Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny

"A great game, but not recommended to buy,,,,,,"

Devil May Cry was an EXCELLENT game, but after beating it on Hard Mode, it gets old. Finally, CAPCOM brings us another Hack and Slash game to keep us busy until Devil May Cry 2 is released.

Gameplay- 8/10

First thing you will notice is the Control is the same, and that is good. I would have preferred that the Analog Stick be available to move with, but it would have been harder to execute some of the moves with your swords. The game is packed with action, and there is even a splash of RPG'ness thrown in for good measure, which involves trading items with characters, and developing a relationship with one of your choice. The controls are similar to that of the Resident Evil series. After beating the game on Normal, you open up the Onimusha 3 Trailer, the Man in Black mini-game, and the Scenario Route Chart. But with all this, hacking, and slashing gets pretty repetitive after a while.

Story- 8/10

By no means a flawed as that of the previous one, the story maintains a tightness that won't leave you guessing...until the end that is. You play the role of Jubei Yagyu, and Samurai who returns to his home town only to find it in ruins. He soon finds out that the Demon Warlord, Nobunaga, is responsible for his towns destruction, and he vows to stop Nobunaga, and put an end to his reign of terror.

Audio/Video- 8/10

MY GOD! I have never seen Pre-Rendered Backgrounds as beautiful as these. The backgrounds are filled with activity, and effects such as running water and burning candles. The water and rain effects are simply STUNNING. The Characters and Enemies move fluidly with realism, and the Enemies move frighteningly realistic. The Sounds are great, and the music pulls you into the mood quickly...though there is one problem: The Voice Dubbing. It isn't that good, and I think it should have been in Japanese with English Subtitles, because, do you honestly think there were English-Talking Samurai's in Medieval Japan? It isn't that good, but it certainly doesn't ruin the game. The superb Graphics make up for the Voice Dubbing problems.

Replayability- 8/10

This game will keep you busy for months with all the things to do. There are multiple endings, and there are multiple difficulty setting to increase the challenge. Not to mention, that to see everything in the whole game, you have to beat the game about 5 times.

To Buy or to Rent?- RENT

This is an engrossing game, that will keep you busy just as long as Devil May Cry and if not, even longer.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/28/02, Updated 04/17/03