Thirteen years after the events that occurred in the original, the 'Resident Medieval' adventure, Onimusha, is returning for a second bout.

Like its predecessor, Onimusha 2 is loosely based on actual historical accounts of the 16th century but with a rather large twist. After the notorious warrior Nobunaga launched a brutal attack on the village, killing nearly all its inhabitants, you, playing as Yagyu Jubei, must seek vengeance for his merciless actions. It's all very honourable, really ... more >>

Thirteen years after the events that occurred in the original, the 'Resident Medieval' adventure, Onimusha, is returning for a second bout.

Like its predecessor, Onimusha 2 is loosely based on actual historical accounts of the 16th century but with a rather large twist. After the notorious warrior Nobunaga launched a brutal attack on the village, killing nearly all its inhabitants, you, playing as Yagyu Jubei, must seek vengeance for his merciless actions. It's all very honourable, really.

Bringing characters to life through stunning detail and fluid animation, blended with Resident Evil-style backdrops, Onimusha 2 creates a genuinely mysterious and haunting atmosphere. Many of the various historic locales are littered with interactive secrets, and lightning and rain effects help to make the atmosphere even moodier than it already is.

Despite its visual similarity to the Resident Evil series, Onimusha 2 distances itself in the gameplay department. As frightening as this game is, zombies and other dead things are thin on the ground. Onimusha 2 has its players fighting multiple onscreen soldiers by the third pre-rendered backdrop. For the first 30 minutes, enemies are slow and lack agility, but they quickly become skilled swordsmen and are often difficult to destroy. You can consume their souls though, which is always a plus.

But it's not all hacking and slashing. You're going to need at least a shred of intelligence to overcome the game's many puzzles. You must frequently collect pick-ups and make use of them elsewhere, but an easy-to-use inventory helps organise players.

Onimusha 2 is in many respects a sound game, and although it's lacking in the two-player department, it is involving enough to keep players enthralled for weeks, if not months. That's what gaming's all about. << less