Onimusha: Way of the Sword Revives Franchise After 20 Years

Capcom has revived its classic samurai action series with the release of Onimusha: Way of the Sword, marking the franchise's first new mainline entry in two decades. The game, which launched on September 4, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, introduces a new protagonist, Miyamoto Musashi, and shifts the setting from the Sengoku period to early Edo-period Kyoto. While the title has been met with praise for its combat system, reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding its narrative and repetitive design elements.

The game follows Musashi, a skilled swordsman who is killed and then resurrected in Hell, where he is given a magical gauntlet that allows him to absorb souls. He returns to Kyoto to combat the Genma, a demonic force threatening the city. The story is described as a standalone narrative, separate from the previous Onimusha games and any related media, making it accessible to newcomers. Musashi is portrayed as a character focused on proving his own strength, initially reluctant to use the supernatural power of the gauntlet, which creates a central thematic conflict.

Combat is widely highlighted as the game's strongest feature. The system...