they’ll depart with unique-hued spirits – red, blue, and golden ones. Each of these spirits regenerates a distinct resource. It would certainly be advantageous for Musashi to gather any spirits he encounters, as some Genma are capable of doing so themselves. This could potentially increase their power. A scene from the demo showed a winged Genma consuming the spirits left by other defeated Genma, enabling it to amass energy for a self-destruct attack that inflicted heavy damage on Musashi.

The enigma surrounding the Sword’s Path narrative is profoundly intriguing. As players accompany Musashi on his quest, they’ll gradually uncover pieces of the story as he gathers Dark Mass along the way. Gathering more Dark Mass will trigger him to hear more from the voice emanating within his Oni Gauntlet. The identity and origin of this voice are yet to be revealed. Additionally, the Dark Mass aids Musashi in honing his abilities; he’ll acquire skills like Oni Awakening that allow him to bypass hidden Genma barriers lying ahead on his journey.

As the narrative unfolds, the Genma character grows in size, with one particularly formidable example being Byakue. This Genma engages in combat using talismans made from paper, gaining power by absorbing blood as fights progress. The protagonist, Musashi, primarily faces off against Genma, but a battle against a shrouded samurai named Ganryu was showcased in the demo. The fight against Ganryu appears to follow patterns typical of Soulslike games, with victory hinging on depleting his stamina gauge before deciding where to strike. Attacking Ganryu’s head breaks his armor and makes him more vulnerable throughout the battle, while striking his body releases souls that can be used for swift resource restoration.

Although the theater preview offered an enjoyable glimpse into Capcom’s forthcoming action title, it merely scratched the surface, suggesting there will be plenty more information revealed later on. Keep an eye out for Onimusha: Way of the Sword, set to release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S around 2026.

The demonstration you see is a preliminary version of our product, which was presented live during Summer Game Fest: Play Days for the media. Please note that the final version may undergo changes.

Read More

2025-06-11 18:28