Onimusha: Way of the Sword Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
The last time I played an Onimusha title was back in the PS2 era, when Jean Reno was somehow starring alongside Samanosuke in Onimusha 3: Demon Siege. There have been a few releases since then, including remakes and remasters, but the last brand-new entry, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, released way back in 2006. That means the series hasn’t seen a new mainline adventure in 20 years. Now, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is cutting its way onto Nintendo Switch 2, powered by Capcom’s RE Engine. But can Capcom continue the generational streak they’re on? And can they modernise the franchise for a new generation of gamers without isolating the fans who have been waiting two decades for its return? What’s It Like? Sharpen your swords, pack your Hazuki pouch, and prepare to slay some Genma as we review Onimusha: Way of the Sword for Nintendo Switch 2.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword takes us to Edo-era Kyoto, where the city has been twisted by a supernatural threat known as the Genma. Playing as Miyamoto Musashi, a lovable, if somewhat mischievous and complicated rogue who has an ego to match his skill with the blade. Along the journey, Musashi encounters a cast of allies and enemies, each with their own connection to the conflict, while the story blends historical Japan with the dark supernatural fantasy that has defined Onimusha. It’s a tale of samurai, demons and revenge, with plenty of twists along the way… which I’ll leave for you to discover for yourself.
What I wasn’t quite prepared for was just how much some of the story elements would hit me. Initially, I wasn’t sold on Musashi. His arrogance and reluctance to become a hero made him difficult to like, and I wasn’t entirely sold on the game as a whole either. The opening hour feels somewhat inconsistent in its pacing, with the game occasionally playing moments out for you and dumping exposition rather than allowing you to experience them through playable sections. But as the story progresses and the stakes get higher, there’s much more depth to Musashi than that initial impression suggests. His character development is surprisingly well written, and there’s one particular example I would love to talk about here, but doing so would spoil one of the game’s best moments. So, I’ll leave it at this: I wasn’t expecting Way of the Sword to explore themes that went much deeper than its initial premise of simply going out and killing Genma.
That said, the core gameplay really is very much “go out and kill Genma”… and it works brilliantly. Onimusha: Way of the Sword is fairly linear in its overall structure, with Kyoto acting as an ever-expanding hub filled with side quests, optional objectives and things to discover. Major story events take place both within the city and in standalone areas that you travel to, with these sections offering a more traditional start-to-finish level structure. You’ll explore, solve puzzles, uncover hidden nooks containing treasure, and, of course, fight an absolutely ridiculous number of Genma.
Which leads us to the standout feature of Onimusha: Way of the Sword… the combat. Cutting your way through hordes of enemies never fails to impress, while the boss fights manage to take that spectacle to another level. Combat is intuitive, stylish and challenging, relying heavily on counters, timing and positioning in a way that feels surprisingly similar to the Batman: Arkham games. What makes it so satisfying is that counters and dodges are just forgiving enough to let you pull off cinematic battles without making you feel like the game is doing all the work for you. When everything clicks, you can tear through enemies in a way that looks and feels incredible. On top of standard counters, you can also cross swords with certain opponents at just the right moment, locking you into a deadly duel where you’re deflecting blows before responding with a different attack to gain the upper hand. You can stagger enemies by wearing down their guard, opening them up for a devastating finishing blow, while Oni abilities add another layer to the carnage. Oni Strength can be used to smash through enemy shields, while Oni Armaments can deal devastating area-of-effect damage or stagger groups of enemies. And then there’s the environment. Musashi can use the world around him to his advantage, whether that’s flipping a broken door onto its side to shield himself from arrows, pushing a cart into a group of enemies, or slamming a Genma into a fence during a grab. It’s all incredibly satisfying, and this has to be one of the most enjoyable and satisfying combat systems we’ve seen since the Batman: Arkham trilogy.
As you progress, you’ll also be able to use souls and various crafting materials to upgrade Musashi’s abilities and equipment. This ranges from general upgrades, such as clothing that affects your HP and stamina, to improving your sword’s damage, or enhancing your gauntlet’s maximum Oni power, soul absorption range and absorption rate. You can also put points into your basic skills and special abilities to better suit your preferred playstyle, giving you plenty of room to experiment and make Musashi even deadlier. While the initial skirmishes will see you cutting through Genma with relative ease, investing in these upgrades becomes increasingly important as the game progresses. I found there was a fairly sharp difficulty curve around the halfway point of the story, with enemies becoming considerably more aggressive and punishing. Thankfully, the upgrade system gives you the tools to adapt, and when you combine the right abilities with a good understanding of the combat, that difficulty feels far more manageable.
Edo-era Japan is brought to life with Capcom’s RE Engine, which once again seems determined to raise the bar for what’s possible on Switch 2. There’s an incredible amount of detail packed into this world, and even the actions you perform within it have a real sense of weight. Sparks fly from clashing swords, limbs are sent flying from enemies, and dense clouds of malice seem to suffocate the world around you. It’s an incredibly realised and believable setting, and just as you start becoming accustomed to the rain-soaked streets of Kyoto, you’re suddenly thrust into a sunset-drenched mountain pass as you climb towards a castle assault. The variety in environments keeps the journey visually interesting, and Capcom has done a fantastic job making each location feel distinct. But the real standout is the world-building… The Genma are grotesque and intimidating, with some encounters and environments becoming genuinely disturbing. The main cast of villains have a formidable presence, and the way they’re presented helps create the threat Musashi is facing. It all comes together to create a fantastic and immersive visual package on Switch 2.
There are some compromises, particularly when it comes to lighting. Some of the more advanced lighting effects have clearly been toned back to help maintain performance, but the trade-off appears to have been worthwhile. Across my time with the game, performance generally sat around 35–45 frames per second, keeping everything feeling fluid and responsive. And importantly, I didn’t encounter any bugs or crashes throughout my entire playthrough to dull the experience. Considering just how much is happening on screen at times, that’s an impressive level of polish for the Switch 2 version.
For my samurai looking into accessibility, there are plenty of options here to make your time Genma slaying more comfortable. These range from control settings, including motion controls, subtitle options, GUI size and HUD customisation, fixed frame rates, disabling motion blur, and options designed to reduce motion sickness. It’s great to see so many options included, but as always, I recommend further research into finding out if Onimusha: Way of the Sword suits your accessibility needs. Thankfully, there’s also a free demo available on the eShop, giving you the opportunity to try the game for yourself before committing to a purchase. The English voice cast does a perfectly good job, but some of the accents occasionally pulled me out of the setting.
At just under $108 AUD, Onimusha: Way of the Sword commands a premium price, providing a 20-odd hour story, plenty of side content and collectibles, and that level of polish we’ve come to expect from Capcom during its Switch 2 generation. In terms of enjoyment and overall level of polish, I would liken it to a similar experience to Resident Evil Requiem or Pragmata. They’re very different games, but all showcase Capcom’s ability to deliver a premium experience on Switch 2.
Capcom are once again proving themselves masters of the multiplatform port with Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Its brutal and convincing world transports you straight back to Edo-era Kyoto, while intuitive combat makes even its most intense encounters feel effortless to pick up and play. The RE Engine continues to produce incredible, believable worlds on Switch 2, and despite Capcom consistently delivering impressive ports, it still manages to push the boundaries of what we thought was possible on Nintendo’s hybrid console. After two decades away, the Onimusha franchise makes an outstanding return. Whether you’re a longtime fan or stepping into this world for the first time, Way of the Sword is an easy recommendation.
So, What’s it Like? Onimusha: Way of the Sword is like Monster Hunter, crossed with Resident Evil.
In the interest of full disclosure, a review copy was provided by the publisher, but this doesn’t influence my score.
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