Onimusha games are often associated with a high learning curve, but they’re not envisioned to be as punishing as soulslike titles either. The next mainline installment in the franchise, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, strives for a deep and challenging difficulty level, but not in a way that will make you give up halfway. To this end, the game introduces two distinct difficulty settings, with one being a more accessible story mode.
In an interview with Denfaminicogamer, game director Satoru Nihei revealed a little more information about how Onimusha: Way of the Sword’s supposed “easier” mode was designed. In addition to decreasing values like the strength of enemy attacks, the story mode adds more obvious displays to the game’s UI (including on-screen button prompts), as well as more forgiving input timings.
Producer Akihito Kadowaki comments that his team didn’t just want to lower enemy parameters and call it a day. The story-focused mode was created to make moves such as deflecting and the franchise’s trademark Issen easier to execute.
While Capcom isn’t trying to make the game as difficult as a soulslike, they don’t want to make Onimusha: Way of the Sword too easy to complete. The developers explain that there is no such thing as avoiding death entirely in this game, as players will “die, learn, and move forward.” However, they have built systems to help players rebound even after being defeated several times. These include soul-based progression that enhances attack power, unlocks new action options, extends the duration of techniques, and broadens the player’s overall capabilities. This is meant to encourage perseverance and give players a feeling of accomplishment no matter their skill level.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is scheduled to release in 2026 for PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X❘S.
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