The game’s original tank controls are now complemented by optional free movement, and its fixed camera angles now feel quaint. Yes, Onimusha: Warlords is dated in a myriad of ways, but in others it feels so fresh. Within 30 minutes of playing the game, however, I was both relieved and surprised. Cinematic games have progressed so much over the last 18 or so years, and it left me worrying that Onimusha: Warlords would now feel like a relic of a bygone era. I remember playing both Onimusha: Warlords and Genma Onimusha upon release, as well as their sequels, and wondered if this remaster would still strike a chord with me after all these years. There are plenty of puzzles, too, that often result in your death if you don’t keep your wits about you. Though that’s not to say that Onimusha: Warlords doesn’t have its fair share of horror its environments simply ooze atmosphere, and there are enough ghastly foes to keep you on the edge of your seat. With its pre-rendered backgrounds and fixed camera angles, it plays very much like an old Resident Evil title, but thanks to its feudal setting, it’s much more action-focused. Placing you primarily in control of a samurai called Samanosuke Akechi, Onimusha: Warlords finds you racing to rescue a princess from the clutches of demons. Even though its gameplay is now a little rough around the edges.
But you know what? It doesn’t really matter all that much Onimusha: Warlords is still a great deal of fun to play without them. You won’t be visiting any areas that weren’t in the original release, either. So, whether you play Onimusha: Warlords on PS4, Xbox One, Switch or PC, you won’t be collecting any green orbs to grant yourself temporary invulnerability, or making use of a three-tier charged attack system. It isn’t based on Genma Onimusha unfortunately though, instead taking things back to basics. And now, there’s a newly remastered version of Onimusha: Warlords available for PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC. Bolstered with additional features and new content, Genma Onimusha, as it was called, was arguably bigger and better.
Taking the successful Resident Evil formula and implanting it into a Sengoku period Japan setting, Onimusha: Warlords was quite a hit when it originally released on PS2 way back in 2001.Ī year later, the game also found its way onto the original Xbox.