A mistake I feel many developers make when it comes to their combat systems is trying to cram too much in. More does not always mean better. In fact, it rarely does.

Just this year, Crimson Desert wowed many including myself with a vast array of mechanics and abilities that, while often spectacular, could just as often be clunky and unenjoyable.

Reaching that golden zone where a sea of complex mechanics move together fluidly is a feat that few studios are able to achieve.

Not since FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has a game's combat managed to so thoroughly blow me away like that of Onimusha: Way of the Sword.

For anyone that hasn't played an Onimusha game before, the key to its genius is the Issen.

Similar to a parry, by pressing one of their attack buttons at the moment an enemy attack is about to hit, you will instantaneously dash out of the way and deliver a powerful blow. This will one-hit most regular mobs, while dealing a chunk of HP and stance damage to bosses.

What sets the Issen apart is its high risk, high reward playstyle. While a missed parry often results in the player still blocking the attack, a missed Issen results in our protagonist Musashi taking a sword/claw/fist to the face.

Way of the Sword introduces a new deflect mechanic that's more akin to your traditional parry. Block a blow to deal a bit of stance damage.

My initial worry was that, with deflects being so much easier to pull off than an Issen, what reason would I have to ever go with the harder option?

The first, and simplest reason is that Issens are extremely cool to pull off, doubly so once you unlock chain Issens that let you clear entire groups of enemies in a few swipes.

But most importantly, even just a few dozen hours into a playthrough, Way of the Sword's combat mechanics are so intuitive and well-designed that I quickly began to understand that each mechanic has its place in your arsenal.

After getting my arse kicked by a boss two or three times, I instinctively understood which attacks required an Issen, a deflect, a dodge, or simply a block.

Some kind of Onimusha savant could no doubt Issen any and every attack, but for us normal folks, Way of the Sword offers a wonderfully fluid combat system that trains you subconsciously to enjoy every part of it equally.

It meant that, far from settling into the same routine attacks over and over again, every hour I played stayed fresh right until the credits rolled.

Musashi carries with him an array of other weapons and items found throughout his journey.

Beyond your bow which you'll get plenty of use out of on your fodder enemies, a collection of six unique side weapons supplement your assaults, offering a new angle to your strategies.

These weapons are essential to beating the game's many bosses, but can only be charged by absorbing souls during a fight, meaning you have to choose wisely which one to use and when.

Do you care about restoring health, or stance damage, or area of effect damage? What you value most in a fight determines how you use these weapons, and while I have my own preferences, not a single one is a dead weight in your inventory.

The tragedy of a review is that words can never accurately convey the tactile feeling of a controller in your hand, and so I wholeheartedly recommend checking out the game's demo if you haven't already.

Now, it's one thing to have such an excellent combat system, but what's the point if the story and world it exists in aren't up to scratch?

Thankfully, Way of the Sword delivers here, too, and while it's not going to win any awards on either of these fronts, not once was I bored by them.

It's not quite as camp and silly as the older titles which I thought was a shame, though it does have its moments.

The story follows the samurai Musashi, who is forced rather unwillingly into the role of hero after being brought back from the dead and gifted with an Oni gauntlet that absorbs the souls of those he kills.

To put things simply, Japan is being overrun by monsters called Genma, and Musashi, supported by his ragtag crew, must kill them all, purify the Malice plaguing Kyoto, and put a stop to whoever's causing all this.

Like I said, it's not going to win any awards, but this is a game that's far more character driven than story driven.

Musashi has a fantastic arc throughout Way of the Sword, while each of his companions gets their chance to shine too. I can imagine his arrogance can come off as grating at first, but he develops into a truly great video game protagonist, and one of my favourites in recent memory.

Way of the Sword's story is one that shines in moments, rather than as a unit, with certain story beats carrying the narrative along, with some equally excellent stories to be found in the side content too.

Outside of main missions, Musashi can roam around Kyoto picking up bits of content from finding stray Lion Dogs to full-on side quests.

There's a nice amount to see and do here; I never felt like I was out of things to do, nor did I ever feel overwhelmed by what was left over.

Come the end of my playthrough, I had a fair chunk to complete to earn my Platinum, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else is in store for me.

I am seemingly the only one of my friends who has ever played an Onimusha game – several had never even heard of it – all because I happened to pick up a pre-owned copy in my local GAME.

Onimusha is a criminally underrated series, and while it was not a series I was expecting to be revived, I am delighted to see it make a comeback.

And with the sheer quality that Capcom has pumped into Way of the Sword, I have no doubt that this is a game that is going to sell like hotcakes, and I'm already getting my hopes up for another new Onimusha title,

In a competitive field, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is hands-down the best action-adventure title of the year so far.

Its combat system is as electrifying as it is challenging to master, and it's backed up by a great story and characters, and a lovely little world to explore.

Capcom can probably scarcely believe how well its 2026 is going. Here's hoping its new golden age continues for many years to come.

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Onimusha: Way of the Sword launches 4 September for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2. We reviewed on PS5. You can order your copy now.

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