Onimusha: Way of the Sword Review Summary

Satisfying combat and smooth performance make it enjoyable, but frequent crashes and launch failures render it unplayable, with no DualSense support.

Combat is satisfying and responsive: Players consistently praise the combat system for being fluid, responsive, and satisfying, with many noting its fairness and depth. The combat is described as fast, brutal, and impactful, with great animations and finishers.

Performance is smooth and stable: Many players report excellent performance with no crashes, stutters, or bugs, and the game runs smoothly even at high settings. The optimization is frequently highlighted as a strong point, with high frame rates and stable gameplay.

Game is highly enjoyable: Reviewers find the game extremely fun and addictive, often describing it as excellent, incredible, and hard to put down. The gameplay is praised for being fantastic and engaging, making it a great time killer.

Graphics are visually impressive: The game's graphics are consistently praised as stunning, beautiful, and breathtaking, with high-quality visuals that enhance the experience. Players note the impressive detail and overall visual spectacle.

Musashi is a standout character: The character Musashi is widely praised for being charismatic, funny, and iconic, with a charming portrayal that adds humor to the story. Players appreciate his cool and lovable personality, which stands out in the narrative.

Game fails to launch: Many players report the game crashes immediately on startup, shows a black screen, or cannot be opened at all. This prevents entry into the game for a significant number of users.

No DualSense support: Players report that the DualSense controller is not recognized or supported, especially on PC. There is no vibration adaptation or PS5 controller support, which is a notable omission for a modern title.

Low difficulty level: The game is considered too easy, especially at the start and on the highest difficulty in the first playthrough. This reduces the challenge and incentive to learn mechanics.

Repetitive content: Map, main quests, side quests, exploration, and collection elements are reported as repetitive. This reduces the variety and long-term engagement of the gameplay.

Weak enemy design: Small enemies and some normal Oni enemies are described as mediocre, weak, or visually flat. This affects combat satisfaction and visual quality.

Parry and Issen combat: Multiple clusters highlight a parry-based combat system with Issen counters, similar to Sekiro. Players appreciate the variety of defensive options and counter mechanics.

Japanese sword-fighting style: The combat features a Japanese sword-fighting aesthetic with realistic cuts and legendary weapons. This thematic element appeals to fans of samurai and hack-and-slash genres.

Historical Japan with demons: The setting combines historical Japan with supernatural horror elements, involving samurai battling demons and genma. This unique blend enhances the narrative and atmosphere.

Action-oriented gameplay: The game is recognized as a fast-paced action title, more action-focused than the original. This sets expectations for an engaging, dynamic experience.

Multiple defensive options: Players have access to block, parry, dodge, and flash-dodge mechanics, offering tactical depth. This variety allows for different playstyles and strategies.

Frequent crashes make game unplayable: Many players report the game crashing repeatedly, at launch, during gameplay, and even crashing the entire computer. This severe instability prevents many from playing at all.

High-end PCs run game excellently: On powerful hardware, the game runs at high frame rates (100-240 FPS) with max settings, ray tracing, and DLSS/FSR enabled. Performance is praised as smooth and stable.

Optimization generally praised: Many reviewers commend the game's optimization, noting smooth performance, high FPS, and no stutters even on modest hardware. The game is considered well-optimized overall.

No crashes for many players: Several reviewers report zero crashes during their playtime, with stable performance and no graphical bugs. This suggests crash issues may be hardware or configuration specific.

Frame rate cap prevents crashes: Setting the frame rate to 60 FPS or disabling unlimited frame rate resolves crashes for some players. Uncapped frame rates can cause crashes or prevent the game from launching.

Game is recommended overall: Many reviewers recommend the game, citing its combat, presentation, and story. It is seen as a solid purchase for action game fans.

Performance issues exist: Some reviewers mention performance problems, including crashes and launch failures. They advise updating drivers, running as administrator, or limiting frame rate to avoid issues.

Recommended for Japanese setting fans: The game is praised for its feudal Japan setting, samurai themes, and Japanese mythology. It appeals to fans of Ghost of Tsushima and similar titles.

Recommended for Onimusha fans: Long-time fans of the Onimusha series are generally happy with the game, though some long-term fans may not be. Newcomers are also encouraged to try it.

Try demo before buying: Reviewers advise trying the demo, especially for those unfamiliar with Onimusha games or the genre. This helps set expectations and avoid disappointment.

Community fair range: $30.00 - $40.00.

Game completion: 40.0h.

Most players find Onimusha: Way of the Sword fun from the start, with combat and story hooking them within the first hour or even the tutorial, though some note early cinematics and tutorial filler as minor friction.

Friction: tutorial; cinematics; story filler; game crashes.

Nostalgic Veteran: Plays methodically, comparing to original games, savoring atmosphere and story. Motivation: To relive the classic Onimusha experience and see the series return to its former glory. Stance: buy.

Betrayed Veteran: Plays critically, comparing every element to the original games and focusing on flaws. Motivation: To see the series honor its legacy, but they are driven away by perceived betrayal. Stance: no buy.

Newcomer Enthusiast: Plays casually, exploring and enjoying the combat and story. Motivation: To have fun and discover a new action game without preconceptions. Stance: buy.

Performance varies by VRAM tier: higher-end and lower-end VRAM systems report mostly positive experiences, while mid-range VRAM (8-15GB) shows a mixed picture with many crash reports.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: mixed. Reports are split; some users experience smooth performance with settings tweaks, while many others report crashes at launch or during gameplay.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: mixed. Similar split; some users report excellent performance and no crashes, but a significant number report crashes or black screens.

Windows 16GB+ VRAM: positive. Most users report good optimization and performance, with only occasional crashes mentioned.

Steam Deck: The Steam Deck experience is mixed. While some users enjoy smooth performance and good battery life, many report crashes and black screens, especially after the intro or during cutscenes, making the game unstable. Additionally, there is a lack of DS5 controller vibration support. The stability issues are the most impactful, leading to a broken experience for many.

Linux and Proton: The Linux/Proton experience is predominantly positive. Users report no crashes or stuttering on desktop Linux and smooth performance on Steam Deck. One isolated crash report exists on Bazzite during cinematics, but it does not represent a consensus issue and does not prevent gameplay for other users.

Long-awaited return of Onimusha: Many reviewers highlight that this is the first new Onimusha game in 20 years, expressing relief and gratitude for the franchise's revival. The long wait is seen as worthwhile, and the series' return is celebrated.

Capcom praised as top developer: Capcom is consistently praised as a leading developer, with reviewers calling them the best studio and noting their string of successful releases. The game is seen as another success in Capcom's strong year.

Comparisons to Sekiro and God of War: Reviewers frequently compare the game to Sekiro, God of War, and Onimusha, noting similarities in combat and style. Some mention it is more casual than Sekiro, while others praise its combat as feeling better.

Pre-orders and deluxe editions common: Several reviewers mention purchasing premium or deluxe editions, often as pre-orders, indicating high anticipation. This suggests strong initial interest and trust in the franchise.

Full localization and Russian support: The game offers full localization, including Russian voice acting and Chinese Mandarin support, which is appreciated by non-English players. The quality of the Russian voice acting is specifically highlighted as good.