Onimusha 3: Demon Siege

Onimusha 3 looks like it is shaping up to be Capcom's next big hit.

We recently got a chance to play through a nearly complete preview build of Capcom?s latest entry in the popular Onimusha series with Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, and judging from what we saw, fans of the series and newbies alike will have plenty to be excited about.

This time around, players will have the chance to play as two different characters (one of whom uses a whip -- more on that later) while taking the fight against the genma out of medieval Japan and into present day France. Sound a bit unusual for an Onimusha game? Well, it is, but only in a good way. Gone are a few of the more repetitious aspects of the last game and in their places have come a few new ideas that will keep the series fresh and enjoyable (no one wants another Tomb Raider series after all).

Upon firing up Onimusha 3 we were treated to an absolutely jaw-dropping cinema that put to shame nearly every other CGI movie on the PS2 to date, including the stellar Final Fantasy cut scenes SquareSoft has become famous for. Normally, cut scenes and cinemas receive little press coverage as most media attention is rightfully placed on the gameplay (unless, of course, a developer is only showing a cut scene in very early preview demos, where playable builds are not readily available for viewing or hands-on time). However, the facial animation, lighting, shadow and creative design of the Onimusha 3 cinemas are so spectacularly well done that attention must be given to these outstanding movies.

Because these cut scenes are of such unusually high quality, the real actors portraying the duel demon slaying heroes Samanosuke Akechi and Jaques Blanc actually look exactly like the characters they are portraying (think 007 Everything or Nothing, but much, much more convincing). Suffice to say that battling through hordes of demonic warriors doesn?t seem so bad when one has such delightful visual treats to look forward to as they progress through the game.

Although gamers who haven?t played the first two Onimusha titles can still pick up this sequel and follow the story, those who have completed the previous games will feel much more familiar with this plot, as large parts of the story are based on the events that transpired in and between Capcom?s last two Onimusha games. This chapter begins when a final showdown in feudal Japan between Samanosuke and the evil Demon King Nobunaga is mysteriously interrupted by a rift in space-time (unwittingly created by the genma scientist Guildenstern) that consumes Samanosuke and transports him and a legion of the demons into modern day Paris.

The genma soldiers instantly begin wreaking havoc and killing citizens, and in a mere matter of minutes Paris is conquered by the time traveling monsters (thereby setting a new record for the fastest conquering of the French capital since 1940). Meanwhile, Jaques Blanc, an elite member of the French Military, is transported back to 1582 in feudal Japan, effectively switching locations and roles with the confused Samanosuke. With the help of Ako the Tengu fairy, the two heroes separated by time begin their fight to defeat Nobunaga and once and for all destroy his schemes of world domination.

The basic hack-and-slash gameplay style of the previous Onimusha titles remains intact and largely unchanged. However, since players switch roles between Samanosuke and Jaques in every other stage, the inclusion of Jaques? enchanted whip weapon adds an exciting new dimension to the otherwise familiar samurai-style action. By charging his whip and attacking a nearby enemy, Jaques can perform a number of different moves and throw lassoed genma into groups of baddies to create cool combo-pileups.

The whip can also be used as a climbing and swinging tool in certain locations marked by the presence of gold and green colored fireflies that often lead Jaques to hidden items and special powerups that would be otherwise unattainable. The battle system remains easy to use without dumbing down the combat, and thereby makes the game simplistic enough for gamers of any skill level to pick it up and have fun.

Ease of use should not be confused with the difficulty level, as Onimusha 3 is no pushover. In fact, the game is actually quite hard in places. Though the learning curve is set fairly to allow players a chance to acclimate themselves to the control and combat system, things quickly take off after the first few hours and become rather challenging. Simple button mashing may yield limited success in the beginning, but the false confidence such victories provide soon deteriorates in the face of difficult bosses and overwhelming odds that will force you to play intelligently as well as skillfully -- if you hope to survive.

Weapons and armor can be improved by the collection of souls that fallen genma leave behind, and Ako?s Tengu equipment can be upgraded as well. The control in the preview build was right on par, with a tight, responsive and natural setup that leaves one wondering why Capcom has allowed its Resident Evil franchise to suffer with mediocre controls for so long when a heavily action oriented title like Onimusha 3 can feel this good. Fighting is controlled with a single button, but when regular attacks are combined with powerful magic moves the results are devastating and the fighting engine (though simple) never gets stale.

New moves can be learned through the discovery of hidden scrolls and are evenly spaced so as to allow you to master the standard techniques before unleashing new skills needed to overcome specific enemies/obstacles later in the game. The subsequent training missions in which you hone your newly acquired techniques are fun and rather challenging minigames that often pit you against a number of constantly re-spawning bad guys until you collect enough spirit orbs to prove your mastery.

Graphically, Onimusha 3 is a step above its predecessors. The 3D in-game visuals are colorful and well drawn, and nicely compliment the excellent character animation of Samanosuke, Jaques and the genma horde. The voice acting is also noteworthy, though some of the best lines are delivered by Jaques in French with subtitles.

All in all, Onimusha 3 is shaping up to be an excellent successor to Capcom?s prized line of action/adventure titles.

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