Onimusha Blade Warriors Pre-TGS Update

At a press event today in Japan, Capcom showed off Onimusha Buraiden, also known as Onimusha Blade Warriors in the US. Producer Keiji Inafune gave those in attendance an overview of the upcoming fighting game, which is set in the Onimusha world.

The game will feature a roster of fighters drawn from Onimusha 1 and 2. You'll see familiar faces such as Akechi Samanosuke, Jubei Yagyu, Kaede, Oyu, Magoichi, and Kotaru among the available brawlers. Although you'll start out with a modest selection of fighters to choose from at the start of the game, you'll eventually have access to over 20 selectable characters. The arenas in the game will also be drawn from familiar locales in the Onimusha games, and will feature a variety of interactive elements and multi-level construction.

The game's emphasis will be on arcade-style action in order to offer an accessible experience to players of all skill levels. Inafune stated that the controls offered a simple layout that offered a good amount of options in a fight. The segments of gameplay shown showcased the various elements that come into play during combat such as weapons that can be used in a fight. The weapons ranged from the standard assortment of swords to more fanciful armaments such as large red hammers and guns. Another component of combat, drawn straight from the Onimusha games is the ability to absorb souls from fallen enemies. The mechanic works much like it does in Onimusha 1 and 2, you'll absorb orbs from fallen foes, but is also an essential part of clearing missions as in some cases you'll have to absorb a specific soul before being declared the victor.

Besides offering a single-player story experience that will take you through different scenarios drawn straight from the previous Onimusha games, Onimusha Blade Warriors will also offer support for up to four-players in its multiplayer mode if you have a PlayStation 2 multi tap handy. Onimusha Blade Warriors is slated to be playable on the TGS showfloor this Friday, check back with us for hands on impressions soon.