Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Review

Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, originally released in 2002, is an action-adventure title developed and published by Capcom for the iconic PlayStation 2. The title is a sequel that intends to build on the original samurai formula set in the fictional world of Japan's Sengoku period. It remained a standout title for many years. Its relentless combat and ambitious storytelling helped define Capcom's legacy.

It's always great to go back in time to see old games come back, and it's especially intriguing to see that Capcom continues to support the Onimusha series, considering that it doesn't really have the notoriety of franchises such as Monster Hunter. Let's dig in to see if it lives up to the high expectations set by Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny's original release.

The story of Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny begins with Jubei, the only survivor of this clan, after an attack by horrific demonic creatures called Genma, led by the evil Nobunaga. After discovering that his family has connections to the Oni, Jubei heads off on a quest to collect five magical orbs that can stop Nobunaga for humanity's sake.

Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny's story moves at a fast pace, just like the first game, but takes a bit longer to finish as a whole. In my experience, I found the story to be the weakest part of the game. The first game had mediocre dialogue and offered a less ambitious plot, but Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny tries to do a bit more by introducing a supporting cast and by giving you an experience with a more party-oriented adventure, but I wouldn't say that it fully makes up for it.

You are introduced to your four allies early in the game, who assist you in battles and, at times, become playable themselves. They offer distinct personalities, and the game does a fairly decent job of giving you a brief idea about how they relate to each other and Jubei. I found Oyu to stand out the most because of her nuanced backstory, which is pretty important to the plot.

My complaint lies with how the rest of the team doesn't get enough screen time to have a meaningful connection that allows you to bond with and grow attached to them. The voice acting doesn't do any of the characters a favor either, but it does have a grungy vintage vibe to it, which might entertain some folk.

Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny has a mechanic where you can give your allies gifts to unlock helpful items and upgrades, such as health or magic boost; your decision to give characters may even influence certain story scenes, although I would consider most of it to be pretty minimal. Jubei, as a standalone, is a decent protagonist who has a clear vision, but I wouldn't say that his personality shines that much— he mostly asks questions and watches things happen.

What this remaster has to offer seems pretty basic on paper. It now supports high-definition visuals and 16:9 aspect ratio play, though I wouldn't say that I found the camera angle to be that amusing—it looks pretty awkward. 

Another welcome change is the new control scheme, which lets you move the analog stick rather than using the classic controls. The title now features an Easy Mode for casual players and a new punishing Hell Mode for those feeling devious.

Aside from the abovementioned, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny is mostly unchanged from its original PlayStation 2 release. You might consider it to be a bit lazy if you are expecting a more modern or polished take on the original.

The gameplay is fundamentally simple: venture out through a linear environment that is filled with enemies and various puzzles; the puzzles usually involve you unlocking a treasure chest by interacting with the environment and the various clues it has to offer or by arranging tiles. 

The fixed camera angle helps you by highlighting the important areas, so it's pretty easy to figure out what you have to do, and the small map helps you from getting lost, so it's fairly rare that anyone would find the game overly complicated.

Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny leans further into action when you compare it to other survival horror-inspired titles. You are introduced to a wide range of weapons, from katanas and hammers to spears and bows, and they are all unique in how they feel, from combos to their elemental attack. Jubei has the ability to transform into an Oni form, making you much more powerful and giving you a whole new set of moves, boosting damage.

And when you do get to control the other characters, they each bring their unique fighting styles. The movement system in Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny includes strafing, allowing you to dodge attacks and make fluid combination moves. It's also easy to switch weapons on the get-go—pretty much non-stop action.

Defeating enemies releases glowing souls that you can absorb to upgrade your weapon and armor at various safe zones. This makes leveling up pretty consistent and satisfying since every fight is going to contribute to progress. From head to the gameplay is roughly about 10 hours long, so it never feels like it's dragging on.

This remaster of Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny features a bunch of extras. If you look at the gallery, you will find over 100 concept sketches and a digital soundtrack. The title also features mini-games from the start menu: "Men in Black" has you collecting various items as you avoid enemies, and Timone has you fighting waves of enemies whilst switching between your allies. 

"Puzzle Phantom Realm" brings together all of the game's best puzzles in one place. This is a fun addition, and from my experience, they never felt like a chore, unlike the frustrating Oni Spirits mini-game from the original Onimusha.

Visually, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny holds up pretty well because of its solid art style and pre-rendered backgrounds. The title does look timeless, even if it wasn't overhauled as much as I would like—perhaps that is a good thing. The character models look alright, and the facial animations are expressive enough for a game of its time; it's safe to say that the game's visuals aged fairly well.

But it's not all smooth sailing. Unfortunately, some of the game's original problems came back in this remastered fixed camera. While sometimes it can be cinematic, I found it to be pretty annoying. The camera angle changes make the movement confusing to the point where you often end up getting hit by enemies that aren't even visible. I found this especially annoying during intense fights or whenever I moved through narrow areas.

The design choices also feel very old. Many of the levels are simplistic in nature, with very little variety, and there isn't really much to look at aside from the pretty artwork. The progression feels very linear, and some of the battles only feel difficult because of the old mechanics that don't hold up to today's standards, not because of clever enemy design.

The voice acting, as mentioned before, isn't doing the game any favors, but it might seem nostalgic if you grew up with early 2000s games. It doesn't add much to the story, but it's not something that will ruin your experience entirely, either. But the soundtrack is great, and it fits the tone of Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny and helps build an ambiance that goes with the title.

Overall, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny isn't perfect by any means. The story and characters aren't very deep, and it's definitely not winning any awards in that category. The camera work doesn't do any favors for the game, either. The remaster itself is pretty minor, offering only a few improvements to the visuals and controls.

Despite all of that, the gameplay definitely stands out, especially if it's fun and fluid combat. I love doing the puzzles. I thought they were really well designed, and the game still looks great because of its timeless aesthetic. 

If you're already a fan of the Onimusha series, this remaster is a great way to revisit its old memories. If you're someone new, it's still a solid action-adventure game as long as you're patient with the older mechanics. I'm looking forward to seeing Capcom continue to remaster the rest of the classics from the series. So that more people can really understand and appreciate the appeal of these beautiful games.