Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams

In Capcom's recent tradition of new IPs and revamped franchises, one series we all thought was over for good has reared its head to receive the makeover it so richly deserves. I'm talking, of course, about Onimusha, Capcom's seminal fantasy samurai series most famous for adopting character likenesses to Jean Reno and Takeshi Kaneshiro and for harboring the same fixed camera styles to the Resident Evil series. The last Onimusha outing, Onimusha: Demon Siege was meant to be the final in the series and the end of the Nobunaga tale. It did finish things off nicely, but in the videogames industry, you just can't keep a good [money-making] series down. Okay, so maybe that's a little harsh, but for the most part, whatever Capcom's reasons for resurrecting the series, they've produced the best the franchise has to offer in Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams.

Some two decades have past since the closing of the last game and Japan has been united under the peaceful banner of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, that is until a mysterious glowing planet appears in the sky and Hideyoshi becomes consumed with evil while the world around him erupts into chaos; volcanoes, earthquakes, fires and more tear Japan apart at the seems and it looks like all is lost. That is until Soki, Oni of the Ash, or The Blue Demon, as he is also known, comes to the aid of the rapidly decaying Japan. We learn early on that while his appearance is somewhat mysterious, Soki's ties to the game's unfolding narrative are deeper than even he might suspect. What Capcom deliver in the way of story for Dawn of Dreams, is a surprisingly fresh and invigorating look at the usually somber world of Onimusha, full of twists, surprises and more. There's also an abundance of character injected into the story, and you'll find yourself quickly drawn into this quirky new look for Onimusha.

Story aside, the game also manages to repackage an already stunning gameplay system with new elements that begin first and foremost with an entirely new camera system. Like the update to Resident Evil in RE4, Dawn of Dreams introduces a new fully 3D camera system that can be controlled with the right analogue stick. It's incredibly refreshing to control The Blue Demon in a 3D environment and to have full control of your field of view, it also helps the flow of the control system as you're no longer subject to a sudden change of camera angle and therefore an entirely new directional input for movement. With the inclusion of an all-new camera system, the battle system has also been revamped and as you'll be able to play as different characters throughout your adventure (each of whom have different fighting styles, moves and weapons), you'll never really find yourself tired of taking down the Genma baddies and demons coming at you. In fact, while it may seem like a button-bashing affair early on, the action inputs throughout are actually very deep and rewarding for those willing to learn, it's easily the best and most accessible action set-up the series has offered yet.

Visually the game is still very impressive and comes complete with stunningly hyperbolic FMV cut-scenes for telling the story. All the character models are highly detailed and programmed with tons of varying animations that keep the scene lively at all times. Environments are also nicely crafted, though in some villages and towns I found there wasn't enough contrast or change in textures and design, but it only reared every now and then, and certainly was not detrimental to the overall experience.

This is easily the best game in the series, if not for anything else than its accessible approach to action and movement, but beyond that, the new story is excellent and full of all the right plot twists, surprises and more, while the visuals go along way to securing this iteration in the series as the hands down best. The whole adventure spans two discs and there are five playable characters found within, each fully customisable to your liking, adding a deep RPG-esque element to an already fun and rewarding experience. Not to be missed.