Onimusha: Warlords

 PlayStation 2
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
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  1. Hot Games
    100
    Steeped in style, sleight in substance, and superior in overall satisfaction.
  2. GamePro
    100
    The extensive character techniques and engrossing story line will keep gamers glued to their controllers for hours.
  3. Gamezilla!
    96
    In my opinion this game ranks along side of "Metal Gear Solid" and "Deus Ex." This is a must buy for the avid gamer and even if you don’t care for adventure games it should be rented just to see how well the PS2 can pipe out graphics.
  5. Da Gameboyz
    94
    It appears a new king has been crowned with the best graphical representation on the PS2 to date! The atmosphere is intense and gripping, keeping you thoroughly engrossed and on the edge of your seat.
    All this publication's reviews
  6. TotalGames.net
    91
    The biggest letdown of this game is just how short it is, though to open up everything does take a couple of runs through and you will want to play it again after that for sheer fun value alone! A truly gorgeous game, Onimusha Warlords is a must-buy for fans of the genre.
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Total Video Games
    90
    Onimusha is one of the first ‘must have’ games for the PS2, if you enjoy the survival horror genre then this is a must have. But this is also a top title for action freaks alike.
    All this publication's reviews
  8. IGN
    89
    I especially liked the upgrade-able weapons systems, and the way in which different swords worked on varying monsters with stronger or weaker degrees. These things you figure out as you play along, but every time you fight a new monster, the thrill of hacking it to mincemeat is every bit real.
  9. XGP Gaming
    89
    Almost every ingredient, from the engrossing storyline, to the solid graphic engine and wondrous sound options brings this game to the forefront of the action genre.
  10. Cincinnati Enquirer
    88
    It may not be a lengthy adventure, but it sure is an intense and gratifying one.
  11. GameSpy
    88
    Fans of the "Resident Evil" series will love Onimusha, as the player has long overcome the small "nit-picky" problems inherent in the genre.
  12. Electric Playground
    85
    Whether you’re old-school or newbie-fresh, there’s no getting away from the perennial curse of survival horror games: Cheesy Voice Acting.
  13. GameSpot
    84
    While die-hard Resident Evil fans will be turned off by the game's length, others will find it to be the survival-horror game for people who don't like survival-horror games.
  14. Game Revolution
    83
    Its amazing graphics and fun gameplay make this one of those games that you need to experience. Just watch out for those damn zombies.
  15. Gaming Age
    83
    One amazing game. If you love hack and slash action or resident evil type games, you should definitely get this masterpiece, especially with the replay value.
  16. Core Magazine
    83
    It may not be totally original-the blueprint for this game seems to have been lifted directly out of the "Resident Evil" file-but intuitive controls, outstanding graphics and a wonderfully unsettling soundtrack help this title rise to the top of the PS2 heap.
  17. Happy Puppy
    80
    The fact that you get sent back to the original load screen every time our friend Samanoske meets his untimely death is unforgivable, but it's not something that should keep you away from an otherwise first-class game.
  18. PSX Nation
    80
    Short and easy, but also polished and action-packed violent fun for the adult PS2 owners who haven't yet played "Code Veronica."
  19. Maxim Online
    80
    If you can overlook minor perspective problems, Onimusha’s intense combat, stunning graphics, and involving story make this a masterpiece hotter than a mouthful of wasabi.
  20. Yahoo!
    80
    Truly a gem of a game...The only problem I have with Onimusha is that it's a little too short. You can complete the adventure with a game time of five to six hours.
  21. Daily Radar
    75
    Fits like a familiar old glove (or gauntlet), but smoother, better-fitting and lined in fine, Japanese, brocaded silk.
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  22. Games Radar
    75
    Okay, so the (control) system allows for dramatic angles of spookiness and so forth but it all but kills a game. The fighting system is very poor too, as the computer does it all for you, all you have to do is keep hitting on the X button. Tripe!
    All this publication's reviews
  23. All Game Guide
    70
    May disappoint some die-hard fans of survival horror because of its relatively short length and the way it occasionally trades action for atmosphere.
  24. Thunderbolt
    70
    Even after a few years, Onimusha: Warlords is a decent game with some truly impressive qualities. Sadly, it’s also impressive how short this game manages to be.

Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best PS2 Game of 2001
26
#26 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2001
28
#28 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2001

User Reviews

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User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 139 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 112 out of 139
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 139
  3. Negative: 7 out of 139
  1. DunnieDash
    Feb 13, 2013
    10
    A truly revolutionary game for its time, Onimusha firmly created a hybrid of a cinematic experience in games. With breath taking graphics,A truly revolutionary game for its time, Onimusha firmly created a hybrid of a cinematic experience in games. With breath taking graphics, good controls, and a classic, epic story, Onimusha is a classic Among PS2 games.… Full Review »
  2. JamesDrawsThngs
    Aug 10, 2020
    8
    Resident Evil with samurai. That basic idea alone is what sold me on playing Onimusha, and man am I ever glad that I got to experience it.Resident Evil with samurai. That basic idea alone is what sold me on playing Onimusha, and man am I ever glad that I got to experience it. Considering how many hit titles Capcom released on the PS2, I'm surprised I hadn't heard of this series until much later. Better late than ever, because this has instantly become one of my new favorites for the system.

    You play as Samanosuke Akechi, a wondering samurai that is on a quest to save princess Yuki from demons planning to use her for a sacrificial ritual. The plot is simple and to the point, with characters that get introduced only to never get closure in this game and are simply left as sequel bait, which honestly is disappointing. The English voice acting is deliciously B-Grade, giving it a campy, old-school samurai dub feel (complete with dialogue hardly every matching the lip-syncing). The soundtrack, though, is legitimately excellent with pieces that range from bombastic and triumphant to earie and atmospheric. Visually the game looks. Much like the first handful of Resident Evil games, it utilizes pre-rendered backgrounds with 3D models and it has aged very gracefully. Some of the humans look a bit weird, but the monster designs look excellent.

    If you have ever experienced an old-school Resident Evil game, you'll be immediately familiar with how Onimusha is structured. It's an action game where you fight various enemies, collecting key items, solving puzzles and defeating the occasional boss. The game utilizes tank controls which, while cumbersome at first, don't take much time to get used since the game was designed with those controls in mind, pairing well with the game's fixed camera angles. The game offers a good variety of enemies with different attack patterns and behaviors, and many of the late-game mooks can put up a good fight. The combat is rather simplistic, but can be very satisfying, whether its from striking down a powerful enemy, using magic to mow down a crowd of them, or just enjoying the juicy slicing of your sword through flesh (I swear I don't have problems). The game is very short too. If you know what you're doing you get beat the game in a few hours, which makes it very replayable to go through as you'll want to see if you can beat the game in a faster time and get the highest grade possible.

    As you defeat enemies you can absorb different colored souls. Red souls are currency, allowing you to upgrade your weapons attack power as well as being able to break certain sealed doors. Red souls can also be used to upgrade items, like turning herbs into medicine or regular arrows into fire arrows. Yellow souls are for health and can become a precious commodity in the late game and blue souls refill your magic meter. You can often get these souls by utilizing the magical properties of your weapons. One neat detail that I like is that each elemental sword you obtain has their own separate magic meter, making it ideal for bosses and crowds of enemies. While most of the main puzzles you experience in the game are very light, you will come across the occasional trick box that only allow you a certain number of moves to unlock it, and a couple of them can leave very stumped.

    The game is not without its blemishes. For starters, I really don't like how each weapon has two separate upgrades for general weapon strength and seal strength. In order to access certain doors in the compound you'll need to have the seal strength up to a certain level depending on how many there are on the door, forcing you to prioritize that over upgrading your weapon strength, which will cause you to have to grind a bit in order to fully upgrade everything, and you'll need those stronger weapons for some of the late game challenges. It can also be very easy to be overwhelmed by enemies, which can lead to you getting stun-locked or in a position where it's difficult to gather the souls left behind by enemies. The enemies can also knock you back and end up turning you around, causing you to forget your position and moving or swiping the wrong way. You are also given several different maps in the game, but I found them to be ultimately useless. Not just because I thought it was rather simple to memorize the general layout of each area since the compound itself isn't too big, but because the map doesn't offer a legend for any of them that tells you what each color-coded item represents.

    Onimusha can have its moments of frustration, but that ultimately doesn't change the fact that I think this is an excellent game, one where not only RE fans get a kick out of but also for people that absolutely dig the feudal Japanese setting and lore.    … Full Review »
  3. AKthaBeast
    May 14, 2018
    9
    Great story and excellent game however coming from playing games using the joysticks it was hard to revert back to the game pad....
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