I’ll admit that I went into my Onimusha: Way of the Sword demo carrying a fair amount of skepticism.
Not because I don’t love Onimusha. Quite the opposite, actually. The original series remains one of Capcom’s most underrated franchises, sitting in that strange category of beloved classics that somehow never managed to maintain the same mainstream presence as Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, or Monster Hunter. For years, fans have been asking Capcom to bring it back in a meaningful way, and after such a long absence, there’s always the fear that a revival might misunderstand what made the series special in the first place.
That uncertainty lingered in the back of my mind as I sat down for my demo at Summer Game Fest. By the time it ended, however, most of those concerns had disappeared. In fact, Onimusha: Way of the Sword quickly became one of the most exciting games I played during the showcase.
The previous Onimusha games often felt constrained by the technology of their time; their worlds were memorable, but they were also relatively linear worlds built around moving from one contained area to the next. Onimusha: Way of the Sword feels considerably more ambitious, being this wide open area. While I’m not sure if this is only a hub area, it does feel like I could spend hours inside this city-sized area. What it really reminded me of was Arkham City, with how many things are seemingly going on in the world around you.
There was this great sense of adventure while moving through the world because of this. It felt like in Arkham City, I was just around the corner from finding some cool side objective or collectible. This is one part that I can’t wait to explore more of during the full game. If they manage to pull that off, then that’s a huge win for open-world and Onimusha fans.
The larger world also does a wonderful job of enhancing the atmosphere. Onimusha has always blended historical Japan with supernatural horror, and Way of the Sword appears to be leaning heavily into both aspects. One moment you’re moving through beautiful landscapes that feel almost serene, and the next you’re stumbling across something deeply unsettling that reminds you this is still a series about demons, cursed powers, and horrifying transformations.
From the moment I picked up a controller, it became clear that Capcom isn’t playing around and is going all out for Onimusha’s return. Anyone expecting something closer to Devil May Cry may need to adjust their expectations because combat here feels deliberate, demanding, and surprisingly tense. Every encounter felt dangerous, and more along the lines of Dark Souls than anything else.
“The biggest highlight for me in the Onimusha: Way of the Sword demo was the grotesque body-horror boss I got to fight.”
While I wasn’t getting my butt handed to me time and time again like in a FromSoftware game, there is a similarity that comes from how much attention is required during every fight, with stamina management playing a huge role, and carelessly swinging your weapon can leave you vulnerable in an instant. Every dodge, every attack, and every defensive decision carries weight. Trying to rush through fights quickly resulted in mistakes, while slowing down and studying attack patterns proved far more effective.
The biggest highlight for me in the Onimusha: Way of the Sword demo was the grotesque body-horror boss I got to fight. Over the years, I’ve fought countless bosses who rely on spectacle above all else. They look impressive, they fill the screen with visual effects, and they create memorable moments, but the actual mechanics often boil down to avoiding obvious attacks before unloading damage whenever a vulnerability window appears.
This was different. The boss felt genuinely dangerous throughout the entire encounter, and sure, there was spectacle, but it felt like even in those moments, there was something to pay attention to or else I would have died very quickly. The best example was when the boss pulls out these giant trees from the ground, and the camera pulls out, and before he slams them down and easily chunks your health down halfway, you can quickly pull out your bow and shoot them down. Sitting here typing it, sure, it doesn’t sound wild, but there is something so cinematic about how all the bosses’ attacks wind up. It was about understanding when to commit, when to retreat, and when to jump in, attack once or twice and back off.
The original Onimusha games always had these contained horror moments where it leaned hard into it, but never really nailed those vibes. Onimusha: Way of the Sword seems more interested in leaning into the grotesque side of its world, and this is clear in its boss and general design. The encounters reminded me of some of the body horror found throughout Capcom’s history, and while we aren’t talking the crazy horror of Resident Evil, between the atmosphere, design and general feel, like Capcom is going more horror with this Onimusha.
Many modern action games focus almost exclusively on empowerment. They want players to feel unstoppable. Onimusha: Way of the Sword certainly allows players to become stronger over time, but there remains an undercurrent of danger running through everything I experienced. The world feels hostile. The enemies feel threatened. Even when you’re winning, there’s a lingering sense that something worse could be waiting around the next corner.
Before playing, I was interested in the game because I like the franchise and wanted to see it succeed. After playing it, I’m excited because Onimusha: Way of the Sword genuinely feels like one of the most promising action games on the horizon. The combination of exploration, challenging combat, memorable cinematic bosses, and unsettling horror elements came together far better than I had expected.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword feels like Capcom knows it has something special on its hands. After going hands-on with this giant boss, it has firmly secured a spot near the top of my most anticipated games of the year.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword releases on September 25, 2026, for Steam, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X|S.
