Capcom has been absolutely knocking it out of the park with its recent release schedule. 2026 has already delivered four major heavy hitters. At the start of the year, Resident Evil Requiem made massive waves both critically and financially. It launched to overwhelmingly positive reviews and moved just under 10 million units since February. Then that critical momentum steamrolled right into March. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection reached moderately profitable sales, which perfectly reflected the niche, yet deeply consumer-loyal nature of the spin-off series.
However, the most fascinating metrics track with Capcom’s two most recent releases. The two exist in a beautiful tandem as a story of birth and renewal.
- The Birth: This April saw the launch of their brand-new sci-fi IP, Pragmata. It shattered expectations out of the gate, securing excellent reviews and selling over a million copies just two days after launch.
- The Renewal: If the birth of a hot new franchise wasn’t enough, the September 4th resurrection of the classic PlayStation 2 series Onimusha is a true feather in the company’s cap.
Yours truly recently spent a few hours diving into the new title. It pushed a million units at launch. For all intents and purposes, Way of the Sword plays the part of the prodigal son. Twenty years later, it has returned home—not to beg forgiveness for lost time, but to triumphantly reclaim its throne as a masterclass in character-action swordplay.
An Unexpected Surprise: Evolution of a Legend
Since its launch on the PlayStation 2, the Onimusha series has held a unique place in the history of action gaming. From 2001 to 2006, its five mainline titles were generally loyal to Sony’s hardware. The sole exception was 2002’s Genma Onimusha on the original Xbox.
The franchise actually began life as an action-heavy Resident Evil spin-off. Its iconic tank controls, pre-rendered backgrounds, and fixed camera angles are a dead giveaway of the engine’s DNA. While Capcom ultimately decided to make Onimusha its own distinct IP, those survival horror roots created a fascinating genre mashup: mixing tight inventory management with intense, high-stakes sword combat.
An Onimusha Timeline
As the years rolled on, each subsequent title aggressively refined the formula:
- Onimusha: Warlords (2001)
- The Foundation: Built directly on the Resident Evil engine, it introduced a demon-ridden take on Japan’s 16th-century Sengoku period.
- The Lore: Debuted staples like the “Oni Gauntlet” and the Genma demons. Players controlled Samurai Samanosuke Akechi in a bid to rescue Princess Yuki from the corrupted warlord Oda Nobunaga.
- Genma Onimusha (2002)
- The Director’s Cut: Released as an Xbox exclusive, this definitive edition tightened up the combat, injected tougher enemies, and added fresh story events.
- Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny (2002)
- The Refinement: The final title to lean heavily into survival horror, it integrated the Xbox version’s combat upgrades and added a surprising branching dialogue system.
- The Hero: Followed a new protagonist, Jubei Yagyu, seeking vengeance against a resurrected Nobunaga.
- Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (2004)
- The Action Evolution: Ditched the fixed camera angles and pre-rendered backdrops for fully 3D environments and the deepest combat mechanics of the original trilogy.
- The Twist: Featured dual protagonists, sending Samanosuke through a time-travel loop to modern-day France, where he teams up with a military officer played by French actor Jean Reno.
- Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (2006)
- The Swan Song: A massive, two-disc epic that served as the final game before a 20-year hiatus. It was heavily overlooked due to launching right at the dawn of the PS3 generation.
- The RPG Pivot: Completely embraced 3D camera movement and introduced RPG elements like character leveling, weapon upgrade trees, and partner mechanics that evolved the series’ famous “Issen” counter system.
The Prodigal Son Returns
It is precisely this legacy of constant evolution that makes my first few hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword so breathtaking. However, the new title doesn’t just copy the past; it directly inherits the DNA of its predecessors. It masterfully bridges the survival-horror tension of Warlords, the cinematic action of Demon Siege, and the deep customization of Dawn of Dreams, effortlessly modernizing them for a new generation of players.
Hands-On: Demon Butcher of Kyoto
After spending a few hours engrossed in the opening chapters of the game, it’s clear to see Capcom didn’t just resurrect the brand name—they meticulously rebuilt its heart. Here is how those historical building blocks translate into the game’s opening hours:
- The Legend & The Capital: Musashi in Kyoto
- The Hero: Instead of a generic protagonist, Capcom puts players into the sandals of a younger, fictionalized version of legendary ronin Miyamoto Musashi. After a lethal encounter with underworld forces, he awakens bound to the titular Oni Gauntlet.
- The Setting: The game transports players directly into an early Edo-period Kyoto. Capcom uses their cutting-edge RE Engine to paint a gorgeous, blood-soaked picture of the ancient capital, letting you explore twisted dark-fantasy recreations of real landmarks like the Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
- The Atmosphere: A Welcome Return to Survival Horror
- The Dread: While the tank controls are gone, Resident Evil DNA is prevalent in the level design. Kyoto is blanketed by a creeping, demonic fog known as “Malice.”
- The Tension: Congested, shadowed alleyways and haunted forts force you into claustrophobic encounters. Resource management and an intense focus on environmental awareness make the game feel incredibly ominous. It tips its hat to franchise roots before Dawn of Dreams shifted things toward pure action.
- The Combat: Mastering a Refined Issen System
- The Flow: Fighting is at the forefront in Way of the Sword, and Musashi’s arsenal is vast. Players can effortlessly chain light and heavy strikes together, but it’s in defense where the game’s systems truly shine.
- Chasing the Rabbit: While players can effectively block attacks three different ways, an absolute standout mechanic is the game’s return of the high-risk, high-reward Issen counter-attack. By perfectly timing an attack right as an enemy strikes, Musashi flash-steps at a blinding speed to unleash a devastating counter. Stringing a chain Issen combo to clear a room of Genma feels just as incredibly rewarding as it did twenty years ago.
Progression: Balancing RPG Depth with Arcade Roots
Beyond stellar blade-to-blade combat, growing stronger in Way of the Sword feels like a deliberate love letter to the franchise’s dual identity. Capcom has struck a masterful balance between the series’ two distinct eras:
- The Original Trilogy Blueprint: Weapon progression pulls straight from the classic trilogy. You still collect red demon souls from fallen enemies to feed into the magic mirrors scattered across Kyoto. You use them to level up your swords and elemental magic in a satisfyingly snappy, arcade-like loop.
- The Dawn of Dreams Influence: At the same time, the game doesn’t completely throw away the depth of the 2006 swan song. Musashi utilizes a streamlined skill tree. It unlocks new combo strings, movement options, and specialized defensive maneuvers. It gives you a tangible sense of character ownership without bogging the pacing down in menu micromanagement.
Final Thoughts: The Verdict (For Now)
I’ve only spent a handful of hours navigating the haunted, fog-drenched streets of Capcom’s reimagined Kyoto. But the foundation here is incredibly promising. Onimusha: Way of the Sword successfully respects the building blocks of its past. And all while carving out a razor-sharp path for the future.
The systems are deep, the atmosphere is deliciously tense, and the combat feels phenomenally rewarding. I can’t wait to see how these mechanics hold up over the long haul. Keep your eyes locked on Nerdbot. I’m diving straight back into the action. My full review will be slashing its way to you very soon.
