Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Sep 25, 2026·Capcom
About this game
The last mainline Onimusha game came out in 2006. Twenty years is a long time to leave a franchise sitting on a shelf, especially one that was genuinely beloved during the PS2 era. So when Capcom announced Way of the Sword at The Game Awards back in December 2024, there was a real mix of nostalgia and nerves - would this feel like a genuine comeback or a half-hearted revival riding on old goodwill? Then the demo dropped during Summer Game Fest 2026 and answered that question pretty decisively. I jumped on it immediately on Steam and came away genuinely impressed. The game stars Miyamoto Musashi - yes, the legendary historical swordsman - who acquires the Oni Gauntlet, a mystical artifact that grants supernatural power against the Genma, monstrous demons that have overrun Kyoto during the early Edo period. It's a dark fantasy spin on real Japanese history and mythology, and the atmosphere is immediately striking - Kyoto rendered through Capcom's RE Engine, wrapped in malevolent clouds of Malice, with twisted architecture and genuinely unsettling creature design lurking around every corner. The combat is where the demo really made an impression on me. It's methodical and weighted in a way I wasn't fully expecting - not fast and flashy in the Devil May Cry sense, and deliberately not a soulslike either. Each sword swing has real commitment to it, with a noticeable start-up time that forces you to think before you swing. Enemies aren't mindlessly aggressive - they size you up, wait for openings, which sounds like it could feel slow but actually creates this tense, almost cinematic back-and-forth that flows incredibly well once you settle into its rhythm. The central mechanic to get your head around is the Issen system. Staying on the offensive with continuous attacks depletes enemy stamina, eventually breaking their stance - which is visually indicated by red cracks spreading across their body - and opening them up for a Break Issen finisher. Against regular enemies that means instant decapitation. Against bosses it deals a massive burst of damage and lets you target specific body parts. The system also works in reverse though, so taking too many hits will crack your own stance and leave you exposed. It rewards aggression in a way that goes against the instinct to play defensively. The demo boss fight against Sasaki Ganryu - Musashi's historical rival, who also wears an Oni Gauntlet - is a genuinely satisfying sword duel that tests everything the demo teaches you. I died to him twice, which felt fair rather than frustrating. The parry windows are tight but readable, and the moment you start understanding the rhythm of his attacks the whole fight clicks into place in a really satisfying way. Onimusha: Way of the Sword launches September 25, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. If the full game maintains what the demo promises, this is shaping up to be one of the year's best.
