Combat System

Combat in Onimusha: Way of the Sword is sword-focused, third-person, and built around reactive play. The producer team has described the pace as fast, with Musashi rewarded for clean reads rather than for spamming heavy attacks.

The Basics

Musashi's primary weapon is a sword. Its moveset covers three core functions:

• Strike. Standard sword attacks that damage and chip stamina.

• Parry. Deflect an incoming attack with a timed block input.

• Deflect projectiles. The sword can reflect some incoming ranged attacks.

Stamina and Execution

Both strikes and parries drain an enemy's stamina. Once stamina is broken, Musashi can unleash Break Issen, an instant execution move.

Reactive Buffs

Chaining consecutive successful parries or dodges grants Musashi combat buffs. The specific effects include faster follow-up executions and access to multi-hit counter-attacks, so the best run of play is usually a clean defensive read followed by an immediate offensive response.

Fully 3D

Unlike the original Onimusha games, Way of the Sword does not use a fixed camera. Encounters happen in fully 3D arenas, and the combat system is designed around free movement.