Onimusha
| Onimusha | |
|---|---|
| developer | Capcom |
| Publisher | Capcom |
| First title | Onimusha: Warlords (2001) |
| Last title | Onimusha: Warlords (Remaster) (2019) |
| Platform (s) | PlayStation 2 , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , Game Boy Advance , Microsoft Windows , Xbox , Xbox One , Android , iOS |
| Genre (s) | Action adventure , survival horror |
Onimusha ( Japanese 鬼武者 " Demon Warrior ") is a computer game series from Capcom . The single player series belongs to the action adventure or survival horror genre and takes place in feudal Japan , which means that there are numerous references to the history of Japan .
The first part, Onimusha: Warlords , was released in 2001 for PlayStation 2 (PS2) and had three direct successors by 2006. Parts one and three were also ported to Microsoft systems. There is also a fighting game offshoot with Onimusha Blade Warriors for PS2 and a strategy offshoot with Onimusha Tactics for Game Boy Advance .
action
The basic plot of all games in the Onimusha series is that a great Japanese general ( Oda Nobunaga in the first three parts, Toyotomi Hideyoshi in part four) is resurrected after his death by undead beings, the so-called Genma , and now with an army of Undead tries to invade Japan . The player slips into the role of a Japanese swordsman and faces them. In the individual parts of the core series, this basic plot is varied, expanded and explained.
Game concepts and technology
Similar to the Resident Evil series from the same house, Onimusha also consists of a mixture of fighting the undead and solving simple puzzles. However, in contrast to Resident Evil , the fights are not fought with firearms , but predominantly with swords . In the course of the game, the player can acquire additional weapons and use them in combat, including contemporary firearms.
A characteristic concept are the souls of defeated opponents, by the soul gauntlet can be collected. With the help of the collected souls , weapons can be upgraded and new attacks can be acquired.
All four parts are played from a third-person perspective , with Onimusha: Warlords and Samurai's Destiny this still happens with precalculated backgrounds and a fixed camera setting, Demon Siege and Dawn of Dreams , however, are calculated in real time; Dawn of Dreams also has a freely adjustable camera.
Onimusha: Warlords
| Onimusha: Warlords | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio | Capcom | ||
| Publisher | Electronic Arts | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
July 6, 2001 (PS2), March 22, 2002 (Xbox) January 15, 2019 (PS4, PC, Xbox One) |
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| platform | PlayStation 2 , Xbox ( Genma Onimusha ) | ||
| Age rating |
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In the first part of the series, the player takes control of the samurai Akechi Samanosuke. He is supposed to free the kidnapped princess Yuki and defeat Oda Nobunaga, who has allied himself with the demon lord Fortinbras . Samanosuke is supported by the female ninja Kaede, who can also be controlled during the course of the game.
The Taiwanese- Japanese actor Kaneshiro Takeshi was won over for the role of Samanosuke . His movements were transferred to the game by means of a motion capture process, and Samanosuke's appearance is based on that of Kaneshiro.
The 2002 released Xbox conversion was Genma Onimusha is different from the PS2 version in upmarket difficulty, a new kind of soul energy and new costumes.
Ratings:
Genma Onimusha
- IGN: 8.3 / 10
- Maniac: 82/100
A remaster version of this part for the PlayStation 4 , Xbox One , Nintendo Switch and PC has been announced for January 15, 2019 .
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
| Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio | Capcom | ||
| Publisher | Capcom | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
October 4, 2002 | ||
| platform | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Age rating |
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The character in the second part is the samurai Yagyu Jubei, while the opponent is Oda Nobunaga. Jubei is supported by the spearmen Ankokuji Ekei, ninja Fuma Kotaro, samurai Magoichi Saiga and the girl Oichi, who is portrayed as the sister of Oda Nobunaga in the game. In certain situations in the game, the player takes control of one of the helpers.
Samurai's Destiny also comes up with new game mechanics : The player can now collect gold and use it to buy new weapons and items; these can also be passed on to the allied characters.
Another innovation is the so-called Issen ( called Kritisch in the German version ), an improved combat mechanic that should give sword fights more depth and limit the wild pressing of the fire buttons .
Ratings:
- Famitsu: 36/40
- IGN: 8.9 / 10
- Maniac: 87/100
Onimusha Tactics
| Onimusha Tactics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio | Capcom | ||
| Publisher | Capcom | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
December 3, 2003 | ||
| platform | Game Boy Advance | ||
| genre | strategy | ||
| Age rating |
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The Game Boy Advance offshoot of the series is a turn-based strategy game played from an isometric perspective . The background story is once again the attempt by Oda Nobunaga to conquer Japan with an army of demons. The player takes control of the warrior Onimaru who takes on a team of ten characters with different characteristics in 20 missions against the undead.
The characters acquire experience points in the course of the battles, which can be used to upgrade their properties. They also have special attacks.
Ratings:
- Famitsu: 29/40
- IGN: 6.5 / 10
- Maniac: 84/100
Onimusha Blade Warriors
| Onimusha Blade Warriors | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | Capcom | ||
| Publisher | Capcom | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
June 2, 2004 | ||
| platform | PlayStation 2 | ||
| genre | Fighting Game | ||
| Game mode | Multiplayer | ||
| Age rating |
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In 2004, Onimusha Blade Warriors appeared, a fighting game offshoot of the series. The characters from the first two parts compete in sword fights in 2D areas. Concepts characteristic of fighting games, such as blocks or combos, are combined with concepts from the Onimusha series, e.g. B. the souls .
Among the playable fighters are Akechi Samanosuke, Jubei Yagyu, Keade, Oda Nobunaga, the four supporting characters from Samurai's Destiny , and numerous of the undead opponents from the first two parts. MegaMan.EXE and Zero (from Capcom's Mega Man series) as well as the two historical swordsmen Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro can be unlocked as extra characters .
The PAL version of the game also contained a trailer for the upcoming Demon Siege .
Ratings:
- Famitsu: 29/40
- IGN: 7/10
- Maniac: 80/100
Onimusha 3: Demon Siege
| Onimusha 3: Demon Siege | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | Capcom | ||
| Publisher | Capcom (PS2), Ubisoft (Win) | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
July 7, 2004 (PS2), February 21, 2006 (Windows) | ||
| platform | PlayStation 2 , Windows | ||
| medium | DVD-ROM , download | ||
| Age rating |
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In the third part of the series, the action takes place in Paris in 2004, alongside the Azuchi Momoyama period . Akechi Samanosuke ( Kaneshiro Takeshi ) returns as the protagonist from the first part, while the player continues to control the policeman Jacques Blanc ( Jean Reno ). The main opponent is once again Oda Nobunaga, who tries to penetrate the present with his army from Genma . Jacques is transferred to feudal Japan through a time portal, Samanosuke to modern Paris. In the course of the game they then meet and join forces. Another playable character is Jacques' fiancee Michelle Aubert.
The time travel theme raises some puzzles where Jacques makes a change in the past that affects Samanosuke in the present.
Demon Siege is the first part of the series that no longer uses precalculated backgrounds, but calculates the graphics in real time.
Ratings:
- Famitsu: 36/40
- IGN: 9/10
- Maniac: 88/100
Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
| Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio | Capcom | ||
| Publisher | Capcom | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
March 15, 2006 | ||
| platform | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Age rating |
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In the fourth part, Oda Nobunaga is replaced as the main opponent by Toyotomi Hideyoshi ; Soki takes on the role of the hero, who turns out to be Yuki Hideyasu, the son of Tokugawa Ieyasu , in the course of the game . In addition to Soki, there are four other controllable characters: Yagyu Akane, the granddaughter of the protagonist from Samurai's Destiny , the Japanese- Spanish Roberto Frois, sniper Ohatsu and the monk Tenkai, who is revealed in the credits as Akechi Samanosuke.
Similar to Resident Evil Zero , the playable character is accompanied by another. You can also switch between the two characters, which is often necessary with the puzzles in the game.
As in Demon Siege , in the fourth part the graphics are calculated in real time; For the first time in the Onimusha series, a freely adjustable camera is used.
Ratings:
- Famitsu: 34/40
- IGN: 8.8 / 10
- Maniac: 83/100
Historical references
Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the main opponents in the games, were in fact two of the three unifying countries of Japan. Yuki Hideyasu was, in fact, the son of Tokugawa Ieyasu , the Third of the Unites.
Akechi Samanosuke is portrayed as the nephew of Akechi Mitsuhide , the man who defeated Oda Nobunaga and drove him to ritual suicide .
Ishida Mitsunari was a samurai and military leader who was beheaded after the lost battle of Sekigahara .
In Dawn of Dreams the player can find diary clippings from Takuan Sōhō .
Many of the Genma are named after characters from Shakespeare's works, e.g. B. Fortinbras.
Robert Frois is reminiscent of the Portuguese missionary Luís Fróis , who also appears as a demon in the game.
Other media
Soundtrack
Several soundtrack CDs have been released for the Onimusha series, some of which were composed by well-known composers such as Tomoyasu Hotei , Masamichi Amano or Tarō Iwashiro .
literature
Between 2002 and 2006 two novels and a three-part manga series based on the Onimusha theme were published.
filming
A planned film adaptation with director Christophe Gans and the actors Heath Ledger and Kaneshiro Takeshi has been on hold since Ledger's death.
Web links
- Capcom: Onimusha (English), Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
- Onimusha series at MobyGames (English)
- Insomnia.ac (English): Onimusha: Warlords , Genma Onimusha
- Capcom: Onimusha Warlords (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ IGN: Onimusha: Warlords PlayStation 2
- ↑ Maniac: Onimusha ( Memento of the original from December 31, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ IGN: Genma Onimusha Xbox
- ↑ Maniac: Genma Onimusha ( Memento of the original dated December 31, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Onimusha: Warlords - Release confirmed for January 2019 . ( playfront.de [accessed on August 28, 2018]).
- ↑ GBase: Onimusha 2 in Famitsu: Platinum
- ↑ IGN: Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny PlayStation 2
- ↑ Maniac: Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny ( Memento of the original from December 31, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ IGN: Onimusha Tactics Game Boy Advance
- ↑ Maniac: Onimusha Tactics ( Memento of the original from December 31, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ IGN: Onimusha Blade Warriors PlayStation 2
- ↑ ManiacOnimusha Blade Warriors ( Memento of the original from December 31, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ IGN: Onimusha 3: Demon Siege PlayStation 2
- ↑ Maniac: Onimusha 3: Demon Siege ( Memento of the original from December 16, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ IGN: Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams PlayStation 2
- ↑ Maniac: Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams ( Memento of the original from December 31, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
