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If there’s one game I have to shamefully admit I never finished, it was the original Onimusha 2. My parents, without a care in the world, let me play this when I was way too young and was never able to get past the third boss. Plus, I felt it was quite scary. Fortunately, Capcom has brought it back with many improvements, QoL features, and even new content for players to try. Even if it still has that old-school jank and fighting still feels tedious at times, it is a classic gem and one I’m glad Capcom chose to remaster.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny was initially released in 2002. At the time, it had great scores, reaching an 84 Metascore. The sequel to that was even better, but I’ll gush about it another time. Still, Samurai’s Destiny was great in many ways. Combat was more fluid, at least for 2002 standards. The visuals looked better. And the exploration and puzzle aspects were superb. Then, what has Capcom brought this time to revive this timeless classic? Well, it’s pretty much untouched in the areas that matter. The gameplay is exactly the same, but the QoL features are terrific, and the new difficulty modes will keep players around for dozens of hours.
Avenging the Yagyu Clan
While the story is known by many now, I’ll just give you a quick rundown of what you can expect. Assuming you never played the original release. Oda Nobunaga is trying to unite Japan with his army of demons, and while doing so, he devastates the Yagyu village. Jubei, the protagonist and sole survivor, goes down a path of revenge to bring justice to his clan and defeat Nobunaga in the process.
There are more things in between, including a memorable cast of characters, a Resident Evil-like storytelling with twists and turns, dramatic reveals, and other staples Capcom had back in those years, but overall, the narrative isn’t bad at all. While many will prefer the first and third Onimusha games over this one, the narrative still holds up to this day. However, I have a gripe with it: the lack of a proper Japanese voice-over option.
It might sound insignificant, but I never liked the dubbed version. There’s nothing wrong with it, but the quality is all over the place. For this remaster, I was expecting the option to choose between the two languages on PS5, but I never found the option; I even tried to change my system’s language, and nothing.
With that minor complaint out of the way, everything else is great. The improved visuals make the cutscenes look much better, and the framerate does wonders for the action-focused gameplay. Plus, there are many features that allow players to experience the story at an easier difficulty, making it highly accessible, especially for those jumping into Onimusha for the first time.
Old-School Gameplay, Modern Improvements
The bread and butter of this remaster is the plethora of improvements it brings. Originally, easy mode was something you could unlock after getting defeated a few times. Now, you can pick your preferred difficulty from the start, including the new “Hell” mode. I didn’t try this one, but it is a “one-hit and you die” deal, which will be excellent for veterans of the series.
On top of that, there are new additions, such as the ability to trigger your Oni Awakening manually. You can also skip cutscenes right from the start, which will be excellent for speed runners. And there’s also an option to swap weapons without entering a menu. Oh yes, and there’s an auto-save feature now, so don’t worry about leaving your game during a vital moment without a shrine nearby.
However, the same jank we struggled with back in the day remains. It may not be bad for a few, but many newcomers will find things like targeting enemies and landing certain hits frustrating. I never minded the tank-like controls of classic Capcom games. They have a certain alluring charm. Yet, I would’ve loved to see some improvement in the targeting system and hit recognition, especially when trying to stab enemies on the ground. I understand why Capcom wanted to keep the gameplay as untouched as possible, but a few tweaks would’ve made a notable and welcome difference.
Targeting aside, though, everything else is superb. Pulling off combos felt great and rewarding, even if I struggled with some controls. On top of that, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny already had a solid foundation. Even if the jank can be frustrating, it never deterred me from continuing through the story. The exploration and puzzle aspects are outstanding, and the variety of enemies with different weaknesses is something that not many games do anymore.
A Samurai’s Comeback
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is an excellent remaster, and veteran players will greatly enjoy it. It still has that charming yet frustrating jank, but you can easily look past it thanks to its gripping storytelling, engaging combat, and in-depth exploration. On top of that, the new additions bring this sequel to current-day standards. New players, however, will also have a blast as they delve into one of the most memorable Onimusha titles.
Looking back at the previous Onimusha remaster, this is a step up. Capcom has fixed many things that Warlords lacked and added a few more to make it the most approachable Onimusha game we have. It is an excellent title to experience while we wait for Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Plus, samurai horror games are always welcome, and Onimusha still has the crown of the best franchise in the genre and will likely continue to have it for many years.
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny (PS5 Reviewed)
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny is an excellent remaster and a clear step up from Onimusha: Warlords. While it still has its innate jank, the new additions and QoL features make this game feel up to current-day standards.
Pros
- Excellent QoL features
- The new visuals look great
- The new difficulty mode is great for veteran fans
Cons
- A few and new combat tweaks would've been great
