Capcom is gearing up for the remaster of Onimusha 2 next month, and as part of this, it’s now announced a special digital bundle. If you haven’t played the first or second game, you’ll also have the option to pick up the “Onimusha 1+2 Pack“.
This will be arriving on the same day as Onimusha 2 Samurai’s Destiny on 23rd May 2025. This pack cannot be pre-ordered but early purchasers will still receive an album selection pack as a bonus, which is the same bonus as the one included with Onimusha 2. The price for this pack hasn’t been revealed just yet, and there’s no mention of a physical version of this pack.
With franchise revival Onimusha: Way of the Sword in active development, there’s been a resurgence of interest in the PlayStation 2 Onimusha series. While a remaster of the original Onimusha: Warlords has been available for quite some time, it was only recently that Capcom announced that Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny would also be getting a remaster, due out on May 23.
Fans of the series rejoiced at the news, and for good reason. Onimusha 2 is a fan favorite, with a unique style and gameplay elements that make it a true standout among the series.
We had the opportunity to interview Motohide Eshiro, the original game director and longtime Capcom veteran, about what players old and new can expect from Onimusha 2’s remaster.
Making friends and influencing people
What did the team learn from the original Onimusha remaster?
We learned that we could make the controls more comfortable. Onimusha 2 originally only had ‘tank controls.’ We carried over the revised controls from the previous remaster to Onimusha 2 smoothly.
Would these modernized controls affect the difficulty?
No, it’s more about minimizing frustration. Classic fans can choose tank controls if they prefer, but modern players can more easily get into the game this way. As far as combat goes, we faithfully carried over the Issen critical system from the original game. It won’t be any easier to perform critical attacks, since we think the critical system was really finely balanced in the original game.
Can you elaborate on one of the game’s defining features: the ally system?
It’s one of the defining elements of Onimusha 2. You can give gifts to other characters and form relationships with them. In return, they’ll help out Jubei in battles. Sometimes, you can control these characters, as well.
Was anything altered for this system in the remaster?
Like Issen, I think the ally system was well-balanced, so I didn’t have to make any tweaks or drastic changes. We considered adding a gauge over the characters’ heads to indicate your relationship status, but that wouldn’t express the depth of the characters. So you need to judge, through their reaction, the facial expressions, the comments they give you, how they feel about the gift.
Heaven or Hell?
What are your thoughts on the new optional Hell difficulty where any hit means instant death?
It’s definitely not for all players. This is something like a challenge from the developers, especially for those players who brag about their skills. We really want players to experience epic sword battles full of tension.
I haven’t been able to complete this mode yet, but we figured that if even one person in the world can complete this game, that will be OK. Another team member has been able to complete this new hell mode, so we know it’s not impossible. So I hope that players, especially those who have confidence in their skills, will play it. Even if you don’t, you can progress a little at a time by frequently saving. Of course, if you complete it, that’ll be amazing!
Can you tell us about the additions of mini-games like The Man in Black, Team Oni, and Puzzle Phantom Realm?
Team Oni is a game where you go through stages, not just with Jubei but with your allies, and you can switch between them. It’s crucial to switch in allies and use items strategically. Puzzle Phantom Realm is a sequence of puzzles to solve. You’ll encounter puzzle sections in the normal game, but this is just back-to-back puzzles, testing your solving skills. Lastly, there’s ‘The Man in Black.’ Jubei has a special outfit where he’s dressed in black, head to toe. Instead of battling enemies, the goal is to collect films at various locations. These all have a different vibe from the main game, and are fun in distinct ways.
Enduring Legacies
Onimusha 2 involved many big names in Japanese entertainment in its creation: longtime TV and game scriptwriter Noboru Sugimura, famed artist and special effects director Keita Amemiya, and the likeness of legendary actor Yusaku Matsuda. How did this ensemble come together?
We wanted the world to be a blend of Japanese and Western taste. Sugimura really had a deep knowledge and respect for the era of Japanese history this game takes place. He came up with so many great ideas for the ally characters. When Sugimura and I were discussing what kind of character design we wanted, he came up with the idea of having Keita Amemiya as the main artist of the game. He made really distinctive and compelling character designs, shaping the visuals of Onimusha 2. You’ll be able to see a lot of his work in the new Gallery mode.
When we were finalizing the base model for Jubei, Miyuki Matsuda, the widow of Yusaku Matsuda, came to the Capcom office to guide the team. She was hands-on in guiding us on how to tweak the face model, so it would look just like Matsuda. I felt all the passion and love Miyuki still had toward Yusaku. That was really something memorable.
Any final thoughts about the game?
Onimusha 2 was the first title I directed, and I’m glad I could return to the remaster as a director again. We hope new players will enjoy all the quality-of-life features, which make it easier to get into this game. I hope you enjoy it, even if you haven’t played an Onimusha game before.
Onimusha 2 Samurai’s Destiny launches on PlayStation May 23.
Beyond the demon slaying, sword slicing, and grand adventuring that I was enjoying with the remaster of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny on Xbox, I think what I’m appreciating most is just how faithfully it sticks to its source material, retaining everything that makes the original such a fan-favorite, without losing any of its survival horror charm.
This thoroughly remastered version of Onimusha 2 puts you back in the shoes of the samurai Jubei Yagyu, battling the undead warlord Nobunaga Oda and his army of demons. Alongside his companions Oyu, Ekei, Magoichi, and Kotaro Fuma, Jubei’s adventure is now a cleaner, higher-res version of the original, with numerous quality-of-life features developed to make it more accessible to those newer to the series, and refined for those original fans who are looking to take a step back in time.
“The game’s unique visual style greatly benefits from an improved HD resolution and 60FPS performance, making the swordplay feel more responsive than ever,” says Director Motohide Eshiro. “Since TV screens have moved onto the widescreen format in the intervening years, we’ve also updated the game’s output to fill a wide display, which zooms the image in, and I think makes the battle scenes feel even more immersive and exciting.”
I agree. Swordplay is extremely responsive – I’m able to effectively strike and block, while the battles feel intimate. That’s especially true within temple corridors, as I slash away at an onslaught of demons, trying to master an issen hit (a powerful counterattack), and absorbing the souls of my enemies to gain XP.
“A new player picking up this remaster in 2025 should feel the same exhilaration as someone did in 2002,” adds Eshiro. “This meant retaining the game’s core features and charm, while bringing certain elements up to the modern standards gamers expect. We had access to the original game’s assets, and to be honest even in 2002 the original team had made them very high quality. If anything, the standard-definition CRT display technology of the time was holding these assets back from being appreciated in their original quality, so we have used a variety of modern upscaling and uprezzing techniques to bring out all their detail on modern HD displays. This includes the moving video elements of backgrounds, so areas such as flowing rivers look better than ever.”
One element that has changed is that you can now choose when to have Jubei transform into an Onimusha, making him invincible with a damage buff for a limited time. Previously this would happen automatically once you’ve acquired enough orbs – another soul-type you can absorb from defeated enemies but appears less frequently. I like this change –being able to save this powerful attack for when I really needed it is incredibly helpful, like when squaring off with a mini-boss or when facing down a particularly tough group of demons.
The affinity system has also returned, where certain items you find or purchase can be used as gifts. Jubei can give them to his companions, affecting who will help him during the game and can influence how the story unfolds. This sub-game remains surprisingly fun, as you work to find the best match for each companion, particularly because you can receive helpful items in return, like herbs for healing.
“There are also QOL features that, if we had not implemented them, would likely be a cause of frustration for modern gamers,” Eshiro explains further. “Although we love the cutscenes, you now have the option to skip them should you choose, and auto-save has been implemented to allow you to more easily play across multiple sessions. And of course, while you can stick to the so-called ‘tank controls’ of the original if you prefer, the ‘normal’ analogue controls have been added and fine-tuned to make for a very natural and direct gameplay experience.”
The sound and music have also been given some significant treatment, utilizing the original uncompressed audio to bring out every detail of the original composer Taro Iwashiro’s music. Eshiro mentions that the sound effects for both cutscenes and gameplay have been remixed in a way that respects the original game while making them feel at home on modern hardware. “Fans of the game’s soundtrack will also be pleased to know that if you pre-order, you can receive the Orchestra Album Selection Pack with beautiful orchestral arrangements of a selection of five tracks from the game,” adds Eshiro.
From what I’ve seen and played, which is roughly the first two hours of the game, I think the work put into Onimusha 2‘s remaster is a great example of modern game preservation. All of this comes across as a passion project for the team at Capcom, retaining the look and feel of the world, its characters, and even its classic UI.
In talking with Producer Kosuke Tanaka, I learned the team’s approach to the remaster of Onimusha 2 was always intended to faithfully recreate the original gameplay experience as closely as possible; a full remake would have been quite different and wasn’t what they were going for – you can expect those bigger changes in the brand-new Onimusha: Way of the Sword next year.
“Capcom has always held the stance that we want players to be able to experience our games as much as possible, and that means bringing them to various hardware platforms as well as remastering and producing compilations of titles that are only playable on defunct platforms,” explains Tanaka. “It’s been great to see how positive the reaction is [to the Onimusha 2 remaster]. It makes me feel the players respect the original game as much as I do.”
It has been a long time since a mainline Onimusha game was released and it’s exciting to see this remaster arriving now in the lead up to the new game’s launch in 2026.“We released a remaster of the first Onimusha in 2019, and various circumstances meant that it’s taken until now to follow it up with Onimusha 2,” explains Tanaka. “However, this project has been running alongside the new title, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, so the timing has worked out quite well — players who want a brand new Onimusha have a treat in store.”
There’s no shortage of remasters these days on modern consoles, but few have so effectively blended nostalgia with modern enhancements. There’s plenty here for long-time fans and newcomers to appreciate. Even though the game is over two decades old, it’s clear its original formula of samurai survival horror is one that has been able to stand the test of time.
“While there are more samurai and swordplay-themed games around today than there were when Onimusha 2 originally came out, I think this game still has a quality whose brilliance hasn’t dulled in the almost 25 years since,” says Eshiro. “The combination of Sengoku-era settings and characters with a dark, demonic fantasy theme and ultra-responsive combat, as well as RPG elements such as the character affinity system, make this a unique experience, so please check it out when the remaster releases on May 23!”
Get the Onimusha 2: Orchestra Album Selection Pack when you pre-order Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny. It includes five tracks selected from the Onimusha 2 Orchestra Album Taro Iwashiro Selection. Immerse yourself in the world of Onimusha 2 in this beautiful orchestral arrangement.
Track List:
– Truth Of Brave ~Warring mix~
– Truth Of Resolution ~Oyu’s Theme~
– Truth Of Edge ~Magoichi’s Theme~
– Truth Of Loyalty ~Ekei’s Theme~
– Truth Of Desire ~Kotaro’s Theme~
*Select Special Features → Gallery → Original Soundtrack to access these tracks from the title-screen menu.
Also, get this pack of items to use in-game:
– Herb x3
– Medicine x2
– Secret Medicine x1
– Special Magic Liquid x2
– Perfect Medicine x1
– Talisman x1
– Red Soul x10,000
The content will appear after meeting Takajo in the early game. If you have already met Takajo, the content will appear when you select “Load Game”. While you can only get this item pack once, you can also get the items in-game. The content listed in the DLC may become available separately at a later date.
*This content is also available as part of the Onimusha bundle.(Acquire this bundle before June 30, 2025, to receive a limited-time bonus!)
——————————-
Reclaim your destiny.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny returns with HD graphics and modernised controls to perform issen critical counter attacks and intense swordplay. Play as Jubei Yagyu and make your way through feudal Japan with your allies. This game has additional language support adapted from the original script.
Additional features include:
– New Gallery mode with over 100 sketches by the game’s character designer, Keita Amemiya.
– New digital soundtrack selection with all 43 tracks from the original soundtrack of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny.
– Hell mode difficulty.
– The Man in Black, Team Oni, and Puzzle Phantom Realm mini games will be available to play at the very beginning.
– Auto-save feature and easy weapon switch for improved playability.
You can also get a special outfit for Jubei if you have save data from Onimusha: Warlords. To switch Jubei’s outfit select Special Features → Jubei’s Outfit and select between Normal and Special from the title-screen menu. This will only alter the appearance. Your status will be the same as the armour you equip in-game.
The Elder Scrolls fans are praising Bethesda today after the developer gifted free game keys for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered to the entire team behind popular Oblivion mod, Skyblivion.
In a post on BlueSky today, the Skyblivion team shared news of Bethesda’s outreach with their community. “As massive fans, we’re beyond grateful for the generous gift of Oblivion Remastered game keys for our entire modding team! This means so much to us. Thank you for everything, Bethesda!”
Skyblivion is an upcoming fan remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion made by the TESRenewal volunteer modding group. It uses Bethesda’s Creation Engine to recreate Oblivion in the game’s sequel, Skyrim. The project has technically been in the works for over a decade, beginning as a simple direct port and later expanding to a full remake with a number of improved features and even new content. We interviewed one of the developers behind it way back in 2021. Skyblivion is expected to release this year.
Historically, Bethesda and the Skyblivion team have reportedly been on “very good terms,” but as rumors of an official Oblivion remaster grew, some fans questioned if Bethesda wasn’t trying to head off Skyblivion with its own version due to the suspiciously close release timing. A few days ago, anticipating today’s showcase, the Skyblivion team issued a statement addressing these concerns. In it, the team said that Bethesda has “always been supportive of community projects like ours” and that “there is no need for comparisons or a sense of competition” between the two games.
Notably, Oblivision Remastered does not have official mod support, though fans have already been cooking up an array of unofficial mods for the game within hours of its release. Additionally, both versions of Oblivion have unique aspects: Skyblivion, for instance, isn’t available on console at all. Oblivision Remastered, on the other hand, does not include the new and refurbished content that Skyblivion has promised, but does have horse armor DLC at launch for Deluxe Edition buyers. Both versions have different looks and feels, with different interpretations on how much Skyrim-ness should be incorporated into a retread of Oblivion. And of course, you can play Oblivision Remastered today, but those looking forward to Skyblivion will have to wait just a little bit longer.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
What is a video game NPC, if not a scared creature that needs a bit of help? That’s exactly what the just announced PANIK cuts right to the core of, and I’ve been charmed by it quite quickly. In PANIK, there are Panikers, which are a type of scared creature that are just so unbelievably anxious they cannot move from where they stand. This is where you come in, a, uh, well they didn’t name the player character so I’ll just keep saying you.
In 2006, Bethesda was riding high on the success of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. In an effort to keep fans coming back to Cyrodiil, the developer started releasing small paid DLC packages for the game. Little did the company know that it was galloping headlong into controversy when it dropped its first DLC pack that April: horse armor.
Even if you weren’t following games at the time, you’ve likely heard of the horse armor controversy. Though DLC certainly existed pre-horse armor, Oblivion’s Horse Armor Pack (which cost 200 Microsoft Points on the 360 Marketplace, approximately $2.50 at the time) really caused a stir due to the armor being essentially useless.
Now, in 2025, cosmetic upgrades such as this are commonplace, which has allowed Bethesda to be a bit cheeky in its release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and once again charge players extra for horse armor. As a part of today’s reveal and shadow-drop of the remaster, we learned that Oblivion Remastered will include both a base edition and a deluxe edition. For an extra $10 on top of the base game price, deluxe edition buyers will get new quests for unique armors, extra weapon options, a digital artbook and soundtrack app… and yes, horse armor again. Two sets, to be precise.
For the most part, fans seem to be taking this in their stride. We’re almost two decades away from a time when cosmetic DLC like horse armor was a shocking thing to introduce, and players at this point are used to shelling out money for purely cosmetic upgrades. As Circana analyst Mat Piscatella pointed out on BlueSky, video game consumers in the U.S. spent over $10.4 billion on PC and console video game digital add-ons in 2024. “Horse Armor walked so Battle Passes could run.”
In fact, most people just find it funny that Bethesda seems comfortable poking fun at what was once a massive scandal.
Honestly I have to respect it. New players won’t know this, but releasing the horse armor as paid DLC again is a subtle reference to when they singlehandedly ruined the industry by selling it the first time around. I kneel, Todd. https://t.co/BGwBwL3VYX
Oblivion Remastered doesn’t just have horse armor, it already has mods. A handful of community mods made their way to popular website Nexus Mods just hours after Oblivion launched, although these mostly amount to small customization options.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
In a free world, all Overwatch 2 heroes would be playable no matter how annoying they might be to face off against because sometimes them’s the breaks. We don’t live in a free world though, not anymore at least, as Overwatch 2 season 16 starts today. Most notably it’s introducing its new mode Stadium, but also something that’ll change up the competitive aspect of the shooter quite a bit: hero bans.
Bethesda has confirmed The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered does not feature official mod support, but that hasn’t stopping dedicated fans from already pushing out a few unofficial mods of their own.
A handful of community mods made their way to popular website Nexus Mods just hours after Bethesda and Virtuos’ Oblivion reimagining shadow-dropped for players across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. Although these mostly amount to small customization options, it’s proof that few modding communities are as dedicated as those found in The Elder Scrolls fanbase.
The wave of early mods arrives as Bethesda, which usually encourages mod support in its games, announced that Oblivion Remastered does not feature official mod support this time around. Confirmation that players would need to turn elsewhere for mods was detailed in an FAQ section on its website.
Meanwhile, Nexus Mods user GodschildGaming uploaded their Iron Longsword damage mod in part to show Oblivion Remastered is still ripe for modding.
“This is just to prove modding is possible,” they said in the mod’s description. “Bethesda says no mod support, I say false. It really is Unreal slapped on top of Oblivion, the data folder is nested in a lot more folders but same concept.”
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
And, in an interview with host of GamerTag Radio Danny Peña, series manager and former producer of the Gears of War series Rod Fergusson has said that the prospect of Diablo IV on Switch 2 is “something to look at.” (via Nintendo Everything).
Not only is the world of Labyrinth of the Demon King uniquely cold, oppressive, and brutal – but it is also a meticulously crafted narrative experience that weaves together elements of classic dungeon crawler titles, action RPGs, and the survival horror genre. In this challenging first-person dungeon-crawler set in a mythical re-interpretation of feudal Japan, you’ll need every resource you can find to overcome the demons that block your path. Prepare yourself to enter into the ubiquitous labyrinth yourself on May 13th, when Labyrinth of the Demon King launches on Xbox Series S|X and Xbox One systems.
The world of Athens is weird, highly unusual, and filled with a host of surprises. Along the way, you’ll meet tons of friends (and foes!) as you navigate the world in your own unique way, you’ll decide how you want to interact not only with those you meet, but also the world itself. As the world shifts and you interact with denizens, you’ll begin to flesh out your very own rhapsody. You can meet 16 potential party members, all with tons of depth – the very world will change depending on who you have in your party when. Plus, every single enemy can be fought or befriended! You’ll also find smaller friends and foes to commune with, and find tons of unlockable outfits to deck yourself and your party out with.
The world of Labyrinth of the Demon King is brought to life (so to speak, anyway) through its unique “retro-grim” art style. The game’s dark, foreboding world takes inspiration from authentic Japanese folklore and tradition; the developer spent extensive time in Japan studying architecture and history. Inspired by a mixture of mythologized feudal history and supernatural folklore, the setting of Labyrinth is as gorgeous as it is brutal. Venture through sprawling castles, idyllic teahouses, dilapidated bath houses and more as you make your way towards the Demon King himself.
As a foot soldier of your former Lord, you must be not only well trained in the art of combat, but on your toes at all times for possible threats Labyrinth of the Demon King features brutal, challenging combat that emphasizes patience, strategy, and diligence. As you explore the labyrinth, you’ll come across a slew of weapons, including an axe, naginata, bow, and more – on top of your trusty katana, of course. Face off against the numerous Yokai of ancient myth that roam the earth, and put your skills to the test. You’ll need to study the moves of each monster you come across. Be assured however, that any victory – no matter how small – is an accomplishment.
As the name suggests, the Demon King’s Labyrinth is complex, confusing, and full of twisted nooks and crannies full of monsters, treasure, traps, and sometimes…friends? As you adventure through the Labyrinth, carefully managing your resources, you’ll come across a handful of other denizens; some trekking throughout the lands like yourself and others with more…cautious goals and morals. Be careful who you trust – it could affect your fate!
Developed by J.R. Hudepohl with co-development help, porting assistance for Xbox, and publishing by Top Hat Studios, Labyrinth of the Demon King lands on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One May 13.
