The arrival of Onimusha: Way of the Sword has brought Capcom\u2019s supernatural samurai series back into the spotlight. It also gives us the perfect excuse to revisit the games that established its distinctive blend of swordplay, historical drama and demonic horror.<\/p>\n
Since the original game debuted in 2001, Onimusha has taken players across feudal Japan, modern-day France and even the occasional tactical battlefield. While Way of the Sword is still new enough to deserve more time before earning its place in a definitive ranking, we\u2019re looking back at six of the series\u2019 established releases, from four mainline adventures to two memorable spin-offs.<\/p>\n
Here are six classic Onimusha games ranked from worst to best.<\/p>\n
Onimusha: Blade Warriors is a fascinating little time capsule. Released in 2004, this fighting-game spin-off brought together characters from across the series for over-the-top battles packed with weapons, special attacks and plenty of chaos.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s undeniably fun to be had, and the novelty of seeing MegaMan.EXE face off against a samurai never entirely wears off. Even so, Blade Warriors lacks the depth and atmosphere of Onimusha at its best, making it the weakest entry on our list.<\/p>\n
As the fourth mainline entry, Dawn of Dreams faced the difficult task of following the immense conflict between Samanosuke and Oda Nobunaga.<\/p>\n
Its party-based approach introduced some interesting ideas, particularly the ability to switch between and command companions. That gave the combat a different rhythm from previous games and helped Dawn of Dreams establish an identity of its own.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, its story never lands with quite the same impact as those of the earlier entries. It remains an ambitious game with plenty to admire, but it doesn\u2019t reach the heights of the trilogy that came before it.<\/p>\n
Onimusha Tactics was an exciting prospect when it arrived in 2003. Here was a darker, more mature action series finding a new home on the Game Boy Advance, reimagined as a tactical RPG.<\/p>\n
It naturally lacks the immediacy and spectacle of the mainline games, but it successfully translates the series\u2019 samurai setting and demonic battles into a new genre. Add some enjoyable story moments, and you have a solid spin-off that introduced Onimusha to a different audience.<\/p>\n
As the story goes, Onimusha began life as a Resident Evil-style project. Instead of zombies and people dramatically shouting \u201cS.T.A.R.S.\u201d, however, we got Warlords and the beginning of Samanosuke\u2019s story.<\/p>\n
Released in 2001, Onimusha: Warlords remains a fantastic action game. Its fixed camera angles and occasional flashes of early-2000s design show their age, particularly alongside more modern releases, but its tense atmosphere and satisfying swordplay still hold up.<\/p>\n
Its success sparked a remarkable run of Onimusha games over the following years, and it isn\u2019t difficult to see why. The remastered version also offers a convenient way to experience this influential adventure on modern hardware.<\/p>\n
Onimusha 3: Demon Siege was the series\u2019 most visually impressive entry when it launched. It brought Samanosuke back, sent him hurtling into modern-day France and added Jean Reno to the cast, because apparently Onimusha wasn\u2019t already ambitious enough.<\/p>\n
Seeing a major Hollywood actor take a leading role in a game felt extraordinary at the time, and Jean Reno\u2019s presence gives Demon Siege an identity all its own. The time-travelling story is gloriously audacious, while the improved presentation makes it one of the series\u2019 most memorable adventures.<\/p>\n
Its gameplay doesn\u2019t quite match the second game at its best, but Demon Siege still comes extremely close to taking the top spot.<\/p>\n
At number one, we have Onimusha 2: Samurai\u2019s Destiny: a sequel that improved on its predecessor in almost every respect and cemented Onimusha as a series worth paying attention to.<\/p>\n
The combat feels faster and more fluid, the story is stronger, and its branching relationships with supporting characters add welcome depth and replayability. It takes everything that worked in Warlords and builds upon it with greater confidence and ambition.<\/p>\n
For more than two decades, Samurai\u2019s Destiny was confined to the PlayStation 2. Its remastered release has since made the game available on modern hardware, giving more players the opportunity to experience one of the series\u2019 finest adventures.<\/p>\n
Onimusha has explored different heroes, genres and even time periods, but Samurai\u2019s Destiny represents the classic series at its best. Its combination of sharp combat, compelling characters and supernatural samurai action still makes it the Onimusha game to beat.<\/p>\n
With Way of the Sword opening a new chapter for the franchise, that top spot may not be secure forever. For now, however, Samurai\u2019s Destiny remains our number-one Onimusha game.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"