The whole mythos and game-world of Onimusha is so rich and vast!
Graphics:
From the very opening CGI movie it's clear that this game will be something else. Masterfully crafted cut-scenes with rain, lightning and shading effects with artistically superb direction and camera angles makes this title one of the best looking games on the X-box at the time of its release.
In-game graphics has superb animation, backdrops to die for and many different interesting places to visit, people to talk to, there's no drop in frame-rate and the attacks and magic look great and the water-effects are top-drawer. You get to fight in ancient temples, castle-dungeons, forests, courtyards, streams, stilted pathways, demonic worlds and in the dark tower which you access by talking to a very strange looking man who drops down from above. In this dark tower you can get more powerful armor and weapons as well as stock up on healing potions and arrows/bullets. The actual characters can sometimes lack in detail though which I think stems from the fact that this IS a port of the Ps2 version. A very enhanced port with lots of new stuff, but still a port.
Throughout the course of the game you get to play as Kaede which also animates as well as her male counterpart.
The camera work isn't 100% effective. At times your character WILL be obscured by something and you'll lose your control for a few precious seconds.
90%
Gameplay:
There are a variety of zombie-like samurais and soldiers as well as magically enhanced demon-ninjas. There are also other creatures like a troll-like boss, giant scarabs, and monsters of many kinds to fight. The experience system is pretty unusual; as you kill opponents, you collect orbs of different colors (actually you absorb them with the gauntlet of ogres, which you receive early in the game) yellow orbs replenish your health, green gives you experience and so on. The way you "level up" in this game is really cool. Instead of raising stats or buy new moves for your character you level up the weapons you get through the game. You can also upgrade herbs to medicines, bullets to burst-bullets etc. You have a couple of normal attacks to choose from and also you can hold your attack-button to perform a deadlier attack. Apart from shogun-assassin style sword-wielding you also get a hold of bows and even a gun during the course of the game. The controls are very smooth and intuitive. The only thing I think it lacks is a quicker way to change from melee to distance weapons. As it is now, you have to get into the menu and equip another weapon. There's an auto-targeting system which is a lifesaver in close-combat (which is where you'll spend most of your fights in) but the auto-targeting can be confusing when you use the gun or bow. For example, if you would like to target a foe that's further away it's difficult to change the aim from the nearer enemy to the farther one.
It's not all hack 'n slash though as Samanosuke has to solve riddles and puzzles along the way. Sometimes you change characters and you get to play as Kaede. She has weaker attacks and no magic so you'll need to stay sharp to not get hurt, because if you don't you might end up using too much healing items on her. This still gives the game more variation and flavor to it, even though it's nothing really special. What is really cool though is that when Samanosuke and Kaede travel together through the castle they have to solve puzzles together in which you control both characters in turns to pull levers, solve puzzles and step on plates. These are a welcome breakdown from the hack 'n slash core of the game.
There's one thing that drags this game down a little bit and that's the fact that early in the game you come across a doll which comes to life and becomes a killer doll! A cool thing in itself with a neat introductory cut-scene and all, but the fact that (even IF you kill the doll) it comes back at random places to haunt you and is really, and I mean REALLY hard to kill, so the best thing to do is to run away from it which goes against common sense. I play this game to kill demons not to run away from dolls. I know this doll is considered a classic video game enemy by many and there are videos on the internet on how to kill it, but was it really necessary to make the doll so tough? It halts the flow of the game in my opinion. It's harder than the last boss, ridiculous.
91%
Sound:
I recently played through this game on my new AJ surround system and man! The sound effects are awesome and the voice acting is definitely top-class. I still can't shake the fact that the game could've used some more music, although the ambient mixed with classical is very appropriate. The sounds of the different weapons are very good and realistic. You can also hear from where the footsteps of your enemies come from.
80%
Lastability:
There are a few difficulty levels to try out as well as unlockables such as the Oni-spirits mini game, extreme difficulty and a new costume for Kaede, but the fact that you can't put the controller down once you've started a new game speaks for itself. This is a game you'll play again and again. No multiplayer though.
82%
Overall:
The whole mythos and game-world of Onimusha is just so rich and vast and the basic premise of the game; killing monster-, demon-, and zombie versions of ninjas, samurais, archers, soldiers and even (grumble, grumble)dolls, using magical and upgradable weapons while exploring a detailed world wrapped up in a story worthy of a classic movie is perfect to me.
Onimusha is simply a very good video-game and it has everything a good game should have… except a multiplayer mode. Suit up in your ninja-armor and equip your thunder-blade for you shall slay hordes of monster-samurais!
90%