I played Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny back when it first came out on PlayStation 2. It stood out to me at the time for its mix of samurai combat, cinematic cutscenes, and those fixed camera angles that felt straight out of Resident Evil. Revisiting it now with Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster, I was curious how it would hold up and how much Capcom would tweak to bring it into 2025.
The remaster makes a few welcome adjustments. Movement controls are more fluid, load times are faster, and some quality-of-life improvements help with pacing. But underneath that, it’s still the same game I remember. You’re still absorbing souls, managing item-based puzzles, and dealing with the same off-screen ranged attacks that hit you before you even know they’re there.
Even so, there’s a charm to how it all comes together. The companion system, combat variety, and the mix of drama and absurdity in the story made me want to keep playing. It’s not a complete overhaul, and it doesn’t fix everything, but it does enough to make the experience easier to appreciate again.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster won’t be for everyone, but as someone who played it decades ago, I was glad to return.
A Bloody Quest with Unlikely Allies
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster picks up after the events of the first game, but shifts the focus to a new protagonist. Jubei Yagyu returns to his village to find it destroyed by Nobunaga’s forces. The setup is simple, revenge against a demonic warlord, but the story grows more layered as Jubei meets a group of supporting characters who bring more personality to the journey.
The main arc is straightforward, but the companion interactions make it more interesting. Characters like Ekei, Magoichi, Oyu, and Kotaro show up throughout the game. You can give them gifts, build trust, and unlock different scenes and missions depending on how you treat them. These relationship paths influence the narrative, giving you reasons to replay the game and see what changes.
Not everything in the story holds up. Jubei is a flat lead and rarely shows much emotion beyond the occasional sarcastic line. Some story moments also haven’t aged well, especially scenes involving Oyu, which feel awkward and inconsistent with how she’s portrayed. One moment she’s a capable warrior, the next she’s being rescued or objectified.
That said, the story finds a strange balance between dramatic and ridiculous. It’s serious when it needs to be, but it also leans into absurd moments and awkward banter that feel self-aware. It doesn’t always work, but it gives the story a weird energy that kept me curious to see what would happen next.
Combat with Style, Cameras with Attitude
The combat in Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster builds on the foundation of the first game, Onimusha: Warlords. You’ll use swords, spears, guns, and magic to fight off Genma demons. Controls are more responsive now, and swapping weapons no longer sends you into the menu every time. It’s a small but helpful change that makes fights flow better.
What gives the combat its edge is the Issen system. If you time a strike just before an enemy lands a hit, you perform a critical blow that instantly takes them down. It’s risky and hard to master, but when it clicks, it’s satisfying. I used it often with the Hyoujin-Yari spear, which freezes enemies and lets you follow up with quick attacks. The soul absorption system also returns, letting you recover health, charge magic, and power up your weapons.
Outside of Jubei, you’ll get to play as other characters during the story. Magoichi has a rifle and handles combat from range, while Ekei and the others bring their own styles. Their sections break up the pacing and give you more ways to approach encounters. You can also build relationships with them through gift-giving, which changes who joins you and when.
Enemy variety is decent, but the small combat areas make fights feel cramped. Enemies often spawn in waves, and ranged attackers can hit you from off-screen. Combined with the fixed camera angles, it creates frustrating moments where you get hit without warning. Boss fights are especially rough in tight spaces, where the camera shifts mid-action and ruins your positioning.
Sharp Looks, Rough Edges
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster cleans up the original visuals without changing its style. Character models are sharper, environments hold up well, and pre-rendered backgrounds still look detailed. The mix of 3D models and fixed angles gives each area a cinematic feel, even if the camera can be frustrating.
Cutscenes remain one of the game’s visual highlights. The CG sequences are well-directed and still look impressive today. The designs stick close to the original, and the remaster doesn’t try to overhaul them. Instead, it focuses on preserving what worked and giving it a cleaner look on modern screens.
The soundtrack mixes traditional Japanese instruments with dramatic orchestral tracks. It sets the right tone across haunted forests, castles, and ruined villages. Audio options are limited, though. English voice acting is the only option, and while some of it feels intentional, other moments sound awkward. A Japanese voice track would have been a welcome addition, especially with how much effort went into the visuals.
Menus and UI have been updated to feel more modern. Weapon swapping is easier, cutscenes are skippable, and the game auto-saves at key points. There’s also support for both 4:3 and widescreen displays. These small changes help make the experience smoother, even if the presentation still shows its age in some areas.
A Worthwhile Return, If You Know What to Expect
Revisiting Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster brought back a lot of memories. I remembered the stiff movement, the awkward camera angles, and the strange mix of tones. But I also remembered why I liked it in the first place. It has charm, variety, and a few ideas that still feel unique, even today.
The remaster does enough to make it easier to play. The smoother controls, skippable cutscenes, and quicker weapon swapping are all welcome. Visuals are clean without losing the original style, and the story’s mix of serious and silly still works in its own weird way.
That said, it’s not going to convert anyone who didn’t like it the first time. The camera is still a problem, and late-game pacing falls apart. The lack of Japanese audio also stands out. Some parts feel dated in ways that no remaster can fix.
But if you played this back on PS2 or want to see what made the series stand out, this is a solid way to return. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. It reminded me why this series had a following in the first place and why I’d like to see Capcom do more with it.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster
Summary
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster brings back a PS2 classic with cleaner visuals, smoother controls, and light quality-of-life tweaks. Its branching companion system and rewarding combat still stand out, even if some camera issues and story elements haven’t aged well. The remaster stays faithful to the original, for better and worse. Fans of the series will find something to enjoy, but it’s a tougher sell for newcomers.
As always, remember to follow us on our social media (e.g., Threads, X (Twitter), Bluesky, YouTube and Facebook) to keep up with the latest news.
