Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny [PC] | REVIEW

Capcom’s revival of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny comes at a fitting moment, just ahead of the series’ upcoming new entry (and seven years on from the release of the remaster of the original game). While over two decades have passed since its original release, this remastered version shows that there’s still plenty of life left in this Oni-slaying sequel – even IF it does have a few imperfections that are a bit more obvious these days.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Following the events of its predecessor, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny shifts focus to a new protagonist, Jubei Yagyu, as he embarks on a mission of vengeance against the returning villain Nobunaga Oda. After his village is destroyed by demonic forces, Jubei must gather five mystical orbs and form bonds with a cast of colourful allies to take down the demonic threat for good. With its blend of feudal drama, supernatural flair, and just the right amount of camp, it’s entertaining throughout and simply oozes with that charming style of storytelling that Capcom were known for during the noughties.

The story and voice acting walk the line between dramatic and over-the-top, but that’s part of the charm. Jubei himself may not be the most charismatic lead, but the supporting cast add plenty of personality to the adventure. The relationships you build with allies don’t just add story flavour either, but also influence which characters assist you during certain segments, giving repeat playthroughs a little extra variety. It’s a cool addition that adds a bit more oomph to the storytelling.

One of the most noticeable improvements in the remaster is the visual upgrade, with everything enhanced to ensure that Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny feels at home on modern platforms. It isn’t a complete remake like Capcom have done with their Resident Evil series so you should keep expectations in check, but the HD bump enhances the game’s striking art direction and ensures everything looks good across both the character models and the environments.

“Despite some dated elements, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remastered is a faithful and thoughtfully enhanced return to a PS2-era classic.”

The core gameplay loop – cutting down demons, solving light puzzles, and upgrading weapons – is largely intact and still just as satisfying too. Combat is more responsive than the first game, featuring a broader arsenal of weapons such as swords, spears, and hammers, each with their own feel and upgrade path to continually enhance them as you progress through the game. Being able to transform into a powerful Onimusha form is exciting too, especially since this remastered release allows you to do it manually (which is a small but appreciated change). The ability to absorb enemy souls once again serves multiple functions too, whether that’s restoring health or unlocking the currency required to enhance weapons and magic. The addition of RPG elements, such as character relationships influenced by gifting items, adds a new layer to the experience, and whilst these systems are fairly simple in design, they help make the game feel more expansive than its predecessor and shows that it wasn’t afraid to build upon the successful formula in creative ways.

The controls have been revamped too, with players now able to use the left analogue stick for modern movement. This update makes navigation feel so much smoother, though the game’s fixed camera angles can present issues where sudden shifts in perspective can result in momentary movement errors. Worse yet, some camera angles can obscure enemies entirely, leading to cheap hits from off-screen – an issue that was problematic even in the original release and still remains unaddressed here. It’s something that becomes more obvious when using the modern controls, but given the nature of the game’s design, it’s not something that would’ve been easy to fix… it’s a shame.

There are some quality-of-life features that help to ease some of the game’s rougher edges though, with auto-saves preventing punishing backtracking and quick-switching of weapons helping streamline combat. However, the latter system isn’t flawless – you’ll need to be standing still to swap weapons, which can feel awkward and risky during intense combat encounters. Still, these updates do improve upon the experience, and believe me, it’s so much better than having to constantly shift to the in-game menu when you want to use a different weapon against a foe.

Check out some screenshots down below:

For returning fans, the remaster offers even more to enjoy with the additional mini-games, unlockable outfits, and difficulty options. Easy mode lets newcomers breeze through the game’s story, while Hell mode delivers a brutal one-hit-death challenge for the truly masochistic – they’re like two complete extremes in a way, but there’s certainly something for everyone. The game also includes a full music library where it’s easy to appreciate how much care went into the game’s feudal Japan-inspired soundtrack, whilst gallery mode is another standout addition, offering over 100 pieces of artwork from the original design team. I’ll always appreciate extras like this in these remastered releases, so it’s cool to see that Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny doesn’t skimp on content.

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3046600/Onimusha_2_Samurais_Destiny/