Blood soaks the castle walls. Dead bodies and the evil that created them lurk around each corner. Puzzles that must be completed under pressure of imminent death. A mean fixed camera that all but insures you will not see the next monster that you hear until it is far too late. These horrors and more are what made the Onimusha series a cult classic from Capcom.

Take the design from Capcom‘s staple survival horror series, Resident Evil, and place the core idea in the warring-states period of Japan. This sounds fantastic on paper. But does this PS2 classic stand the test of time with its port to Nintendo Switch?

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

5 Hours Played // Personal Copy // $19.99

The Start of Something Terrifying

Samanoske Akechi, our Samurai hero, watches in awe as Nobunaga is defeated right before his eyes. Nobunaga rightfully referred to by many from his era as the Demon King, is the greatest and most ruthless Daimyo the warring states ever knew. It is no surprise that Nobunaga makes short work of the afterlife, and returns leading an army of undead. The Demon King’s first plan of action is to attack and kidnap princess Yuki, the ruler of Inabayama castle, and Samanoske’s cousin. With only a letter pleading for help, and his kunoichi friend Kaede, Samanosuke must rescue the princess, and find a way to ward off the evil that is consuming the land.

The Original Gore Game Masters

If the story seems crazy now, it certainly did almost twenty years ago when Onimusha: Warlords was originally released. For fans of the Warring States era, there is plenty to love here. If you are just a fan of B-movie survival horror, then this tale is even more catered to you. While the voice acting is lacking compared to today’s standards, I found that it has aged in a way that really helps shape the story into even more of what made Onimusha Warlords so great to begin with. Sure it is campy, but did you really expect any different?

Classic Horror

Graphically I can not take the same stance. This is no remake, but instead a slightly more HD experience of the original. Veterans will find the game mostly unchanged from its original outing. Main character models have been touched up, but the block textures of 2001 are still very present with common enemies and NPCs. The still-frame backgrounds do not help either, as the aged level design just doesn’t work well against the blurry environments. It makes the world seem far more lifeless in comparison with present-day games that have wind and weather mechanics.

Complex Hack N’ Slash

What made Onimusha: Warlords so addictive to begin with was the complex gameplay hidden behind simple controls, and that largely remains true. You have a physical attack, a magic attack, and you can block. As you progress, you will find new swords containing new magic. What was once a simple hack and slash affair becomes increasingly complex, as you switch weapons and magic seamlessly to meet your foes head-on. You will learn to counter an attack then effortlessly switch to an attack combo or a magic-fueled finisher.

Restrained Freedom

The boss fights remain fun and give you freedom on how to tackle each fight as they occur. You can take the boss head-on with your advanced combat prowess, or keep a distance and wait for the right moment to strike if you feel you have not upgraded enough for the imminent fight. The largest challenge is found in the fixed camera that was considered standard practice for survival horror at the time. Where developers saw it as a way to add to the horror present in the classic formula, new players may find the task daunting, as your view changes screens mid-combo. It was a questionable decision to leave the fixed camera in the game, and it seems Capcom wanted to appease longtime fans rather than add new ones.

Bumps In The Night

Sound remains important and well done. Because of the fixed camera, you will find you have to make split-second decisions based on what you hear. A well-timed block after you hear a sword leave its sheath, or knowing to run to the best point of view when hearing the growls and moans behind you is still just as effective today as almost twenty years ago.

I enjoyed visiting the universe of Onimusha: Warlords again. I find, though, that my enjoyment stems from my love for the time period, and the nostalgia of a classic. It would be easy for me to recommend Onimusha to any fan of the original looking to scratch that itch, but I couldn’t recommend it as a starting point to anybody new to the genre of survival horror. The short, and scary Warring States horror has held up well enough to appease longtime fans but does not stand the test of time well enough to grab the attention of new ones.

As always, thank you for reading Nindie fans! Are you a fan of action/adventure games? Check out our Feudal Alloy review. Maybe you are more of a realistic, true to life physics platforming fan? Check out Rain World, in all of its challenging glory!