There Are No Minigames In Onimusha: Way Of The Sword, But It Sounds Like The Phantom Realm Is Back

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Onimusha: Way of the Sword action screenshot showing atmospheric combat

As Onimusha: Way of the Sword takes center stage as our latest cover story, I’m thrilled to roll out weeks of exclusive coverage following last month’s trip to Capcom headquarters in Osaka, Japan, where I had the chance to interview the developers and go hands-on with the game. While subscribers can dive into the full cover feature right now, this deep-dive addresses a very specific burning question: what’s happening with minigames?

Classic arcade distractions and side activities were a staple of early gaming generations. Given that the original four installments in the Onimusha franchise debuted between 2001 and 2006, they naturally embraced these inventive diversions. Onimusha: Warlords introduced Oni Spirits; Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny packed in the Puzzle Phantom Realm, The Man In Black, and Team Oni; Onimusha 3: Demon Siege featured the Genma Puzzle Space, Oni Target Practice, and Adventures of Heihachi; and finally, Onimusha 4: Dawn of Dreams challenged players inside the Arena.

While those playful tangents might belong to a bygone era of game design, I was genuinely curious whether Onimusha: Way of the Sword would carry on the tradition when it arrives this September. Director Satoru Nihei quickly put those expectations to rest, confirming that players won’t encounter the classic side-activities of yesteryear. “We really wanted to focus intensely on precision swordplay and combat mechanics, so we didn’t allocate development time toward traditional minigames,” he explains.

It’s a slight disappointment, but longtime fans know that the iconic Phantom Realm essentially functions as a combat-driven trial in its own right. Ever since the original Onimusha: Warlords, players have fought their way upward through escalating tiers of demons, Genma, and Oni foes, clearing each floor to claim valuable loot before pushing onward to the ultimate reward.

When I pressed Nihei on whether the Phantom Realm would return in a similar capacity, he exchanged a knowing grin with producer Akihito Kadowaki sitting beside him and simply replied, “Hmm, we’ll see.”

Combat atmosphere in Onimusha: Way of the Sword

It’s not an outright confirmation, but it’s precisely the kind of coy response that keeps hope alive for franchise veterans.

There’s plenty more on the horizon as we unpack Capcom’s triumphant revival of the series throughout our month-long rollout of Way of the Sword coverage. Keep your eyes locked on the Game Informer YouTube channel for exclusive gameplay walkthroughs and behind-the-scenes features—including our signature Rapid-Fire Interview—and bookmark the official Onimusha: Way of the Sword hub so you never miss an update.

In the meantime, catch up on all our latest features regarding the game: