Fans of the Onimusha franchise who have been looking forward to Capcom's return to the series are in luck, because they can play Onimusha: Way of the Sword right now. Although the game won't come out for some time yet, Onimusha: Way of the Sword has released a demo alongside the PlayStation State of Play.
Fans have been asking for the revival of the Onimusha franchise for a long time, and in 2024, the announcement of Onimusha: Way of the Sword finally gave them what they've been asking for. A full 25 years after the release of the first Onimusha: Warlords game, Onimusha: Way of the Sword will bring players to Kyoto, Japan during the historical Edo period, and will put players in the role of one of the nation's most well-known swordsmen.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Reveals New Characters
Miyamoto Mushashi's journey in Onimusha: Way of the Sword gets a new story-focused look during TGS 2025, introducing key allies.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Demo is Out Now
Revealed at the end of the Onimusha: Way of the Sword section of the June 2 PlayStation State of Play, Capcom announced that a demo of the game is now available. Though the news arrived during a PlayStation show, gamers on PC and Xbox can also check out the demo. Players will be able to take on Genma, Sasaki Ganryu, and try out the Oni Gauntlet's abilities. As an extra bonus, those who play the demo and then go on to purchase and play the full game will receive a Kubi Akari charm that hangs on Musashi's hip. The full game will launch on September 25, 2026, and is up for pre-order now. Gamers who pre-order the title will also receive bonuses when it launches, including a Sealed Curse skin for Musashi's sword, and a Lion Dog charm.
Though Onimusha: Way of the Sword won't be a Soulslike, it does have an emphasis on meaningful combat and swordplay. This is evident in the full trailer, which shows Musashi dodging around enemy blows to deliver punishing retaliative strikes, and blocking attacks with his sword. He also delivers some particularly brutal attacks, slashing enemies in half. Musashi is also quite agile, with one section of the trailer showing him wall-running to avoid traps. He also faces off against a number of enemies in the trailer, ranging from simple demonic grunts to Shuten Doji, a massive Oni that ridicules Musashi for rejecting their power.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the trailer is near the end, when Musashi is asked if he will take human souls with his gauntlet, as well. Saying he'll do whatever it takes, Musashi calls on the power of the Oni souls he's taken, and transforms into a demonic version of himself that looks extremely powerful. However, it's seemingly teased that this power comes at a cost, as he hints at having to surrender something in return for taking on the power of the Oni. Whether that means giving up his life, becoming an Oni, or something else entirely is unclear at this time.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword will land in September alongside a number of other major hitters, including Marvel's Wolverine, which was also showcased during the presentation. Silent Hill: Townfall, the next original game in the Silent Hill series, will launch just one day prior to Onimusha: Way of the Sword, on September 24. However, Phantom Blade Zero, which was originally slated to release in September, has moved its launch to October. All of these will notably land in advance of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is set for November, and is expected to sell extraordinarily well and likely occupy most gamers' time from that point forward.
