TGS 2000: Onimusha Hands-On

Onimusha is one of the more anticipated PS2 titles, but after playing the game today at the TGS, I have to admit I am a little disappointed. The demo of the game that's being shown here lets you hack and slash your way through several enemy-infested areas until you eventually reach a boss.

The game places you in the role of a sword-wielding character with controls very similar to those of the Resident Evil series. In addition to the standard slash attack that can be linked into a combo by simply tapping the same button, you can also unleash a more powerful slash that is accompanied by different forms of magic such as fire or lightning. You can strafe by holding the right shoulder button, which lets you quickly move in and out of your enemies attack range. Laying enemies to waste releases floating balls of energy that you can attract by holding a particular button down - this is very similar to a feature in Soul Reaver. These balls of energy replenish your character's health and special attack.

The game is visually impressive, but it unfortunately suffers from the awkward camera angles of the Resident Evil series. The characters and prerendered backgrounds are incredibly detailed. The gameplay seemed a bit simple - you encounter an enemy, slash him to ribbons, and move on to the next. When we reached the boss, a short in-game cinema played before the battle commenced. Onimusha is scheduled for release in Japan this January.