Genma Onimusha

"Survival horror samurai style"

Intro: From the wonderful guys at Capcom we get another instance of the survival horror genre-- Genma Onimusha. This is a breath of relief from the tiring resident evil and dino crisis series because we are whisked back to an ancient Asia with giant monsters, demons, and magic. The basic plot is Samonosuke is trying to save a princess from the evil demon lord Fortinibras, and he is assisted by the long dead mystic Ogres. It is like any other Capcom survival horror game in that it has pre-rendered backgrounds and its fair share of goodies to find, but now to the goods.
Gameplay- The same swivel like movement of the other series which complicates this game a little. Since you are limited to mostly swords (there is a gun to find), you will be engaging in close up combat and the swivel makes it a little hard with multiple enemies. Even though there are few moves, they are varied enough and the action is intense enough to offer a solid experience. Subscore -7
Story- This story hasn't been beat to death like the other series and it actually offers some very good characters and monsters. From a giant flying insect to an odd little doll with spinning blades of death, there are always new, interesting enemies to deal with and a story to keep up with. Yet, there are no real turns in the story, just a basic unveiling of one step of the plight to the next. It is definitely interesting enough to be a good supplement to the game though. Subscore -8
Graphics/Sound: The pre-rendered backgrounds that we have come to know from Capcom are here again, and they aren't bad. The character animation is solid and there is no real slowdown during the action. There isn't much variation in the areas, but overall there are very good representations of the beautiful ancient oriental styles. The sound is nothing really fancy here, the weapon sounds are nothing worth exaltation, but they are definitely good. As expected, the mouth animation is poor, but that certainly does not take away from it. The character voice acting is done well and the accents are certainly true to what is expected. Subscore -8
Play Time/Replayability: As with the other survival horror games, this one will take you less than three hours once you know your way around. First time through largely depends on your skill level and your willingness to explore. Expect anywhere from 4 to 7 hours, yet it is not a one hit wonder. There is a set of armor and a very potent sword that are to be had for those who want to go the extra mile, and don't forget the mini game which gives a very nice surprise to those who persist in conquering it. So, it has fairly good replay for a game of its type, but it is certainly not worthy of dedicated play for more than a few weeks. Subscore -7.
Final Recommendation: As far as I know, this title is only twenty dollars now, so there is one thing you need to evaluate before buying; do you like unlocking all the little extras? If so, this is probably worth your money, but otherwise, it is a rent title for sure. Final score is an 8, and it is not an average.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/14/03