Onimusha: Way of the Sword Launches to 86 Metacritic and Zero Negative Reviews
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Launches to 86 Metacritic and Zero Negative Reviews
Capcom’s long-awaited revival of the Onimusha series, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, launched on September 4, 2026, arriving on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2. Set in feudal Japan, the game trades the series’ old fixed-camera survival-horror roots for a fast, precise sword-combat system, and critics have responded. The game currently sits at 86 on Metacritic (“Generally Favorable”), with 93% positive reviews and, notably, zero negative reviews across more than 80 critics at launch.
What Critics Are Saying
The near-universal praise centers on Way of the Sword’s combat engine, and specifically its signature “Issen” mechanic, a perfectly-timed counter and parry system that rewards split-second reads on an enemy’s attack. Reviewers have singled out the game’s duel-style boss encounters against rival swordsmen as some of the best in recent memory, with several outlets drawing direct comparisons to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice for how deliberate and punishing, yet fair, the swordplay feels.
Beyond mechanics, critics have also praised the writing and characterization of protagonist Miyamoto Musashi, whose performance and design (visibly modeled after actor Toshiro Mifune) landed with more emotional depth than the series has managed before. For players stocking up ahead of a weekend with the game, a Steam Wallet Code (US) is an easy way to grab it on PC without reaching for a card.
The One Complaint: Pacing
If there’s a dividing line in the reviews, it’s length rather than quality. Way of the Sword runs roughly 25 hours for a full campaign, and while nobody is calling the core combat loop weak, several critics felt the back half leans on repetitive side content to pad the runtime. One outlet summed up the split bluntly, describing it as “an excellent 12-hour action game stretched into a 25-hour slog.” It’s the kind of criticism that reads more like a note on pacing discipline than a knock on the game’s fundamentals, and it hasn’t stopped the review scores from landing overwhelmingly positive.
Way of the Sword is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a Switch 2 version at launch as well, so whichever camp you’re in, there’s no wrong platform to jump in on. Console players can browse current deals in the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S sections.
