2008 Woodie Awards
Video game review: A true warrior
Patrick Metz
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Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
Platform: Playstation 2
Developer: Capcom
Rating: M (Mature) Intense Blood, Violence, and Gore
The Saga Continues
Though originally Onimusha 3 was slated as the last in the series, the end of the game told us differently, and we knew that the reign of the Genma demons was not over. The story of "Dawn of Dreams" gives us the story of the Blue Demon, Soki, a powerful warrior seeking an evil that plagues Japan. In pursuit of these "Genma trees," Soki gains many friends and we learn some shocking secrets about him and his allies. The main goal of the game is to defeat the evil Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a former supporter of the demonic Nobunaga.
Kickin' Ass, Takin' Names
At its very core, Onimusha is a hack 'n' slash party, the gameplay centering on combat. There isn't a full 30 seconds of the game where you aren't killing the next demon. I've got to give credit where it's due, though; the game is no longer as easy as the past installments. I'm an Onimusha veteran and I found myself getting my ass handed to me by relatively simple demons thanks to stupid mistakes. The presence of multiple allies wading through the demons with you makes strategy far more important. For example, a tough, armored boss calls for the help of the local tank, Roberto, who deals out and takes damage like a hurricane. On the other hand, you might be going through a level filled with annoying flying enemies with gunner Ohatsu, who can stay out of harm's way while shooting down your flying foes. The bosses are a helluva lot tougher as well, ranging from monstrous suits of samurai armor to Hideyoshi himself.
The Verdict: 9 out of 10
Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams takes the series to new limits without changing the core ideas of the game. It's still the same ass-kicking game it was at the beginning, but with all the bells and whistles that add to the gameplay. Adding the character switch really changes the game for the better.
Gameplay Hint
Whenever you fight a boss, make sure you know how to combo your magic attacks to take out their minions. Hitting a Wind Slash with the Cutting Wind can hit the boss, then hit SQUARE again and again to go to the next enemy and onwards. This is also a great way to collect souls.