Heading into Capcom’s Onimusha: Way of the Sword demo, released June 2, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Onimusha is a notoriously systems-intensive series, with strong difficulty options to boot, so a short slice had the potential to be an overwhelming or flat-out frustrating affair. Even with my general excitement toward this new entry, I questioned whether a demo was really the best selling point.
I should not have worried. If this free demo is anything to go off of, Onimusha: Way of the Sword has the potential to be not just the series resurrector that long-time fans are hoping for, but also a definitive Game of the Year candidate. Tight combat on top of intricate systems on top of genuinely funny writing has led me to put Onimusha near the top of my most anticipated games of 2026.
While not perfect, the demo shows the potential Onimusha is hoping to capitalize on, with something for anyone willing to give it a try.
A Clash of Blades
The Onimusha demo opens with players stepping into the shoes of samurai Miyamoto Musashi after an unnamed event. A demonic tragedy has befallen the land, and Musashi has been cursed with a sentient Oni Gauntlet mounted to his arm. While the demo does not get into the specifics, it’s clear that Kyoto is under siege, and that this gauntlet is the only thing keeping Musashi… alive? Capable of seeing and cleaving demons? More to see there.
Focusing on one specific area surrounding and inside a corrupted temple, Musashi must traverse and slash his way to a ritual site inside the Shinto temple. Along the way, players will rescue innocents, fail to save others, and fight a lot of corrupted soldiers and Oni demons.
I loved the monster designs in particular: Onimusha’s level of “gross” is similar to the Souls series, but still wholly unique. It would be easy to lean on FromSoftware’s familiar formula, but Capcom seems to be attempting to separate Onimusha from the easy Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice connections that modern audiences may draw.
The demo culminates in a boss fight against a fellow samurai, also resurrected (maybe) via their own Oni gauntlet. The two share some history, including some pivotal events that occurred just before the beginning of the demo. The writing between the two is sharp, and helps set both characters against each other. I found myself laughing at the dialogue more than I expected for what could be a very gritty game. Musashi himself is a dry individual, and his comments toward the wild events around him had me chuckling. I look forward to seeing how he develops as the story progresses.
Swing, Slash, Stab
Now, this is usually the part in a preview where I would list out the gameplay mechanics present in the demo and try to paint a picture of what players are in for. Well, dear reader, there are SO MANY MECHANICS that it would take me far too long to try and describe each in detail. So instead, here’s a quick list:
- A parry for direct attacks that boosts your damage
- A deflect that does more stagger and can hit projectiles
- A command dodge
- A non-command dodge
- A blade clash system
- A different blade clash system that instant-kills (i.e., the series-staple Issen counter)
- A secondary weapon with different effects
- A manual soul absorption system, used for healing and experience gain
- An item system and bag…
- …And a regular block
Got all that? Good! Because it can be incredibly overwhelming. As the demo progressed and layered on more and more, I became intensely worried that the system bloat would drag the experience down. I struggle with analysis paralysis when it comes to mechanics: Give me too many options, and I can get lost deciding what’s the “right” way to approach a fight.
Fortunately, the Onimusha demo is structured in a way that allows players the ability to experiment with each mechanic. For instance, the deflect is introduced in an area full of archers, while the secondary weapon shows off its ability to take down large, single targets. It’s smart game design, but it still can be very, very intimidating.
“Dude, Just Pick One”
Nowhere was this information overload more apparent than in the demo’s final fight against Sasaki Ganryu. Here, every mechanic has a spot where it’s easy to see a use case. The first phase is a relative breeze, built around adjusting to a heavier parry window and deflect chance. I danced and sliced my way through Ganryu’s health bar, taking meaty chunks with each hit. The fight felt amazing, and I felt I had a full mastery of the systems in front of me.
And then the second phase happened. And I got chunked, again and again. I just could not find a way to weave each of Onimusha’s systems together: the right spots to slash or parry or deflect or dodge or other dodge or clash or… You get the idea. Luckily, I had a friend sitting next to me. We were “co-working” together, and he looked up from his screen just long enough to give me some sage advice.
“Dude, just pick one. It’s not forcing you anywhere.”
Beauty in Choice
I made reference earlier to FromSoft’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, another third-person samurai game built around mechanics and difficulty. Sekiro is a notoriously unforgiving game, with specific dodge/parry windows and mechanics that it punishes players for not using. To master Sekiro, you must play the game in the exact ways the developers intended. There isn’t a lot of room for experimentation or testing. It’s just the player, their sword, a stagger meter, and that’s about it.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is not that game. Although the two share passing resemblance, the core philosophies behind them seem very different. Sekiro hands players a system and says, “Learn it.” Onimusha seems more focused on allowing players to figure out how the systems work best for them. Do you gravitate toward mechanics that stagger? Lean into the deflect, and don’t worry about the clashes or parries. You won’t be punished for leaning on one system rather than the other. Issen counterclashes are amazing and visually satisfying, but you won’t lose out for not landing them.
I decided to lean heavier on the dodge and the clash, worrying less about parrying. Ganryu fell on the next attempt. It was immensely satisfying, so I booted up the fight again to try to parry more. And then dodge more. And then clash even more. Onimusha let me do all of it, and it never made me feel wrong for trying.
Suffice it to say, I’m looking forward to the full game.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword, developed and published by Capcom, releases on September 25, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. A free demo is available now on all platforms.
Gary is a jack-of-all-trades video game enthusiast based in Boston, MA. A semi-professional fighting game player, even less professional Apex Legends player, and even less professional adult, he spends most of his time poking at strange indie gems and reading about the need for more diverse voices in gaming criticism. He invites anyone to recommend anything he's missed in the gaming world via Twitter or BlueSky, where he can found under the username @grtnpwrfl. When he isn't spending his time playing games, Gary is an avid New England Patriots fan and frequent hiker.
