Twenty years have passed since the last unreleased chapter of the series, and the wait ends today: Capcom has in fact made Onimusha: Way of the Sword available worldwide, bringing back to life one of its historic franchises with a new action game entirely built around sword duels. To accompany the launch there is also a free demo, already downloadable, which allows us to get our hands on the early stages of the story and to test the combat system before a possible purchase.

The adventure takes us to a distorted version of Kyoto, set in the Edo period, where real places, local myths and historical figures are reinterpreted through the filter of dark fantasy. At the center of the story we find Miyamoto Musashi, a young samurai as fierce as he is charismatic, today considered one of the most legendary personalities in Japanese history. His characterization in the game has its roots in another legend, that of Toshiro Mifune: the late Japanese film star, also famous for playing the role of Musashi in the films "Jidaigeki".

The protagonist's path takes an unexpected direction after the clash with the demonic Genma. Musashi finds himself in fact holding the Gauntlet of Oni, a mystical artifact capable of guaranteeing abilities that go far beyond human limits. A power that allows him to take down these infernal creatures, but which is difficult to reconcile with his desire to rely solely on his own strength; and the price to pay will be a long sequence of raw and bloody battles.

On the gameplay front, everything revolves around extremely satisfying hand-to-hand combat, supported by a rather wide technical arsenal that ranges from parries, deflections, dodges and more. Two trademark identity mechanics also make their return, Issen counterattacks and Soul Absorption, which in the midst of the fray add further decision-making layers to our actions.

Advancing in the adventure we will then get our hands on the Oni weapons, particular tools capable of overturning the most complicated situations in our favor, and on the Oni skills, which allow Musashi to perform supernatural feats on and off the battlefield. However, these powers are not only used for fighting: thanks to them we will be able to reach previously inaccessible areas and face the challenges that lie there, duels against fearsome bosses included. The result is a sword fight of the highest level and an experience that tastes of Onimusha in every aspect.

We now leave you with the launch trailer, which also has the merit of showing us the Italian dubbing of the game. Enjoy the viewing!