With Onimusha: Way of the Sword , CAPCOM is bringing back on PC , PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X|S , and Nintendo Switch 2 a series that has been too long on hiatus. Although the playable demo sold the game to most fans already, despite its low challenge level (which will be addressed in the full game with difficulty sliders ), a new bit of information that has arrived thanks to an exclusive preview by PC Game r reveals how CAPCOM is going to defy expectations, featuring more open-ended scenarios alongside the linear stages the series always featured with its unique take on the classic Resident Evil formula.

"Unlike in the demo, today I've seen environments that are not really tight and linear," said PC Gamer 's Robert Jones in the video preview. "Onimusha: Way of the Sword is not an open-world game. However, today I found that there's areas where, for example, a good sized chunk of Kyoto is accessible to you. There will obviously be the through line for the main quest or quests that you're doing, but then there's also options to peel off to engage in side quests or other activities."

Needless to say, this is excellent news. While the Onimusha: Way of the Sword atmosphere and combat mechanics would have been more than enough to carry the entire game, knowing that it will be possible to branch out in search of optional content that will better flesh out the setting, and hidden bosses to further engage with the Issen mechanics .

"You will be able to speak to different NPCs, and there will also be hidden bosses," said Director Satoru Nihei . "Kyoto has a lot of history and a lot of strange tales, and you will be able to go in the space and take on missions that will let you see that side of Kyoto. We want people to be able to experience the kind of charm of Kyoto as well."

Having been a fan of the Onimusha series since the very first entry released back in 2001, I would have been content even with just a slight modernization of the classic formula, which the Gamescom 2025 demo suggested the game would be. However, the development team seems to have done everything possible to turn Onimusha: Way of the Sword into a success on par with Resident Evil Requiem and Pragmata , continuing the incredible streak the Japanese publisher has been on since the launch of Resident Evil VII: Biohazard .

Hopefully, the game will do well enough with newcomers to ensure the franchise will not again go into an undeserved 20-year-long hiatus.

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