Onimusha 3: Demon Siege

"Capcom pushes the PS2 further."

This game is great. Capcom redeems itself by making a remarkably innovative game. Unlike the 364 other MegaMan titles, Capcom offers us a new formula to our otherwise unsatiable appetites. I got into the series after playing Ninja Gaiden, and I have become a hardcore Onimusha fan. In no way, however, did this change my opinion and openmindedness of my recently pre-ordered copy of Onimusha 3: Demon Siege. Takeshi Kaneshiro makes a return appearance in Demon Siege as well as Jean Reno(you may remember him from The Proffesional).

Graphics 9/10

The most noticeable thing about Onimusha 3 is the immediately ensuing CG movie. The developers have kept the same tradition of having Robot do their CG's(good call). It's breathtaking. Of course, I'm not here to gawk at a movie. After watching the roughly 6 1/2 minute long movie, I loaded a new game. If you're a fan of the previous Onimusha games, you'll notice immediately Samanosuke has a nice new look. Simply put, this is an improvement upon every PS2 game I have ever played. PS2 is infamous for its bad hardware, such as a 32 MB graphics card! Still, the graphics are great for this system.

Sound 10/10

Okay, I wouldn't normally give sound such a high score, but it is such an excellent improvement! Besides, it sports my favorite song of all time, Mozart's Dies Irae. Switching from bad voice acting and music (ala Onimusha 2) it immediately dumps it and puts in some quality voice acting and finely orchestrated pieces(!).

Gameplay 8/10

Honestly, you can't have a game without, well, gameplay. The gameplay in this game is surprisingly good. While Samanosuke and the newly introduced Jaques(Jean Reno) don't have the largest array of moves you've seen, they do have a large arsenal of upgradeable weapons and armor(as well as the Oni gauntlet) at your disposal and a better control of your Issens. You can't forget the oh-so-cheerful Ako the Tengu, whose large amount of vests which make her more useful prove to mix up the game. Also, with the ability to use the anologue stick, you no longer feel like a large truck. You'll still have the option, however, for those of us who truly wish to use it.

Play Time/Replayability 7/10

Replayability definitely depends on how much you enjoyed this game. By doing certain events, you can unlock the original Onimusha:Warlords weapons for play in the next new game. Of course, if you didn't like this game, you probably won't be coming back around for more. This game clocks into about 15-20 hours of gameplay, providing plenty of long-lasting entertainment.

Rent or Buy?

Definitely buy. This is a great addition to anyone's gaming library, and the engaging and enjoyable gameplay should not be missed. By all means, pick this game up at your nearest retail store.

All in all, this is a great game. With a new interest in Capcom, I should say this has proved a huge success in my book. Also, for all those angry mothers, there's a mode to turn off blood, change the color of the blood, and change the violence level. And thankfully, the American version has increased difficulty, for those of you who thought the first two were just too easy. This is a game for more than just fans, but a whole array of gamers.

Overall 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/12/04