I was fortunate enough to preview Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny last month. When it released over 20 years ago, Capcom had created another classic, building on the original and providing fans of both its signature storytelling and style with something special. Games have changed significantly since then, and we’ve seen so many incredible action adventure titles come and go. Nostalgia is sometimes best left in the past. Do we need this in 2025, especially when we have a ton of games visually and mechanically better than this?
It would be interesting to know who is going to play this. For the older gamers out there, it might be nice to revisit Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny, while the newer gamers might just want to see what all the fuss is about. One thing is certain: this still holds up in many ways today. I loved it back in the day, and while it does show its age in terms of its camera work and fluidity of combat, the core gameplay is still satisfying. The story and it supported voice acting is peak Capcom, and, as corny and camp as it is, it’s one of its most endearing features.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny doesn’t just feature a new lick of paint. Capcom have included a variety of new features that add on the original. For those wanting to experience the story without the risk, Easy Mode is available will little to no difficulty when killing the variety of demons faced throughout the story. However, if you’re into masochism and a definite challenge, Hell Mode sees you die with one strike of an enemy’s attack. Having these two options caters for two very distinct types of gamer, and it’s a great idea to include this in the release.
The combat is one of the best features in Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny. There is a variety of weapons to unlock, with each one upgradable. Every time you kill an enemy, different coloured orbs will appear from its corpse. They improve your health and magic, as well as providing resources to upgrade Jubei’s gear. Then, there’s the ability to harness orbs to fill up your special gauge that sends you into a heightened sense of power with your Oni ability. There’s a surprising amount of factors interwoven into fighting the demons, and it works.
Make no mistake, the visuals are nothing compared to today’s standard. Feudal Japan looks much nicer in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yotei. However, for an old game like this one, it still does a good job of holding up two decades later. Make no mistake, it feels like Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is more aimed at those who played it back in the day. Fans will love the various features that offer more insight into its development and the different ways Capcom has shared its best features.
The Gallery mode is fantastic. There are over 100 illustrations from the original character designer for fans to fawn over. They help to truly understand the hard work put into bringing these characters to life. The music is also celebrated with the release. Players can listen to the 43 tracks that make up the soundtrack as much as they want. It’s a celebration of Onimusha and everything that makes it special, and getting to listen to the music in its entirety as well as appreciate the game’s artwork in this way is such a welcome addition.
Its inclusion of quality of life improvements like switching weapons while in-game, skipping cutscenes, and auto-saves are more than welcomed. Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is a superb game, and while it might not be as exciting as it was to play back in 2002 due to us being spoilt since, there’re plenty of reasons to revisit or try this now. It has a great story and a wonderful cast of characters that make your journey a lot of fun. While combat might not be as fluid, and the camera angles can be frustrating, it is still a game that should be played.
