After 20 years of dormancy, Capcom's samurai action series is back. Onimusha: Way of the Sword saw its review embargo lift on August 31 to a broadly enthusiastic reception: 86 on Metacritic (48 critic reviews), 85 on OpenCritic (63 outlets), and the franchise's first-ever perfect score from IGN. Built on RE Engine and directed by Motohide Esashi, the game arrives Thursday, September 4 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC — moved up three weeks from its original September 25 date.
Capcom has already delivered three acclaimed releases in 2026 — Resident Evil Requiem (89), Pragmata (85), and Monster Hunter Stories 3 — and Onimusha makes it four. It also swept Gamescom 2026 with Best Gameplay and Best PlayStation Game. But the scores tell a more nuanced story than the aggregate suggests: critics are nearly unanimous on the combat, yet deeply divided on whether the 25-hour campaign earns its length.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Review Scorecard
| Outlet | Score | One-line Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Hey Poor Player | 100/100 | "Visually stunning RE Engine revival" — action-adventure GOTY candidate |
| IGN | 10/10 | "My journey reflected Musashi's" — learn to love the fight |
| Vice | 9.8/10 | "Best in its class" — combat sets the modern standard |
| Loot Level Chill | 95/100 | Capcom cannot fail in 2026 — combat shines in every blade strike |
| COGConnected | 92/100 | Refreshing, focused action with a high bar for combat and narrative |
| Player 2 | 91/100 | Incredibly strong Onimusha experience with minor script issues |
| Noisy Pixel | 90/100 | Triumphant rebirth rewarding patience with exceptional combat and bosses |
| Push Square | 90/100 | Often exceptional — gathers all the qualities of a modern Capcom masterpiece |
| Nintendo Life | 90/100 | Successful relaunch taking gameplay down exciting new paths |
| Game Informer | 8.5/10 | Challenging, systems-complex action — great start for the series' return |
| PC Gamer | 83/100 | Classic Capcom action meets weighty, realistic sword duels |
| GameSpot | 8/10 | Thrilling combat and charismatic Musashi, but repetitive side quests |
| CGMagazine | 8/10 | Great combat and story, but bloated open-world content |
| GamesRadar+ | 3.5/5 | Reaches in too many directions — identity becomes blurred |
What Critics Agree On
The consensus is remarkably strong on three points. First, the Issen counter system — perfectly timed strikes that can one-shot enemies — earned near-universal praise. IGN's Will Borger wrote that the game leaves room for you to "truly understand its action and overcome their absence through sheer determination," calling it a testament to the combat that he beat the game without using assist systems. Second, Miyamoto Musashi: Capcom modeled the protagonist on the likeness of legendary actor Toshiro Mifune, and even critical reviews praised the characterization — Borger noted Capcom captured Mifune's "habit of scratching the back of his head and the way he walks." Third, the boss fights: encounters against historical rivals like Sasaki Ganryu and Benkei were singled out across positive and mixed reviews alike as the game's creative high points.
The RE Engine visuals also drew consistent praise, with Hey Poor Player calling the game "visually impressive" and Nintendo Life noting it "takes its gameplay down a new and exciting path without losing its essential identity."
What Splits Critics
The fault lines are clear and consistent across the lower-scoring reviews:
- Campaign length vs. content. Polygon called the game "an excellent 12-hour action game stretched into a 25-hour slog." Game Informer echoed this, noting the game "struggles to justify the repetition" of fighting the same mini-bosses multiple times with "no discernible reason beyond those darned demons doing silly little demon things."
- Open world vs. linear design. Kotaku's review was the harshest take, arguing Capcom "removed too much of the series' identity" by adding an open world with side missions and collectables instead of the interconnected spaces of older entries. The result, they wrote, is "a game at war with itself."
- RPG progression. Multiple reviewers found the upgrade systems — several overlapping currencies feeding incremental improvements — flat compared to the depth of the combat itself. RogerEbert.com praised the "weighty" and "meticulous" feel of every fight but noted the progression never matches it.
The Metacritic aggregate varies by platform: 88 on Nintendo Switch 2, 86 on PS5, 84 on Xbox Series X|S, and 81 on PC. The Switch 2 version is the surprising leader, with Nintendo Life awarding it 90/100 and praising the port's visual fidelity.
Should You Buy at Launch?
| You Are… | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| A combat-first action fan (Sekiro, Nioh, Ninja Gaiden) | Buy day one — the Issen system is genuinely special and unlike anything else in 2026 |
| A long-time Onimusha fan since the PS2 era | Buy — Forbes called it the best in the series by a considerable margin |
| Sensitive to repetition and padded campaigns | Wait — Polygon and Game Informer both flag the second half as a slog |
| On Nintendo Switch 2 | Buy — the Switch 2 version holds the highest Metacritic aggregate at 88 |
| Looking for a tight 10-hour action game | Hesitate — this is a 25-hour game that not all reviewers felt earned its length |
The Bottom Line
An 86 Metacritic with IGN's first 10/10 for the franchise says Capcom has successfully revived Onimusha for the modern era. The Issen system is the real deal — a combat mechanic that rewards precision and patience in a way few contemporary action games attempt. But this is a game that asks 25 hours of your time, and by most accounts, not all of them are earned. If you are here for the swordplay and the boss duels, buy it at launch. If you want a tight, focused action campaign, wait for community impressions from the second half. Either way, with Nioh 3 and The Blood of Dawnwalker also dropping this week, September 2026 is an extraordinarily expensive month for action fans.
