Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny remaster review - A classic aged like a fine wine

In 2002, I was blown away by the graphics of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny on the PlayStation 2, more specifically, how gorgeous its water visuals looked with its reflections and realistic ripples.

On top of that, it was a fantastic game to play and improved on its 2001 predecessor, Onimusha: Warlords, in almost every way. The combat had evolved thanks to its varied arsenal of weapons, which in turn granted the player more options on how they might approach a particular combat situation.

Its world was enticing, which encouraged exploration for secrets. Sure, it was a very linear game and still is today, but between its villages populated with NPCs to interact with, eerie forests that gave you a feeling of being watched, and derelict castles that provided hints of brutal battles that had taken place many years before, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny was soaked with atmosphere. This remaster takes everything that made the 2002 version so enjoyable and deploys subtle tweaks to make that experience a little bit sweeter.

Check out the Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny trailer below!

Onimusha 2 does not follow the first game, Onimusha: Warlords. It’s a separate story, so in that respect, it doesn't matter which of the two you begin with. Though I should add that both games are fantastic, and I recommend the remaster of the original game released in 2019.

Onimusha 2 is set in Medieval Japan, around 1560, and its antagonist is the ruthless historical daimyō, Lord Nobunaga. Oh, and Lord Nobunaga also commands a demon army (known as Genma in-game). You play as Jubei Yagyum who is on a quest for revenge against Lord Nobunaga for killing his family and friends in his home village.

So, let’s get to the nitty-gritty of what Onimusha 2 looks and plays like by today’s standards. Well, that all depends on your perspective. If you like modern hack-and-slash games with superior graphics and gameplay, and you don’t care much about playing retro games of yesteryear, this remaster might not be for you. This remaster is about as pure as it gets, while making the necessary improvements for it to be more welcoming to a modern audience.

The combat is just as basic as it was in 2002. The attack controls are limited, and there’s not a great deal to learn other than a well-timed parry and dodge. It’s what made the game so accessible back then and continues to work well now, today. If Capcom had added new combat features, the game would lose some of its identity, and if that were the case, they might as well just concentrate on the upcoming Onimusha: Way of the Sword.

Capcom

That being said, unlike some traditional hack-and-slash games, Onimusha 2 encourages the player not to spam attacks. Just as an enemy is about to attack, you may notice a bright flash. This is when a well-timed attack can kill some enemies instantly, and if there’s a group of enemies, attacks can be chained. It’s kind of like a proactive attack version of a defensive parry.

You can also upgrade Jubei’s weapons and armour with the souls you’ll collect from defeating enemies. The levelling up process feels just as grindy as it did in 2002 in terms of how long it takes to have enough souls to fully upgrade the armour piece or weapon of your choosing. I never had an issue with this grind back then, and I still don’t today, because with Onimusha 2 taking about five to six hours to finish on your first run, it’s a game that you can replay multiple times and continue the upgrades in its New Game Plus.

One of the best features that sets Onimusha 2 apart from the original game is the four companions that will, from time to time, battle alongside you, namely, Oyu (a blade warrior), Ekei Ankokuji (a monk), Kotarō Fuma (a ninja), and Magoichi Saiga (a marksman).

The frequency of how often the companions will aid you in battle will depend on how often you treat them with gifts, items found hidden in the game. If you shower them with enough gifts, they’ll help you out more often, and some sections of the game will have you take control of them. You even uncover backstory on your companions with branching storylines and will be treated to special cut-scenes, some of which may not be seen on a particular playthrough, which adds another element of replayability.

Capcom

In terms of the enhancements made to this new version of Onimusha 2, while the visuals remain faithful, all assets in the game, including the pre-rendered backgrounds, the user interface, cutscenes and more, have benefited from a HD shine. You can also switch between the original 4:3 aspect ratio and the new 16:9. A new auto-save has been added too, and is helpful when you die after forgetting to make a manual save.

Various quality of life improvements are present, most notably with the options of traditional tank controls for purists - ideal for fans of the original Resident Evil series - or an updated control scheme using the analogue stick. The tank controls are more restrictive because it requires the D-Pad to move the characters, so your movement will feel more sluggish.

In comparison, using the analogue stick is much more responsive, especially with its instant sprint. Just be warned, when using the analogue stick to enter a new area, just try to keep the same direction pressed initially, because you’ll be all over the place. It’s hard to explain, but you’ll find out soon enough. That being said, as much as I love the old-school tank controls, my preference is the analogue stick.

There’s an improved weapon switch feature, which no longer breaks immersion by having to pause the game to select a new weapon. Easy difficulty is available from the start, rather than having to unlock it. Speaking of difficulty modes, this version has the new ‘Hell’ difficulty, which means you’ll die with a single hit and health recovery items are useless, so to say this is an extreme difficulty would be an understatement.

Capcom

What’s more, the extra modes (The Man in Black, Team Oni, and Puzzle Phantom Realm), are also unlocked from the get-go. There’s also a new gallery mode with over 100 pieces of original developer artwork enhanced in HD, plus a 43-song soundtrack of the game.

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is a delightful time capsule that harkens back to a much simpler time when linear games still had a magical feeling of worlds feeling much bigger than they were. It’s an absolute joy to revisit for retro purists who appreciate a few modernised tweaks. So what are you waiting for? Go play it already.

Pros: Remastered HD visuals look nice, easy to pick up and play, very faithful to the original

Cons: It might be too faithful for non-retro fans

For fans of: Onimusha: Warlords, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry

7/10: Very Good

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is out now on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. Read a guide to our review scores here.