I spent three hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword and its spectacular
sword action has me more convinced than ever that Capcom cant miss

Date:
Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Description:
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is yet another sign that Capcom is on its greatest run of all time, and I can't wait to play more.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter A new entry in Capcom's cult-classic Onimusha franchise has been a long time coming, and there was no better time than now for its resurgence, during the developer's largely successful RE Engine era.

So far, it seems that the resurgence will pay off extremely well: I spent three hours with the upcoming demon-hunting slasher, Onimusha: Way of the Sword , and I came away absolutely amazed by just how well Capcom has taken the formula from previous entries and modernized it brilliantly. Onimusha:
Way of the Sword absolutely shines within every combat encounter, with its weighty, methodical, and stylish sword clashes. It very much reminds me of From Software's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice , which might sound concerning for those who aren't fans of excessively hard souls games. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

You can throw that thought out, though: Way of the Sword is a challenging but very accessible and enjoyable experience, with a variety of boss battles that will test your mettle.

However, with enough practice via boss rematches or against standard enemies in training arenas, similar to previous entries, you'll become accustomed to its combat in no time. You may like Forget Marvel's Wolverine and God of War Laufey Ive played Onimusha's sword-fighting State of Play demo, and I think it could be the sleeper hit of 2026 Control Resonant's gameplay designer has me convinced it'll be a big hit Beast of Reincarnation review: an emotional, action-packed experience Poised to be the best yet Rasho-gan's boss battle
was intense; a clash with one of the best-designed demons in the game I saw. The opening cutscene was creepy, and it quickly became apparent how cruel the demons are. (Video credit: Capcom) Onimusha: Way of the Sword is poised to be the best entry in the franchise, without a doubt. It's fair to say that potential acclaim is heavily carried by Capcom's magical RE Engine, responsible for major hits like Resident Evil 4 (2023), Resident Evil Requiem , Monster Hunter World , and other titles in both franchises for almost a decade. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Visuals are at their best in Onimusha: Way of the Sword . Character models, environment details, and the art style all lend to the immersive samurai demon-hunting experience Capcom is trying to deliver but it's not just about visuals.

I spoke highly of the animations during combat in my coverage of the public demo . After the three-hour preview, I'm convinced that Onimusha: Way of the Sword will set a new standard for sword clashes and how detailed they are.

The 'Issen' technique (evident in the video above) was a core aspect of
combat in previous titles and is back and better than ever. It allows players to perform a deadly counterattack right before an enemy attack, and it was a maneuver I spent plenty of time practicing during the preview. What to read next Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy's preview has Uncharted vibes and I love it I fought a possessed bus in Control Resonants 'paranaturally warped' Manhattan, and embraced Dylan's brutal and lightning-fast combat and I cant wait to eviscerate more funky foes in weird streets After 4 hours, The Blood of Dawnwalker feels like a true Witcher 3 successor

It's not easy to pull off, as it requires very precise timing, but it comes
in clutch when outnumbered or facing off against the three tough bosses
during my preview (which I won't spoil), by doing plenty of stagger damage. Once I unlocked Chain Issen, I could take out multiple enemies in rapid fashion and the new flashy and stylish animation makes it so much more satisfying. Byakue is the hardest boss I've come across in Way of the Sword
so far, with constant erratic and unpredictable movements. You've got to have your guard up at all times against this one. (Video credit: Capcom) My
mention of stagger damage is important because Onimusha: Way of the Sword 's combat, especially during boss battles where parries are pivotal, reminds me very much of From Software's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice . Again, this isn't a souls-like, so don't expect much similarity to Sekiro elsewhere, and thankfully, Way of the Sword is much more forgiving for mistimed parries.

However, the sword clashes with bosses like Byakue are incredibly well designed, with audio and visuals that are fantastically gripping, creating
the same back-and-forth flow that worked so well in Sekiro .

The great thing is that it seems as though Capcom has used Sekiro as inspiration for combat and built on it, adding extra details like a brief slowdown and zoom when a perfect parry is performed, creating openings for further attacks.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is also not heavily reliant on parries in normal enemy encounters or boss battles, thanks to the presence of perfect dodges
and Issen. Those three elements combined make for a pleasant experience and outside of the practice arena, there are side quests you can take on for non-player characters (NPCs) with semi-open hubs (similar to Resident Evil 4 's boat segment) to explore. Wind-Whipper is a secondary weapon, but it's certainly a room clearer. It saved me numerous times when encountering more formidable foes while travelling across one of the game's semi-open hubs. (Video credit: Capcom) Perhaps the only worry I do have is that Way of the Sword seemingly won't have any other primary weapons for Miyamoto Musashi,
the main protagonist, to wield. There are indeed secondary weapons, but they are seemingly limited to Oni Armaments, which can only be used when their meters are filled when engaging in duels.

Don't get me wrong, those secondary weapons like the Two Celestials (dual blades) and the Wind-Whipper spear-like weapon I unlocked in my three-hour
run are great but I'm hoping there are enough skills for Musashi's katana to keep gameplay fresh through the game's runtime.

Either way, I'm incredibly excited for Onimusha: Way of the Sword 's launch
on September 4, 2026, releasing on PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Nintendo Switch 2 , and PC and I'm sure it will be yet another massive hit. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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