Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha franchise is making a triumphant return after two decades of silence, and recent hands-on previews reveal that the development team has crafted something truly special. During an exclusive visit to Capcom’s headquarters in Osaka, Japan, journalists were granted unprecedented access to never-before-seen portions of Onimusha: Way of the Sword, including a particularly memorable underground laboratory stage that draws heavy inspiration from classic Japanese ghost house horror traditions. The experience showcases not only the series’ commitment to its samurai action roots but also a willingness to embrace modern game design philosophies while maintaining the essence that made the original games beloved by millions of players worldwide.
The Onimusha series first launched in 2001 with Onimusha: Warlords for the PlayStation 2, quickly establishing itself as one of Capcom’s premier franchises alongside Resident Evil and Devil May Cry. The series blended samurai combat with supernatural horror elements, featuring players battling demonic creatures known as Genma across feudal Japan. Over the next few years, Capcom released several sequels and spin-offs, with the last mainline entry being Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams in 2006. The franchise’s 20-year hiatus left fans wondering if they would ever see another entry, making the announcement of Way of the Sword one of the most anticipated gaming comebacks in recent memory.
The Terrifying Underground Laboratory
Director Satoru Nihei introduced the underground laboratory stage as one of the most horrific environments in Way of the Sword’s dark-fantasy action experience, explicitly likening it to a classic Japanese ghost house. This subgenre of Japanese horror, known for its psychological terror and supernatural elements, permeates every corner of the stage’s design. Shadows cast upon the lab’s shoji screens reveal silhouettes of horrific body mutations and failed animal experiments, while blood-soaked hallways glisten under the soft orange glow of scattered torches. Beautiful kimonos hang ominously from the rafters above, presumably belonging to the unfortunate subjects of twisted experimentation. The attention to atmospheric detail demonstrates Capcom’s commitment to creating genuinely unsettling environments that enhance the gameplay experience rather than simply serving as backdrop.
At the center of this nightmare is Dokyo, a shrill and petulant Genma who represents a more advanced threat than the mindless demon hordes players typically encounter. Operating her laboratory beneath the imperial castle of Kyoto, Dokyo conducts unholy experiments on humans and animals alike in her quest to create even more terrifying Genma. Her terrifying charisma and twisted determination make her a compelling antagonist, with her voice echoing through the dungeon corridors between intense combat encounters. This character design philosophy reflects Capcom’s understanding that memorable villains require personality and motivation beyond simple malevolence, creating an antagonist that players will both dread encountering and find themselves fascinated by throughout their journey.
Revolutionary Combat System
The underground laboratory stage serves as the point where players are finally freed from the game’s extensive tutorial systems, allowing the full depth of Way of the Sword’s combat to shine. The returning Issen counter system, a franchise staple since the original game, requires players to press an attack button just before an enemy’s strike lands to execute a devastating counter-attack. This remains the most challenging technique to master, demanding precise timing that separates skilled players from casual practitioners. However, the development team has expanded the combat vocabulary significantly, introducing standard parries that fill a Blazing Gauge to ignite protagonist Miyamoto Musashi’s sword with blue flames, Reflex Dodges that position players for massive flanking attacks, and Break Issen attacks that can be executed when enemy stamina is depleted.
The complexity extends further with Chain Issen attacks for slicing through multiple enemies, deflection mechanics that work against swords and arrows alike, and Blade Barrages that occur when opposing attacks collide simultaneously. Animation team lead Hiroshi Yugen explained that the team created approximately ten different Issen variations depending on attack angles and circumstances. His primary goal was to translate the larger-than-life moments previously reserved for Onimusha cutscenes into actual gameplay, making players feel like they’re living within a samurai drama rather than simply watching one unfold. The visual feedback system, where blade sparks and audio cues change depending on parry timing, provides players with intuitive understanding of their performance without breaking immersion.
The Dynamic Dismemberment System
One of the most technically impressive achievements in Way of the Sword is what the development team calls the Dynamic Dismemberment System. This feature allows players to cleave enemies in half with satisfying precision, watching as distinct body halves slide to the ground below. According to Yugen, this technology didn’t exist in any previous Capcom title and required significant engineering work to implement within the RE Engine, the same technology powering recent Resident Evil releases. The challenge lay in combining dynamic dismemberment with exaggerated death animations inspired by classic samurai dramas, where defeated enemies remain on screen for extended moments before dramatically collapsing. The technical achievement opens possibilities for future Capcom titles, with the proximity of Resident Evil developers to the Onimusha team suggesting potential cross-pollination of this gruesome technology.
The motion capture process involved real samurai experts and choreographers performing not only the precise movements of protagonist Musashi but also the otherworldly actions of bosses like the eight-armed Rasho-gan and Dokyo with her elongated neck and unsettling appendages. Yugen spoke proudly of the various swordsmen who went to extraordinary lengths to sell these effects in the studio, bringing authenticity to both grounded combat techniques and fantastical supernatural encounters. This commitment to genuine martial arts foundations, enhanced by exaggerated fantasy elements, represents Capcom’s philosophy of honoring traditional samurai media while creating something distinctly modern and visually spectacular.
Memorable Boss Encounters
The underground laboratory culminates in two significant boss encounters that demonstrate the combat system’s depth. Byakue, whose name translates to Hundred Defilements, presents a unique challenge by growing stronger as players inflict damage. This design forces aggressive players to reconsider their approach, rewarding patience and observation over button-mashing tactics. Deflecting Byakue’s spinning blade attacks showers the arena with metal sparks, creating moments of genuine coolness that exemplify the game’s commitment to player empowerment. Defeating Byakue rewards players with Earth-Shaker hammers, an Oni Armament that proves essential for the subsequent dual-chimera boss fight.
The Nue fight pits Musashi against a pair of mythical beasts inspired by various animals, one red and one blue, each sporting electric tails that punish careless approaches. Success requires mastery of parries, Reflex Dodges, and Issen counters rather than aggressive offense. While the development team emphatically stated that Onimusha is absolutely not a Soulslike game, these encounters share the genre’s emphasis on pattern recognition and defensive play. The victory cutscene within Dokyo’s bloody labyrinth teases greater mysteries ahead, with hints that an even larger chimera boss awaits players later in the campaign. For fans who have waited two decades for a new Onimusha experience, these carefully crafted encounters suggest that Way of the Sword will deliver the satisfying samurai fantasy they’ve been craving when it launches next month.
Expert Opinion: Capcom’s decision to revive Onimusha after a 20-year hiatus appears strategically timed to capitalize on renewed interest in samurai gaming following titles like Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro. The integration of modern technical achievements like the Dynamic Dismemberment System with classic franchise mechanics suggests a game that respects its legacy while pushing forward. If the full experience maintains the quality demonstrated in these preview sections, Way of the Sword could establish Onimusha as a relevant force in the action game landscape for years to come.
