Capcom’s long-dormant samurai franchise returns with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, a next-generation, single-player action title built on Capcom’s RE Engine and scheduled for release in 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Windows (Steam).
We already knew the game was coming—thanks to Capcom revealing it last year—but it was at Gamescom that most of the press had a chance to take it to the testing fields. And judging from what we’ve seen, the likes of Polygon, Noisy Pixel, Outerheaven and several others left the demo stations thoroughly impressed, which is always a good sign.
It is worth mentioning that we haven’t seen a new Onimusha game since Dawn of Dreams In 2006. Yes, there releases after that, but they were mostly browser games, mobile and VR experiences that don’t constitute a full on, sequential launch within the Onimusha timeline. So it would pay to give the following story a read to better understand what Onimusha: Way of the Sword is all about.
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Onimusha: Way of the Sword | Everything you need to know
What’s the story?
As with the previous titles, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set in early-historical Japan, but with a change: instead of the Sengoku period of the previous games, the new title goes a little further, putting the player smack-dab in the Edo era.
And much like its previous entries, the new game also sees feudal Japan invaded by the demon race known as “Genma”, which threatens both samurai clans and common folk alike with its ultimate goal of total dominance.
Against this chaos, a known name in Japanese culture—Miyamoto Musashi—takes up arms to oppose the Genma. And once again, the mysterious Oni gauntlet, an artifact from a race that fought the demon race ages past and has the ability to absorb the souls of fallen enemies, is his main weapon in this fight.
Wait…Musashi-who?
You really should brush up on your History: in real life, Miyamoto Musashi is known as kensei, a word the Japanese can roughly translate to “sword saint”. And that’s not out of nowhere: according to several historical sources, Musashi fought 61 sword duels in his life, winning every single one of them before becoming an artist and writer: he authors “The Book of Five Rings”, one of the most culturally-valued pieces of literature in Japan’s history.
In Onimusha: Way of the Sword, a young(ish) version of Musashi is the playable character: while Capcom has yet to reveal what is his beef with the Genma, several developers stated he was modeled after late Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, also a huge name on Japanese dramaturgy as he was the star on several movies from the 40s all the way to the late 90s, when he died. According to several sources, it took Capcom about two years of negotiation with Mifune’s estate in order to secure the rights to reproduce the man’s face digitally.
This seems to be another nod to Onimusha’s early days, as several games from the franchise did use real, historical figures and famous actors in its development: notable names include Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Nobunaga Oda (from Japanese history); Takeshi Kaneshiro and Jean Reno (actors).
How the gameplay respects the series’ legacy — and what’s new
According to several people who played the demo at Gamescom, Onimusha: Way of the Sword keeps the franchise’s core focus on intelligent sword-fighting, avoiding the old “spam cutting moves” trend in favor of a more nuanced, clean take.
This roughly translated to light/heavy attack combos, dodge rolls and a heavy emphasis on timed parries. When you parry successfully the game rewards you instantly — opening clear counter windows and dedicated animations that feel weighty and cinematic, not just mechanically useful.
So…a soulslike?
No, not a “soulslike”, dammit! Where were you before Demon’s Souls came around? The idea here is to make every fight unique and, instead of the trial-and-error process that make you memorize enemy patterns, Onimusha: Way of the Sword will seemingly treat each fight as a movie action sequence: there will be some flashy stuff, but you’ll have to create the necessary space for them to come around.
In short: older Onimusha players will remember the Isen Break mechanic—a narrowly-timed move that allowed you to avoid an attacking opponent while, at the same time, cutting them deeply and dealing heavy damage. In bosses, this means a huge chunk of energy gone and an opportunity to squeeze in a combo or two before resetting. On common grunt enemies, this can mean one-hit kill.
For the new stuff, Capcom layers a new resource loop over that foundation with the Oni Gauntlet. You absorb enemy souls into the gauntlet during fights, and those souls fuel powerful Oni Armament attacks and progression options. The gauntlet plays as much a mechanical role as a narrative one, letting players spend and manage resources mid-combat.
Boss fights now wear two meters: a visible health bar and a stamina/poise gauge. Drain the poise and bosses enter vulnerable states—Issen Breaks or cinematic execution windows—which reward timing and precision rather than prolonged button-mashing.
The demo also shows targeted vulnerability mechanics: you can break specific gear or body parts (a jingasa, a demon gauntlet) to expose new openings and shift the fight’s balance. That design pushes players to read encounters and aim for precision, not only raw damage, adding a bit of a “Monster Hunteresque” feel to gameplay, as Capcom’s monster killing series also brings advantages on breaking enemies down before ending them.
Is Onimusha: Way of the Sword canon or reboot?
This is a question that pops up from time to time when it comes to discussing Onimusha: Way of the Sword’s place within the franchise’s timeline. And the answer is simple: it’s not a reboot, nor a retcon, nor a “remake with different stuff”. It is a full fledged game within its own setting and spot in the brand’s mythos.
That’s according to Capcom, at least: a new saga that is not some kind of open-world reinvention nor as a literal continuation of any single older title. It relaunches the franchise, which has been absent for around two decades, while telling a fresh story with some well-known elements (samurai themes, Genma, supernatural horror).
Again, we’ll have to wait and see more before we have more clarity on this part: as we’ve stated earlier, little is known in the ways of this game’s plot—Capcom is understandably holding its cards close to the chest on this one—but given the impending 2026 arrival, we may not have to wait too long to find out.
FAQ
Is Onimusha: Way of the Sword a reboot?
No. Capcom positions it as a new saga within the Onimusha mythos — a fresh mainline entry that tells a standalone story while keeping core series themes (samurai, Genma, Oni Gauntlet).
Who do you play as?
You play as a young(ish) Miyamoto Musashi, the legendary swordsman. Developers have stated Musashi’s in-game appearance was modelled after the late actor Toshiro Mifune, and Capcom reportedly negotiated rights with his estate. While the game shares some timing-and-stamina DNA with action titles often labelled “soulslike,” Capcom frames fights as cinematic, chess-like duels that reward reading and precision rather than rote memorization.
How does combat play and what is the Oni Gauntlet?
Combat centres on a clean light/heavy split, dodge rolls and timed parries; successful parries open immediate counter windows and distinct, weighty animations. The Oni Gauntlet absorbs souls from defeated enemies and acts as a resource pool for powerful Oni Armament attacks and progression options, making resource management part of the tactical picture.
When and where will the game release?
Capcom has slated Way of the Sword for 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Windows (Steam).
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This is another entry on a series of articles PRG is doing, detailing Gamescom’s featured games as much as we can. Make sure to check out our other stories to stay in the loop!
