Onimusha: Warlords

Whether this release is testing the water for a return to the series, or it's just a dip into the library to throw out a release in January, Onimusha is one of Capcom's finest and least appreciated. Hopefully with this new version, creaky as it can be at times, the game (and franchise) finds some new fans. It would be great to have Onimusha and Nioh competing side by side to have the premier Japanese dark fantasy crown.

There’s a lot to like with this remaster and I hope Capcom considers remastering the others for Switch (and PS4 and Xbox One) in the future because some aspects haven’t aged well but this is a damn fine experience. I’ve grown to enjoy playing many older games on handheld systems and Onimusha is best on Switch for me.

A great return that makes us want a new iteration of this franchise.

Onimusha: Warlords for Nintendo Switch is a delight. It looks and plays well, it’s fun, and the in-game achievement system – aptly named Honors – motivates the player to replay the game several times. On average, most will be able to complete the game in around four hours. Despite the short duration, the journey is a quality one and something you’ll want to replay. Hopefully, Capcom has plans to bring the rest of the Onimusha series to the Nintendo Switch in the near future.

Almost two decades on, Onimusha: Warlords lives again thanks to a handful of truly impactful changes. Those tank controls are lighter to the touch and the improvements to the visuals help take the edge off those clunky PS2-era looks. The updated soundtrack might be a little inferior, but even it brings an extra layer of authenticity to a game that draws from Japan’s rich history of warfare. Hopefully, the rest of the series will get the same treatment because this classic swashbuckling adventure (with the occasional moment of horror) has just re-sharpened its blade, and we're happy to have it back.

Back in 2001, when Onimusha Warlords first came out, it was a real step forward in the beat'em all genre. Eighteen years later, despite its laughable length, the joy of discovery remains the same, especially when it comes to its stunning art direction and the simpleness of its gameplay mechanics. Now, we can only hope for further adaptations of the Onimusha saga.

Onimusha: Warlords is short, and the remastered version doesn't expand with any new playable content. But it does a good job in terms of improving graphics performance and control. What's more, even in 2019, the battle system is still gorgeous, and it definitely is a must-buy game for the fans.

Onimusha brings back one of the greatest PS2 adventures. Visuals (remastered in 16:9 format and 1080p resolution) and combat system are still ok, but some mechanics feel outdated. It brought back our best memories of the 2001 original PS2 game.

Onimusha: Warlords is a game from another era and the remaster, despite its many enhancements, sadly highlights how the experience hasn't aged too well. This doesn't mean that the game isn't good, as many of its ideas, such as combat, leveling system and puzzles, only required a few small tweaks to be truly excellent. The fact that it's a game from 2001 is clear when playing the game, but Onimusha: Warlords can still provide a sweet, albeit short, experience.

All in all, Onimusha HD is a wonderful return to the first entry in a long and well-loved series. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if Capcom continues to overhaul these PS2 and GameCube era classics.

Nintendo Switch players that opt to revive a classic such as Onimusha: Warlords HD Remaster will find everything that made Capcom special in a title that feels like a Resident Evil spin-off. However, I must remind everyone that the game doesn't go beyond a simple port.

If you enjoy Onimusha then I'd recommend getting the remaster of Onimusha Warlords. It's really annoying that the game doesn't include the Genma Onimusha content but the 3D movement controls work very well for the type of gameplay that Onimusha has.

Onimusha still is a fantastic game, and it looks and plays wonderfully. It’s quite short, but very enjoyable nonetheless.

While Onimusha: Warlords may be an older game, I believe it has stood the test of time fairly well, and has gotten me interested in checking out the later entries. The game is thoroughly enjoyable the whole way through with very few dull moments. Overall the game, albeit a short one, provides a great experience that culminates into a strong title.

A nostalgic-fuelled, absolute blast. It's wonderful to finally be able to play this once again, and it's far too long coming - better on the Switch, as the ability to play it on the go adds even more to this release. Ultimately, though, after waiting 18 years, this isn't enough. This deserved more of a remaster with more extras, perhaps even a remastered trilogy. Hopefully, more is coming. Hopefully, fans will show Capcom that this is what they want. With Onimusha: Warlords reminding fans of the glory days and Resident Evil 2 one of the finest games of the generation, the audience is still there. Now bring on Dino Crisis, more Onimusha, Resident Evil 3 and everything else you've got Capcom!

Onimusha Warlord is a classic that is easily recommended for fans of survival horror games with a samurai-related plot component. Not too reliant on its plot, the gameplay is accessible and fun, featuring some well thought out puzzles and a good environment, despite its rather short length. If anything, it makes the player want more from this delivery and hope the next one will be more ambitious.

This remastered version reminded us why we still love this game even after all these years. Some of its elements did not age well but the game proved to be a ton of fun.

Onimusha: Warlords is a somewhat rough but enjoyable adventure, making it worth revisiting.

Onimusha is still pleasant and fluid to play, showing off those beautiful precalculated backgrounds that we once loved. However, the remastared version suffers from its lack of new content, and doesn't fix some of the problems we faced many years ago.

Onimusha: Warlords HD Remaster is intended for those looking for a trip down memory lane, but it won't impress others. It's an interesting historical artifact, but that's about all it has going for it.

It may sound like I’m being tough on Onimusha: Warlords, but it’s still a solid experience with entertaining mechanics; just don’t go in expecting a whole lot.

Quotation forthcoming.

While the second and third games are arguably better, Onimusha: Warlords serves as a perfect introduction to one of Capcom’s most underrated franchises. So many minor improvements have been made here to make the game very playable by modern standards, though the fixed camera angles will remain polarising with modern audiences. Regardless, Onimusha: Warlords is a brief yet rewarding experience that combines simple yet satisfying combat and ghoulish enemy designs to create something that’s still unique.

A perfect classic title for those who want to play it again and a good opportunity for those who give it a chance for the first time. Good controls and soundtrack.

I definitely had fun with Onimusha: Warlords, despite many of its mechanics and visuals aging poorly since 2001. A lot of my enjoyment comes from revisiting an old favorite, but there's not enough new stuff here to recommend this to someone new to the series. The save system, terrible animations, and unskippable cutscenes just don't work in the modern era. It's a shame, because Onimusha is one of my favorite PS2 games, and just a few tweaks to some of the older systems would have helped enormously. The modern release is exactly how I remember it, and unfortunately in 2019, that's just not good enough.

Switch owners may be more comfortable with playing older games than Nintendo’s less portable cousins, but even this feels a bit too short-lived and dated to satisfy our Capcom cravings, especially when there are more exciting oldies to come to Switch, from Resident Evil 4 to the recently announced Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen.

A low budget but competent remaster of a game that’s showing its age – and yet still makes a good argument for a future franchise revival.

It is a small delight, then, to be able to replay Onimusha Warlords. In truth, it is an imperfect game that thoroughly shows its age (this is an enhanced port of the 2002 original to PS4, Xbox One and Switch, rather than a full-blooded remake like the upcoming Resident Evil 2), but a singular one that reminds you of its forgotten impact.

Onimusha Warlords made the jump to Switch almost entirely intact. If you loved the original and want the chance to go back to it, you won’t be disappointed. The old control scheme is still available on the D-pad, and every cutscene is kept exactly as it was before, voice acting and all. With the only changes being an excellently redone soundtrack, this port is the perfect way to relive your memories of the Playstation 2 classic. However, if you’ve never played Onimusha, this port’s only real value is as a simple way to experience a piece of history. Over the course of 18 years, other games have improved on everything that once made Onimusha great.