#Onimusha warlords pc review series
This is a series that has spawned four major releases (plus two spin-offs), but quietly disappeared after Dawn of Dreams hit in 2006. One somewhat forgotten gem among Capcom’s vast catalogue is Onimusha. God of War, Devil May Cry, Kingdom Hearts, Dark Cloud and many more, it truly was a revolutionary age for the medium. It arguably looks best on the Switch's handheld screen, while Onimusha on the go certainly has its appeal.The PlayStation 2 generation gave us some of the most exciting gaming franchises, at least overlooking Nintendo’s lengthy history.
This review is based on the Switch version, which we would recommend if you have the option. Capcom has also recorded a new soundtrack. The visuals have had a HD upgrade, both in game and cutscenes, while you can play the game in the original 4:3 ratio or 16:9 widescreen. There are also improved analogue controls (rather than the tank-like digital movement of the original).Įasy mode is available from the start this time round, while a new achievement system has 56 'Honours' for you to collect. This enhanced port of Onimusha: Warlords is available digitally for PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC and is priced at £15.99. Onimusha: Warlords | What's new in this remaster There are archaic quibbles that can’t be ignored but, for nostalgia’s sake or an intriguing history lesson, Onimusha is a thoroughly enjoyable blast from the past. This keenly-judged pace and the castle’s oppressive atmosphere are the aspects of Onimusha that are its most ageless, eking out a great deal of fun from its relatively brief running time. Locking-on, dodging and blocking are also too capricious for you to feel like you have as much control over Samanosuke’s abilities as you would like. While the updated movement is a lot more fluid than the original Resi-style ‘tank’ controls, the game flicking between camera angles in the heat of battle can be an irritation. Some quirks of age and design hold it back. The combat is fairly basic stuff, choosing the most suitable weapon to hack away at demons and making judicious use of your limited elemental powers, but has a certain crunch as to be satisfying. To power up your weapons, you absorb defeated demon’s souls through a magical gauntlet bequeathed to Samanosuke. You are able to swap out at will, slashing away at monsters or unleashing a powerful elemental attack. Each sword, while not vastly different, have their own variety in power and speed. Starting with a single sword, you later infuse it with electrical power, before unlocking two more blades with fire and wind elemental powers. Samanosuke is fully-equipped to deal with such threats, however. Doors are locked with mysterious keys, puzzles are there to be solved, while any number of beasts may be lurking around the hidden corners. It uses the same fixed angle and static backdrops that made the early Resident Evil games so effective, retaining that games smart use of a small, but tangled single location. It’s then up to you as Samanosuke to find your way around the castle, rescue Yuki and find the source of the demonic power. Indeed, Samanosuke and his assistant Kaede arrive at the castle to find it under siege from monsters, with many of Yuki’s guards wiped out. After Nobunaga is killed in battle, Samanosuke is called to the castle of his cousin, the Princess Yuki, who fears that demons related to the Oda clan are responsible for several disappearances.
You play as the skilled samurai Samanosuke Akechi, pitted against the feudal lord Nobunaga Oda. In truth, it is an imperfect game that thoroughly shows its age (this is an enhanced port of the 2002 original to PS4, Xbox One and Switch, rather than a full-blooded remake like the upcoming Resident Evil 2), but a singular one that reminds you of its forgotten impact. It is a small delight, then, to be able to replay Onimusha Warlords. Not bad for a short, relatively niche game that blended Resident Evil horror with hack n slash combat and a fantasised reimagining of the historical Sengoku period. A series not revisited by the Japanese publisher since 2006, the original Onimusha was the PS2’s first million seller. At times it can feel that Capcom’s samurai adventure Onimusha is one of the PS2’s forgotten classics.