Onimusha 2 is a worthy follow-up to what most PS2 owners consider to be the first must-have title for the system.
It's about a decade after Samanosuke defeated the demonic Nobunaga, or was eaten by him, or whatever. After a lone Samurai named Jubei has his village slaughtered in what may be the CG video to end all CG videos, Jubei sets out to destroy the evil force that has destroyed his loved ones, and save Japan in the progress.
Controlwise, Onimusha 2 hasn't really changed a whole lot since the first game. This keeps it from being the must-have title that the first was, seeing as how we're in the era of Devil May Cry and the RE remake. You can't use the analog sticks, and characters turn very sluggishly. These issues should have been addressed by now, especially since O2 was made by the same company that made DMC. Still, it handles just as well as the first did, which isn't a bad thing, it just means that there are better handling models on the market today, and it's shocking that Capcom didn't make Onimusha 2 handle just as well.
You won't be disappointed in Onimusha's production values, though: everything here faithfully thrusts you into a Japanese samurai epic, where more is going on than you know. Everything from the wonderfully rendered trees, fountains, and buildings to the lifelike character models have style to spare, and helps to keep the game from feeling like "Resident Evil with swords." Rather, it comes off as an immersing gameplay experience set in a unique locale. Arguably, the Japanese setting has been one of the most catching aspects of the series, and that tradition continues here. The audio is a mixed bag: while the audio is just as stirring as ever, the voices merely do their job, and won't be winning any awards. Still, the voicework does contain something very rarely found in games today, Survival Horror or otherwise: emotion. That alone gets the sound some bonus points.
Which brings us to the gameplay. It's just about the same as it was before, but with a few twists that really don't affect the core of the title very much. First and foremost among these is the inclusion of the trading system: you now buy items and barter with characters for a good part of the game to get what you need, such as medicines and ammunition. Each character has their likes and dislikes, however, and while not extremely deep, the system is very enjoyable, and added just the right amount of breaks in the action-packed gameplay at just the right moments. That is, until they stop altogether at a certain point in the game. Go figure.
Despite a few flaws, not to mention lack of analog support and a truly cohesive storyline, Onimusha 2 is a solid-as-a-rock action title that any self-respecting PS2 owner/ninja fan should pick up.
-George
Company Line
SUNNYVALE, Calif. * April 3, 2002 * Capcom Entertainment today announced an August 27 launch for Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, the highly anticipated sequel to Onimusha: Warlords, for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. Based on this award winning, multi-million selling blockbuster, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny takes the series to an entirely new level. Major achievements include more expansive environments to explore, new character interactions, enhanced swordplay and over twice the volume of animated movies. In a revolutionary use of talent, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny "brings-to-life" the late, famous Japanese actor, Yusaku Matsuda (known for his numerous works including the 1989 film Black Rain) as the main character and hero, Jubei Yagyu. Onimusha 2 has been a phenomenal success in Japan, where it shipped one million units within two weeks of its launch. This exceeds its predecessor, which achieved the same milestone in a two month span. Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny is currently rated 'RP' (rating pending) by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Review Board).
Onimusha 2 is an epic story that blends magical realism with accurate historical accounts of 16th century Feudal Japan. It offers the most in-depth adventure in Capcom's samurai action series. Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny begins 10 years following the events in Onimusha: Warlords, after Nobunaga, an infamous Japanese warlord, has brutalized a village. Players take the role of the hero, a young warrior and master of the Yagyu Shinkage sword fighting style, who seeks revenge against Nobunaga and to uncover his destiny.
"The opening cinematics are even more stunning than the original masterpiece. The game is so realistic you actually feel panic and fear as Nobunaga and his henchmen terrorize the village," said Todd Thorson, director of marketing, Capcom Entertainment. "Onimusha 2 will be a 'must-have' video game for the Onimusha aficionado and all PlayStation 2 game players. This is the first time a video game has brought an actor back to life. The late Yusaku Matsuda was an extremely popular actor and his presence adds a totally unique quality to Onimusha 2."
To create the vastly unique and immense world of Onimusha 2, Capcom employed the talents of Mr. Keita Amemiya, a famous Japanese character designer, director and illustrator to perpetuate further creativity and to bring a fresh perspective to an already detailed universe. In addition to his creative talents, a host of other professionals in various forms of entertainment added their expertise to the project including those in writing, directing, character movement, special effects and motion capture.
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny boasts the following features:
* Explore new and diverse environments - Outside the castle walls players will travel around the Town of Imasho, a lively old gold rush town, the Sacred Place of the Oni Clan over run with demons, as well as foggy
canyons, hidden forests, a gold mine, caves and more.
* Players can simply execute a new set of sword moves called 'Ohgi' or 'esoteric fighting' to execute devastating combos using a simplistic control scheme.
* Onimusha 2 will feature twice the amount of CG story line movies. Capcom has employed the talents of live-action movie actors to add facial and movement realism as well as an actual stage director to ensure overall realism and continuity.
* Revolutionary character interaction - Players can gain access to the new fighting skills of not only the main character but up to four unique sub-characters.
* Features world-renowned music from composer Taro Iwashiro.
* Epic story blends magical realism with accurate historic accounts
* The most epic adventure in Capcom's samurai action series.
The original release, Onimusha: Warlords, became the smash hit for the PlayStation 2 having garnered numerous awards including "Best of Show" by SIGGRAPH 2000 Computer Animation Festival. Earlier this year, Onimusha: Warlords was named PlayStation 2 People's Choice Award for "PlayStation 2 Game of the Year" and PlayStation 2 People's Choice Award for "Best Action/Adventure Game." Onimusha: Warlords won these prestigious awards through voting conducted on Sony Computer Entertainment America's Web site, www.scea.com.
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