Onimusha: Warlords is out now on PC, simply days in need of its 18th anniversary on consoles. Capcom’s samurai-themed hybrid of exact hack n’ slash fight and survival horror puzzling was at all times the awkward center youngster between Resident Evil and Devil May Cry, however it had coronary heart. Rather than a remake, the PC model of Onimusha: Warlords is a straight remaster. The pre-rendered 2D backdrops are a bit sharper than earlier than and expanded to widescreen, and a brand new management mode has been added for these cautious of the game’s authentic ‘tank controls’, however the game stays largely unchanged. See the launch trailer beneath.
The authentic two Onimusha games have been good enjoyable again within the day. While related in some ways to Resident Evil, particularly when it comes to exploration, puzzling and putting digicam angles, the fight set them aside. Fast and responsive, its two playable heroes hacked by a military of demonic samurai, ninja and extra esoteric monsters with relative ease, armed with swords and magic. Blocks and parries have been order of the day, and a wonderfully timed assault would usually end in a trendy immediate kill. It’s a transfer that’s as satisfying now because it ever was.
The timing of Onimusha’s re-release on PC feels uncommon, simply days after the wonderful Resident Evil 2 remake demo. Even again in 2001, the unique Onimusha felt just a little archaic, particularly because the trailblazing authentic Devil May Cry got here out in the identical yr. Eighteen years later and little has modified, though this remaster does at the least supply a camera-relative motion mode. If taking part in on a gamepad, the D-pad retains the previous ‘tank control’ fashion of motion, whereas the analogue stick enables you to transfer round much more freely – a bonus, because it removes the time taken to show round.
This looks as if a pleasant piece of preservation work by Capcom, and a superb decide for these nostalgic for the unique. If Onimusha’s themes tickle your fancy, however you need one thing just a little extra trendy, you possibly can do quite a bit worse than Nioh from the appropriately named Team Ninja. The upcoming Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice from Souls studio FromSoftware is the following apparent port of name.
Onimusha: Warlords is out now on Steam and Humble for £16/€20/$20.
