A Classic Samurai Slices Back
We always appreciate access to certain games ahead of time, given the opportunity to run preview pieces prior to launch and full review, providing a quick overview of whatever game is coming down the line. The latest to have come in is that of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster; an intriguing remaster of an old PS2 game from way back in 2002.
I remember playing Onimusha 2 way back when, having been a big fan of the original Onimusha Warlords. What I will say is that Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster improves on the original in many ways. This is borne out by the sales records, with the game selling more than 2 million copies up to the end of 2024.
But what of the upcoming Xbox Series X|S version? Well, grab your katana, we’re going in!
Fixed Cameras and Feudal Japan
Now, the first thing that hits you is the way that the camera works. Back in the day, fixed camera angles were very much the rage, leading from games like the original Resident Evil and Dino Crisis. The decision here was made to preserve as much of the gameplay as possible, and this includes the fixed angles. This does take some getting used to, there are no two ways about it: getting hit by a powerful attack which knocks you over the line where the camera angle changes is a real danger, and then being further battered by enemies that are off camera will make you sad.
You soon adapt, but even now I find myself running into the camera, seeing the view flip, and then running back the way I came when the controls reverse. It is a great bit of history though, and just goes to show how spoiled we have become today.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is, at its heart, almost a survival horror game, with our hero, Jubei Yagyu, attempting to stop Lord Nobunaga, who has decided to step up to be the big baddy after being spanked in the first game. Exploring, solving puzzles, and hitting demons with various pointy bits of metal is very much the order of the day, and while I’m not going to give my opinion on any of these facets right now (wait for the review!) I will say that the systems of the game all work very well.
Katana Combat and Weapon Enhancement
Combat is especially satisfying, with various weapons to find and unlock. Each of them has not only magic and standard attacks, but there is a bit of the fighting game in here as well, with moves that unleash the power of your weapons being locked away behind direction and button inputs.
Further, those weapons can also be enhanced, as can Jubei’s armour, and making your favourite weapons as strong as they can be will pay dividends in the end.
One feature that Onimusha 2 brought in was the addition of friends that you can cultivate, primarily by giving them gifts. If you give the person in question (there are four to help you, but I’ll not spoil who or what they are) an item they like, then they will not only give you a gift in return, but they will also feel more kindly towards you. Raising your friendship with these people means they will be likely to come and help you in tough fights, including some of the boss fights, but they will also appear and allow you to control them at certain points in the game. Seeing the story from another perspective is very interesting, and helps to flesh out the narrative.
Speaking of the narrative, it is a typical revenge story, and Jubei Yagyu, our hero, returns home to find his entire village torched by Nobunaga. What else is a warrior to do but seek vengeance? From there, Jubei travels all over Japan in an attempt to bring Nobunaga down, and the story, while familiar to those of us with sufficient age, keeps you playing along. However, I can also confirm that walkthroughs written back in 2002 still work today…
A Promising Return to Feudal Japan
Suffice it to say, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster looks good and plays well, and with a strong story pulling you along, the urge to stop typing and carry on fighting is quite strong. The mixture of modern visuals (ish) and retro style gameplay is blending quite nicely, and so the full release cannot come soon enough.
There’s no doubt that Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster is one you’ll want to keep an eye out for, especially if you are new to the franchise, as it has a sprinkling of that gaming X factor that we all look for.
Huge thanks go out to Capcom for providing access to Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster for preview. We’ll look to follow with full review around launch.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster will release in May, the 23rd to be precise, on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC. Grab a pre-order from the Xbox Store if you like.
