Onimusha: Way of the Sword Is at Its Best When It Embraces Pure Chaos
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Onimusha: Way of the Sword delivers brilliant physical comedy and tight combat, but its momentum occasionally suffers from an uneven tone and open-world bloat.
Capcom is back with a new entry in the classic action franchise, and the opening hours of Onimusha: Way of the Sword are wonderfully shambolic. Playing as wandering ronin Musashi, the game kicks off with a brilliant, goofy chase sequence through a muddy village that immediately separates it from the crowded field of po-faced fantasy slashers. The physical comedy, expressive animations, and surprisingly reactive combat where you can weaponize random environmental props like wheelbarrows prove that the game shines brightest when it leans into the silly.
Beneath the humor, as noted in recent coverage from Rock Paper Shotgun, lies an astutely built action adventure featuring one of the smoothest sword-deflecting mechanics in modern gaming. The swordplay feels great, and unexpected physics interactions in combat frequently lead to laugh-out-loud moments. Unfortunately, the game struggles with its own tone as it progresses, frequently losing that initial comedic energy to make room for gloomy open-world slogging, endless cutscenes, and map marker chasing around Kyoto.
While a tighter, more compact format might have better served the combat and pacing, Way of the Sword still manages to win players over whenever it remembers its own strengths. Just as fatigue starts to set in, a wild boss encounter or a flash of brilliant physical comedy pulls you back in. It is a very good action game that occasionally glimpses greatness, proving that a little self-aware silliness goes a long way in modern character action design.
Tags: Onimusha, Capcom, Action Games, PC Gaming, Console Gaming
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun