Onimusha: Way of the Sword — Story, Combat and Review Scores Explained
Onimusha: Way of the Sword marks the samurai action series' return after 20 years, casting players as a young Miyamoto Musashi wielding a cursed Oni Gauntlet against Kyoto's demonic Genma. Here's the story, the Issen-based combat system, and how critics have scored it since its September 4, 2026 launch.
Capcom's samurai action series is back for the first time in two decades, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword has arrived with a new hero, a new setting and a review score that puts it among the best-reviewed games Capcom has released in years. Here's everything confirmed so far about the story, the combat system, and how critics and players have responded since launch.
1. What Is Onimusha: Way of the Sword?
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the first mainline entry in Capcom's Onimusha series in 20 years, following 2006's Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams. It was directed by Satoru Nihei and produced by Akihito Kadowaki, Koichi Shibata and Kosuke Tanaka, and was originally revealed at The Game Awards in December 2024. After a release-date advance announced by Capcom, the game launched worldwide on September 4, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store).
Like earlier Onimusha games, Way of the Sword is a third-person sword-fighting action game built around fast, precise combat against demonic enemies. What's new is the setting: rather than the fictional Japan of the original trilogy, Way of the Sword is grounded in the historical figure of Miyamoto Musashi and a version of early Edo-period Kyoto overrun by supernatural threats.
2. The Story: Musashi, the Oni Gauntlet and the Genma of Kyoto
Way of the Sword casts players as Miyamoto Musashi, the real-life swordsman previously referenced in Onimusha: Blade Warriors, here reimagined in his twenties and placed in a supernatural conflict set roughly between 1603 and 1613. Musashi arrives in Kyoto and is ambushed by Genma, the demonic enemies that have plagued the Onimusha series since its debut. Left near death, he is "gifted" a cursed Oni Gauntlet that grants him the power to fight back against the invasion.
Musashi doesn't face the Genma alone. Two allies based on real historical figures join his journey: Izumo no Okuni, a famed Kabuki performer who has left the stage to search for a way to defeat the Genma, and Ono no Takamura, a veteran swordsman who wields a gauntlet of his own and helps Musashi understand the power he's been given. According to Capcom, the team built the game around three pillars: compelling characters, the historical setting of Kyoto, and what the studio calls "the ultimate sword-fighting action."
3. Combat: Issen Counters, Chain Issen and the Soul-Draining Gauntlet
Way of the Sword's combat centers on the returning Issen system: near-instant-kill counterattacks that trigger when Musashi parries an enemy's strike with perfect timing. Landing an Issen slows time briefly, and a Chain Issen mechanic lets skilled players carry that momentum straight into a follow-up Issen on a nearby enemy, chaining kills together. Capcom has also confirmed that Musashi can block omnidirectionally, meaning he doesn't need to be facing an attacker head-on to deflect an incoming hit — useful against the game's frequent multi-enemy encounters.
The Oni Gauntlet itself is more than a story device — it's an active combat tool. Defeated Genma leave behind colored soul orbs (red, blue and yellow, representing experience, skills and health respectively), and players have to manually draw those orbs into the gauntlet to collect them, rather than picking them up automatically. The gauntlet is also used to "see" through parts of the environment and locate nearby threats before they strike, echoing the radar and elemental-orb mechanics longtime Onimusha fans will recognize from the original trilogy.
4. Boss Battles and the Genma Threat
Boss encounters are built around large, grotesquely designed Genma that force players to lean on everything the combat system offers — omnidirectional blocking, precise Issen timing and gauntlet abilities alike. Capcom has shown off encounters with named bosses such as Dohatsu-ten, described by the developer as a "terrifyingly fast and bloodthirsty" Genma that locks blades directly with Musashi. Reviewers have consistently singled out boss fights as one of the game's strongest elements, alongside the game's presentation and combat feel, though several outlets noted that regular enemy variety and some side-quest encounters feel repetitive by comparison.
5. Platforms, Editions and Where to Play
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. On PC, it's sold through Steam, the Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store, with Steam Deck and SteamOS support confirmed by Capcom ahead of launch. Capcom moved the release date up to September 4 from a previously announced September 25 slot, giving players early access to the full game before the busiest stretch of the fall release calendar. A free demo was also made available on PS5 ahead of launch, covering an early slice of Musashi's story.
Watch the official overview trailer below for a look at Musashi's story, the Kyoto setting and the game's combat in motion.
6. Review Scores and Critical Reception
Way of the Sword launched to some of the strongest reviews of any Onimusha game to date. On OpenCritic, the game holds a "Mighty" rating with an average in the mid-80s and a recommendation rate in the mid-90s. On Metacritic, platform averages range from the low-to-mid 80s on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC up to roughly 90 on Switch 2. IGN awarded the game a perfect 10/10, while other outlets including GameSpot, GamingBolt and TheSixthAxis landed around 8/10, and some reviews were more mixed, citing repeated mini-boss fights and thinner side content as drawbacks. The game was also recognized at the Gamescom Awards 2026, winning Best Gameplay and Best PlayStation Game ahead of its full release.
The overall picture from critics is consistent: Way of the Sword is being praised as a confident, focused return for the series, built on tight sword-fighting combat, strong boss design and a well-told historical-fantasy story, even if it doesn't reinvent the character-action genre it helped popularize in the early 2000s.
Quick Recap
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the first new mainline Onimusha game in 20 years, released September 4, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 and PC.
- Players control Miyamoto Musashi, wielding a cursed Oni Gauntlet against the demonic Genma in a historical-fantasy version of Kyoto.
- Combat revolves around Issen instant-kill counters, Chain Issen follow-ups and omnidirectional blocking.
- The game has been very well received, sitting in the "Mighty" range on OpenCritic and winning two Gamescom Awards 2026 categories.
Official Resources
- Capcom Investor Relations news releases
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword on Steam
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword on PlayStation.com
Onimusha isn't the only major series making a comeback this fall — if you want more on this season's biggest releases, check out our breakdown of Silent Hill: Townfall's review scores and first-person horror features, our look at Gears of War: E-Day's editions and launch modes, or our combat and skills guide for Marvel's Wolverine. For more new releases and guides, visit our full walkthroughs archive.