Onimusha is almost back. The latest installment, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, launches next month after a 20-year hiatus within Capcom’s samurai action series. Way of the Sword is also the latest game to grace the cover of Game Informer, and to write that cover story (that subscribers can read right here), I traveled to Osaka, Japan, to visit Capcom HQ, play never-before-seen parts of the game, and interview the team making it. It was during this play session that I learned and confirmed Way of the Sword is not an open-world game, and it isn’t a Soulslike either, despite what you may think.
If you’ve played the demo for Way of the Sword, which is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (but not Nintendo Switch 2, despite the game launching there next month as well), you already know this, but the game is definitely not a Soulslike, and director Satoru Nihei confirmed as much when I asked him; it is a character action game, through and through.
Yes, there are challenging boss fights that will test your understanding of protagonist Miyamoto Musashi’s samurai combat kit. Yes, you will die a lot. But you don’t lose resources when you die that you then have to recover next time you’re alive. There is also nothing as challenging as what you’d expect in a Soulslike, both in terms of bosses and standard mob enemies, and you won’t find the treacherous exploration typically associated with the genre either. Instead, Way of the Sword is a game about mastering Musashi’s blade, using the environment around you to win, and slicing up demon after demon.
Another thing the demo indicates to the player is that Way of the Sword is not an open-world game, and Nihei and the team at Capcom also confirmed as much. That said, they do describe a hub-like section of Kyoto, which is where the game is set, as an “open-town.” While not open world, this open-town section is wider than the standard stages you’ll play through during Way of the Sword, and it features plenty of side paths, secrets, hidden places, and more to discover through exploration. There are side quests to pick up, NPCs to interact with, items to find, vendors to interact with, and more. So, while there won’t be a massive map full of checklists to mark, typical of open-world games, the main hub of Way of the Sword will provide a scaled-down version of that feel with its open-town Kyoto.
Fortunately, Way of the Sword is just weeks away, meaning we can all experience the full scope of the game’s action and open-town exploration soon.
I’ll continue diving deeper into Capcom’s return to Onimusha as part of Game Informer’s month of Way of the Sword coverage. We’ll be publishing exclusive gameplay and behind-the-scenes videos (including a Rapid-Fire Interview) on the Game Informer YouTube channel as well. Keep an eye on the Onimusha: Way of the Sword coverage hub so you don’t miss any of it.
In the meantime, here’s some additional Onimusha: Way of the Sword reading for you:
Are you glad Onimusha: Way of the Sword isn’t an open-world game or a Soulslike? Let us know in the comments below!