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Onimusha: Way of the Sword brings Capcom’s long-running action series back with a new adventure set in demon-threatened Kyoto. A hands-on demo at Summer Game Fest offered a look at its deliberate sword combat, eerie setting and standout boss encounter. The battle against Rasho-gan suggests the game’s parrying and timing-focused action could be a major part of its appeal.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword returns to Kyoto
The game stars a fictionalized Miyamoto Musashi, the historical master swordsman whose appearance is modeled after the late actor Toshiro Mifune. When the Genma demons invade Kyoto, Musashi becomes bound to the Oni Gauntlet, a powerful heirloom with a voice of its own. The gauntlet, which identifies as Shizuka, and Musashi’s sword skills make them an unlikely team against the threat.
The demo begins partway through the adventure, as Musashi meets a woman outside a village. She directs him to Yasui Konpiragu Shrine, promising that it can solve his problems with the gauntlet. The village appears golden and welcoming, but its cheerful residents have received disturbing versions of their wishes: a man’s chronic knee pain was “cured” through amputation, while a couple who wanted to remain together became smiling dolls.
These unsettling miracles lead Musashi and Shizuka to investigate. A practical tip for players: pay attention to the contrast between the village’s inviting appearance and the consequences described by its residents. That tension helps establish the mystery behind the shrine.
Parrying is central to the sword combat
At the shrine, the pair seeks help from Yorimasa, a heroic oni, but their attempt to contact him fails. Shizuka then points them toward the Eight Stout Pillars, a group of talking statues. Only five are present, so Musashi must explore the village and find their three missing companions.
Combat remains measured but visually forceful. Enemies have health and stagger meters, and well-timed parries reduce their health while creating opportunities to attack. Counters can cut off limbs or split foes, while incoming projectiles can be redirected toward their source. In the demo, parrying energy balls fired by floating demonic heads sent the attacks back into their mouths, causing them to burst.
Musashi can guard against attacks from any direction. A last-moment dodge moves him behind an attacker, setting up a counter. Consecutive parries and blocks fill separate meters; once charged, each grants access to a powerful multi-enemy attack. Break Issun finishing moves have also been adjusted following player feedback, according to director Satoru Nihei.
Defeated enemies leave souls that Musashi absorbs into the Oni Gauntlet by holding a shoulder button. Players can also use stealth to take down unaware enemies. Since parrying appears particularly important in tougher encounters, practicing the timing on ordinary foes can help build familiarity before facing a boss.
Rasho-gan turns the village’s wishes into a nightmare
After Musashi finds the missing Pillars, they gather the area’s malice in one place, revealing the Genma responsible for the supposed miracles. The village loses its golden glow and turns ash-grey. A vision introduces Rasho-gan, who offers people a twisted way to escape their troubles by “severing” their fate. In one disturbing scene, he cuts off a woman’s fingers so she will no longer have to play the shamisen.
Rasho-gan then addresses Musashi directly and tries to persuade him to give up the gauntlet, offering to remove Musashi’s entire arm. Shizuka interrupts the supernatural spell, and Musashi catches the creature’s blade just in time. The confrontation leads into the demo’s boss fight.
A demanding Rasho-gan boss fight
Rasho-gan reveals a grotesque form made from human arms and hands. He wields a large sword and uses spectral cords to connect himself to objects around the arena. Attacking without a plan has limited effect; carefully parrying his patterns drains his stamina and opens opportunities to strike.
Some attacks require a different response. Rasho-gan can use his cords to lift boulders, trees and even buildings before hurling them at Musashi. In these moments, use the bow to sever the connections. The objects then fall back onto Rasho-gan and deal damage. Keeping an eye on his ranged attacks while maintaining a defensive rhythm is key to managing the fight.
Nihei explained that Rasho-gan was designed around the location rather than a specific monster or mythological creature. Yasui Konpiragu is a real Kyoto temple associated with legends about bonding and separating fates. The boss’s cords and threads draw on that imagery.
What the demo suggests about the game
The encounter ends with Rasho-gan escaping, followed by an intervention that is best left unspoiled. Even without a final victory, the fight showcases the game’s emphasis on observation, precise defense and quick decisions. Its parry-focused intensity may appeal to fans of challenging action games, while Musashi and Shizuka’s reluctant partnership gives the adventure its own character.
For players interested in Onimusha: Way of the Sword, the demo’s clearest takeaway is that learning enemy timing will matter as much as swinging aggressively. The game is scheduled to arrive on September 25, and its corrupted vision of Kyoto sets up a promising return for the series.
