However, he’s not alone, as four allies join the cause and assist Jubei in his adventures if you build enough Affinity with them through gifts. They’re even playable in certain sections and help during battles against the demon hordes.

The remaster offers a higher resolution and improved frame rate, but there are also minor gameplay improvements. For example, players can now choose when they transform into an Onimusha after absorbing enough Souls. A new Hell Mode difficulty is also available, where everything kills in a single hit.

As for the future, Onimusha: Way of the Sword launches in 2026 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Head here for more details.

Though chief of the Fūma clan, Kotarō is only 17 years old and fairly headstrong. Described as liking “cool and unusual things,” he’s always prepared to die, as per his ninja creed. In combat, he dual-wields large kunai and ninjutsu while possessing high agility.

Kotarō is one of four allies that Jubei will encounter throughout the story, with the rest likely to be detailed in new trailers leading up to the remaster’s launch. Collecting gold allows players to purchase gifts for their allies, who will even lend their aid.

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster launches on May 23rd for Xbox One, PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. Check out our feature for everything you should know.

This is a remaster

Originally released in 2002, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is the series’ second instalment. This remastered sequel – an ample blend of classic horror’s stately pacing, fixed cameras, and environmental puzzles with Souls-like swashbuckling action – comes with sharper graphics, modernised controls, and a handful of quality-of-life improvements, the latter two of which we’ll discuss in greater detail in this feature.

No prior knowledge of series required

Yes, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny may be a sequel but with a different protagonist to its predecessor plus a standalone story no prior knowledge of 2001’s Onimusha: Warlords is required. This game can be enjoyed whether you’ve played the other games in the series or not. However, if you’re type to prefer at least an understanding of a game’s universe without diving in blind, Onimusha: Warlords received the remaster treatment a few years ago and is playable on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.     

Story

After defeat at the hands of young warrior Samanosuke Akechi, once living warlord turned undead demon king Nobunaga Oda has risen once again to continue his quest to rule the world, ransacking villages and slaughtering any innocent who dares stand in his way. Set in medieval Japan, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is a tale of revenge, with player-character Jubei Yagyu determined to cleanse the world of Oda’s presence once again, not just to halt the bloodshed but as personal retribution for Oda eliminating Yagyu’s clansmen.    

Jubei Yagyu’s backstory and motivations

Famous for founding the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, Jubei Yaygu is a master swordsman who, during his revenge mission, learns of his oni heritage; a power which grants him demon slaying ability. Beyond revenge on Oda, his goal is to locate five sacred orbs which, as legends foretell, can save mankind from demonic oppression. When he collects enough demon souls, Yagyu can transform into a powerful oni demon himself.

Four accompanying allies

Accompanying Yagyu are four allies, each possessing unique skills and intriguing backstory, bringing something distinct to the party. They have their own aims leading, sometimes, to in-fighting. Swordswoman Oyu fights alongside Yagyu, but all is not what it seems; behind her beautiful appearance is a mysterious past. Stealth-based ninja Kotaro Fuma is especially distrustful of Oyu, a dark secret defining his outlook. Magoichi Saiga is equally adept with guns as he is with blades, but his rational personality oftentimes finds him making merciless decisions. Master spear wielder Ekei Ankokuji also harbours a grievous past, but for now his debaucherous lifestyle belies his tutelage. 

Branching storyline

Depending on the strength of Yagyu’s bond with each of his four companions – indicated by something called “affinity value” – new events and thus different story directions can occur. A means of strengthening ties with a particular character comes via sharing gifts with them. However, Yagyu needs to be considerate as to which present they pass to their ally; the gift must match their temperament. For example, flowers to Oyu are cool, flowers to Saiga is not. The stronger the bond, the more likely Yagyu will have the whole cast of allies to fight alongside him. Inversely, a weak bond leaves him open for betrayal later down the line. All in all, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny boasts a hundred different events to discover through managing affinity value.    

Combat overview

Yagyu is samurai, so as you’d expect he’s a dab hand at swordplay. Blades are his weapon of choice however as the game progresses, he’ll amass a small arsenal of short range, long range, and melee weaponry – spears, bows, hammers, that sort of thing. An important consideration though: oftentimes Yagyu and his crew find themselves scuffling in tight spaces, so special awareness and choosing the correct weapon for the environment are also crucial for success.

Magic power

Throughout Samurai’s Destiny Yagyu can unlock various elemental effects for his weapons via magic powers. One of the first he’ll encounter in-game is the Buraitou, or thunder sword, which allows him to swing a blade charged with lightning. And the elemental effects continue throughout: ice spears, earth hammers, fire-based broadswords, et cetera. When equipped, these elemental effects can be waved at any time, leading to more powerful attacks. They’re upgradeable too, up to three levels.

Issen counters

A quintessential manoeuvre, Issen counters are Onimusha 2’s trademark parries. These function slightly different to what you’re probably used to though. Instead of parrying with the block button players must initiate an attack at the perfect moment to counter an enemy lunge. There’s greater risk here: timing the attack button press with less than surgical precision leaves Yagyu vulnerable. On the flipside, land an Issen perfectly and enemies will perish instantly. Furthermore, Issen counters can be chained together, granting Yagyu a flashy way to down multiple enemies simultaneously.  

Souls overview

Another key facet of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny’s combat is Yagyu’s soul absorbing power. Enemies will release them when defeated, with each colour of orb denoting a specific trait: red orbs, the most common, gift experience points that can be spent upgrading Yagyu’s weapons and armour; yellow orbs restore his health; blue orbs will replenish spent magical ability. The rarest colour – purple – transform Yagyu into his demonic Onimusha state once five are collected, a form whereby he’s as powerful as he is invisible.

Hell mode

Hell mode is a new feature in this remaster of Onimusha 2: Samurai Destiny. Ostensibly a one-hit kill mode, the game advises that this mode is not for the feint of heart. Making health recovering yellow orbs obsolete, should you be adept at the game’s senior ‘critical’ difficulty then you might want to give this a go. It’ll certainly make every encounter an intense struggle to get through.

Quality of life improvements

There’re a handful of quality-of-life improvements present in Onimusha 2’s remaster. An easy mode, for starters, now exists for those who just want to enjoy the story without pushing through any sort of challenge. Cutscenes can now be skipped; great for those who’re replaying to see those hundred unique story events. Auto save has also been added, as has the ability to swap weapons mid-battle without having to trundle through a momentum disturbing menu.

Platforms, release date, price

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is releasing to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on May 23^rd, 2025, and is reasonably priced at $29.99 / $24.99.

Pre-order bonuses

One of Onimusha 2’s most enduring features is Tawo Iwashiro’s exceptional soundtrack. Maybe this is why the game opted to package a small selection of tracks into a pre-order bonus. The Onimusha 2: Orchestra Album Selection Pack contains five orchestral versions of music from the game. A useful item pack is bundled along with the music too, containing herbs, medicines, magic liquids, and red souls. Those who already have a save file for sequel predecessor Onimusha: Warlords can obtain a special outfit for Jubei Yagyu, the Samanosuke outfit, which is based on Samanosuke Akechi, the protagonist of the first game.

PC requirements

As per the game’s Steam listing, minimum PC requirements are as follows: Intel Core i3 8350k or AMD Ryzen3 3200G processor, 8GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX560 GPU. Recommended requirements list the same processors as minimum but up the RAM demand to 16GB with GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX570 GPUs. 25GB storage space is also required. Additionally, monitors will need to be set to at least 60Hz refresh rate else framerates could drop in graphically intense scenes.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

Hotly anticipated sequel to Garou: Mark of the Wolves ­– a fighting game many regard as amongst the finest – Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves has a steep hill to climb if the series is to re-establish itself alongside the pantheon of all-timers. Gracefully, City of the Wolves revitalises the fighting techniques of its predecessors whilst injecting novel mechanics and its own eye-catching art style to modernise the experience for players new and old.

MotoGP 25

New modes, from dedicated motard, flat track, and minibike racing to a never-seen-before casual arcade experience, bring plenty of novel ways to ride in MotoGP 25, but Milestone’s latest superbike sim aims to provide untold levels of authenticity from an area you might not expect. This year, sound design has been completely overhauled via on-track audio captured first-hand from the exhausts and tyre squeals of official bikes. MotoGP 25 has potential to be the long-standing series’ best entry in years.

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny

Remaster of the 2002 PS2 classic, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is gifting new opportunities to relive the original’s intense swordplay and dramatic revenge story with hi-res graphics and improved controls. Additional language support, new gallery modes, a refreshed soundtrack, intense ‘Hell’ mode difficulty, and a very welcome quality of life contributing auto save feature round out this enrapturing odyssey through medieval Japan.

Elden Ring Nightreign

Co-op games are resurging in 2025, with this standalone spin-off set within the Elden Ring universe – a harrowing experience created specifically for a troupe of up to three of players to venture deep within the grim locale of Limveld together – promises to be a standout. In true FromSoft fashion, surviving a three-day cycle in Elden Ring Nightreign will be anything but a cakewalk. Teams will encounter highly skilled, soul-crushingly tough opponents during each run. However, collectible relics will, with any luck, make subsequent runs more manageable.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4

The industry’s worst kept secret officially announced on March 4^th, and whilst many shared trepidation that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 will eschew its open-ended career mode skating for, what new dev team Iron Galaxy proclaim, as a return to 1 to 3’s ‘epic two-minute format’, there’s no denying Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is a welcome package. Revitalised parks, a handful a new courses, plus a quartet of new skaters (not including Doom Slayer) ensure Tony Hawk’s latest round of remakes are destined to do well.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

If you’re on the fence about Ninja Gaiden’s upcoming 2D side scroller, just know that it is a modern reimagining of the classic platformer, with all the mechanical depth of a modern adventure uniting with visual 8-bit pazazz. Ragebound could be the platforming sleeper hit of the year.

Little Nightmares III

The pint-sized dread fest is returning, only, switching things up for Little Nightmares III is the introduction of co-operative gameplay, either couch, online, or via AI. Low and Alone, our poor children stuck inside a horrifying realm known as The Maw, must combine their unique skills and gadgets to overcome a breadth of tricky environmental puzzles all whilst evading the clutches of a horde of evil monsters.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Speaking of platforming sleeper hits ala Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, another iconic side-scroller is getting the modern treatment in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, and this one is coming directly from the team who made Streets of Rage 4. A Supergiant Games-style hand-drawn art style belies what looks to be a super-precise platformer, although it remains to be seen if the team at Lizardcube have toned down the series’ historic difficulty. Either way, mastering the way of the Shinobi has never looked better.

Absolum

Okay, the aforementioned Dotemu have a hand in this one too, but unlike their prior publishing exploits this is the team’s first original IP, and it has all the hallmarks of an instant classic. Absolum is a roguelite, side-scrolling beat ‘em up set within an original fantasy realm. Here, a likeable cast of brawlers, each with distinct fighting styles, rapid combo chains, and spellcasting power, traipse through levels harbouring multiple paths and unpredictable encounters, promising an enveloping experience with every run.

Terminator 2D: No Fate

More 2D action side scrolling, only this one an officially licensed recreation of iconic movie Terminator 2. Terminator 2D: No Fate oozes adrenaline fuelled arcade style via thrilling set pieces plucked straight out of the film, lovingly crafted here in stunning pixel art. In addition to playing through the movie as on-screen icons Sarah Conner and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800, players will also get to experience novel Future War missions as an adult John Connor, with futuristic pipe bombs and plasma cannons the weapons of choice as he leads the resistance on a battle against Skynet’s sentient machines.

Dying Light: The Beast

This standalone Dying Light adventure set more than a decade after events of the series’ mainline titles reunites you with Kyle Crane – protagonist of the first game – before transporting you both to country resort Castor Woods. After years of inhumane imprisonment and experimentation, Crane is out for blood and, as luck would have it, he’s now imbued with zombie DNA. This genetic modification grants him beast-like powers which players can use to rip shreds out of those who kept him in captivity for so long.

Commandos: Origins

The legendary real-time tactics forebearer is making a triumphant return in 2025, and this time we’ll be exploring the elite covert-operation unit’s beginnings in Commandos: Origins. Undertaking daring rescues, clandestine sabotage, and edge-of-seat raids are the squad led by poster boy for the series – the Green Beret – and there’ll be a range of audacious missions and pivotal moments to undertake, from the Arctic circle to past the Eastern front.

Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga

Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga is coming West for the first time, the all-star clash between heroes from Falcom’s legendary RPG series’ having originally released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan in 2010. This version features remastered graphics and 60 FPS support, couch and online multiplayer, English voice acting, and a wealth of wallpapers and soundtracks from Falcom titles of old. Finally, the cult favourite, fast-paced battler has a home outside of Japan.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire

Combining 1930’s animation with the thrill of explosive first person shooting, in Mouse: P.I. for Hire you assume command of Private Investigator Jack Pepper who becomes embroiled in a gritty underworld of crooks and mobsters, these hand-drawn characters chilling enough to commit murder, corruption, and blackmail. We can safely say we’ve never seen a game quite like this.

The House of the Dead 2: Remake 

On-rails shooting masterclass The House of the Dead 2: Remake reimagines the classic arcade experience in high-definition graphics, with remastered music and optional co-operative play. The first House of the Dead remake had its issues, but here’s hoping developer MegaPixel Studio have ploughed all their knowledge into this sequel as, on balance, House of the Dead 2 was always the superior title.    

Appropriately named Hell Mode, the premise is simple: A single hit from an enemy, any enemy, will kill you. Though some staff members have been able to complete the title in this mode, Eshiro confesses that he hasn’t. Long story short, it’s not for the faint of heart.

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny remaster also promises quality-of-life improvements alongside its high-definition visuals, though further details on the former are still pending. It’s out on May 23rd for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch. If you own Onimusha: Warlords’ remaster, your save data can unlock a free Samanosuke outfit for Jubei.

Meanwhile, Onimusha: Way of the Sword launches next year for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out the latest gameplay here.