Wow, can this series do no wrong?
The main reason I loved Onimusha 4 so much was for the story, the game play, and the graphics which were nothing short of amazing; this game is just as great in those aspects. I loved the gameplay but I did find myself getting frustrated at times. I think this game was a little too "Capcomed". Let me explain. When I think of Capcom I think of the highly acclaimed "Resident Evil" series and this game is definately riddled with it's techniques. From walking up to doors that won't open and having to actually go into your inventory to "use" the appropriate key, all the way down to the styling and visuals. This isn't a bad thing so to speak but franky, that's why I don't play the Resident Evil series; I find the gameplay a tad boring. This game just like part 4 had extra playable characters; Samanosuke, Jaques, and Michelle (Jaques's wife/girlfriend). I was a little taken back by the fact that I didn't play the majority of the game with Samanosuke but instead with Jaques a hook nosed Frenchman. There were several times in the story where I found myself laughing and honestly really getting into the storyline itself. I could tell this game wasn't something that was just thrown together in an effort to get a game out and on the shelf for the sake of the series. It's obvious that either of these games can stand alone on their own without having to be played in an exact order; and I myself think that adds a lot of replay value. Don't get me wrong this didn't take away from the game but don't play this expecting to be in feudal Japan the entire time. The story was great and kept me wondering the entire game which is a must. Sword combinations/attacks left a little to be desired, I always felt like if I could just get a couple more hits it I would of been satisfied but oh well. I also found this game to have less weapons, less magic, and less opportunities to level up. Overall, apparently I am impressed with this series and I'm very glad I found it. As a matter of fact I now own all 4 of the games and I'm starting on part 1 of the series tonight. If you want a challenging game with great graphics, storyline, and game play this game or this series for that matter is definitely worth checking out. I hope you found this review helpful. I'll be sure and finish my review on this entire series once I beat them all. Thanks for reading :)