Decades after Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams premiered in 2006 to rave reviews that called it the best in the franchise, Capcom's decision to return with Way of the Sword in 2026 blurred the line between being a reckless gamble and an inspired masterstroke.
Despite some aspects of the new title dividing fans down the middle, it still won two awards at Gamescom 2026—Best Gameplay and Best Sony PlayStation Game—which added to the hype around its release on September 4.
Here are five features of the game that both young and old Onimusha gamers are raving about:
The ‘Break Issen’
There is a place for all kinds of combat in Way of the Sword—from blocking and parrying, to the new Issen move, the Break Issen.
As in the case of many other moves, executing this execution-style follow-up after depleting opponents’ stamina calls for perfect timing, and once you get that right, it can be very satisfying, and goes a long way in making the combat mechanics engaging.
The Toshiro Mifune tribute
Though the voice actor for Musashi could perhaps have done more to sound like the legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, there is no doubt that Capcom’s tribute to him works very well.
From nailing his mannerisms to getting the expressiveness of his face right, the game immortalises him and gives you yet another reason to rewatch Seven Samurai, Rashomon, or Stray Dog.
Oni Armaments
While some have criticised the ‘Ship of Theseus’-like change in features like Oni Armaments, combat style, and atmosphere, others have strongly defended them, claiming that they may be different, but Capcom still pays homage to its past games well.
One such feature is Oni Armaments, which some netizens argue has developed organically from the old magic system, and deals greater damage than most of what Musashi can do with his core moveset, perfectly setting the stage for the direction that Capcom may take the game in future.
Boss design
The game’s bosses have been a big part of both positive and negative reviews of Way of the Sword, with the general consensus being that they are phenomenal and very rewarding to fight, despite having to fight some of them multiple times.
Especially in battles involving Dohatsu-ten and Benkei, you get a good mix of cinematic gameplay, but not at the cost of classic Soulslike action, of course.
Design
Though some Onimusha purists were dismayed after Capcom had said at the outset that Way of the Sword would not have an open world design, the game still manages to nail something in between the old and the new.
It does so with a quasi-open world that mixes linear progression with areas, such as Kyoto, where you can branch off into side quests as well, which many have argued has proven to be the best way to take the franchise forward.
