Banner artwork for Onimusha: Way of the Sword on its Steam store page
Image: Capcom

Onimusha is back. Capcom released Onimusha: Way of the Sword on September 4, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store). It is the first new entry in the series in 20 years. The game was originally dated September 25: on July 2, Capcom moved it up by three weeks, without giving a reason. A free demo is available on every platform.

For newcomers, Onimusha is Capcom's samurai action series from the PlayStation 2 era: swordplay against the Genma, the series' demons, in feudal Japan.

Musashi in a haunted Kyoto

Players control Miyamoto Musashi, the historical swordsman, in early Edo-period Kyoto as the city is consumed by miasma. After obtaining the Oni Gauntlet, Musashi fights the Genma while searching for his reason to fight.

The structure is a change from the originals: the game is built around semi-open zones rather than linear stages, with side quests, weapon and health upgrades from exploration materials, and separate skill trees for Oni weapons and general abilities. Combat is built around parrying.

A strong critical reception

Reviews went live on August 31. At launch, Metacritic showed 85 from 82 reviews (PS5 version), and on October 19 OpenCritic listed a Top Critic Average of 86, with 96% of critics recommending it.

Verdicts, as excerpted on OpenCritic:

  • IGN (10/10): "Onimusha: Way of the Sword is an incredible action game with an excellent story to match."
  • Forbes (9/10): "Overall, Onimusha: Way of the Sword may be the best game in the series and by quite a large margin."
  • PC Gamer (83/100): "A sublime mix of classic Capcom action and weighty physical swordfighting."
  • Giant Bomb (4/5): "Onimusha: Way of the Sword properly carries the mantle of the original games."
  • TheGamer (4.5/5), Hardcore Gamer (4.5/5), Eurogamer (4/5) and GameSpot (8/10) also scored it well.

The criticism focuses on structure. GameSpot calls the semi-open world "a misstep," and PC Gamer's verdict adds that "the only enemy it can't overcome is its own pacing." Some reviewers also flagged repeated mini-bosses and a difficulty spike in the mid-to-late game. Boss fights, Oni weapons and the parry system get the most consistent praise.

Key takeaways

  • Release: September 4, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 and PC (moved up from September 25)
  • Genre: third-person sword action, semi-open zones
  • Setting: early Edo-period Kyoto, Miyamoto Musashi against the Genma
  • Reception: 86 on OpenCritic (96% recommend), 85 on Metacritic at launch

For another Capcom release this fall, see our Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen coverage.

Sources

Vostrike Newsroom
Editorial team

Vostrike's editorial desk. Articles are researched from cited sources and checked by a human editor before publication. We don't put our own score on games we haven't played.