Overall Rating

Onimusha 2 (PS2) - story 1Leading the onslaught of this fall's action adventures is "Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny," the sequel to one of last year's blockbuster PS2 titles, "Onimusha: Warlords." In this episode of "Extended Play" we look at the latest installment, which delivers more of the same touches and trademarks that made the first "Onimusha" famous, including countless demonic enemies, bigger-than-life bosses, and a seamless battle system.

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Ten years after the events of the first "Onimusha," Lord Nobunaga has once again risen from the dead, looking to conquer the land with his horde of demon warriors. You play Jubei Yagyu, a skilled samurai seeking revenge on Nobunaga for destroying your village and killing the townsfolk.

More of the same but better

The game plays like your standard survival horror adventure, complete with prerendered backgrounds and dodgy camera angles. The movement isn't new either (pointing up will always move you forward).

Onimusha 2 (PS2) - stoyr 2With all the years of experience Capcom has had in the genre, it's not surprising that the controls of "Onimusha 2" are an improvement over its predecessor's (and "Resident Evil's" for that matter). The action plays quicker and more fluidly, assisted by an effective lock-on feature. You can also tell that Capcom has chosen more effective camera angles for you to deal with. No, it's still not a perfect science, so don't be surprised if you die because you can't see how your character is positioned.

You'll also have a solid selection of three weapons at your disposal, providing you with various forms of attack. Each weapon also allows for some unique combos. It'll be up to you to figure out which weapons work best on each foe.

Puzzles, enemies, and power-ups
Of course the puzzles make a return, though this time they're not as difficult as in "Onimusha: Warlords." Some will require simple block movements on a board. Others will require the retrieval and placement of items in the right order. Speaking of item retrieval, players will be spared many of Capcom's trademark runaround hardships. While there is fetching, most of these errands are painless affairs where you don't have to traverse long distances.

The game further holds your attention by inundating you with tons of enemies. Each type has its own unique fighting style and weaknesses.

"Onimusha 2" also retains the weapon/armor leveling-up system where defeating enemies will reward you with points. These points are devoted to increasing the power of your weapons and armor.

Onimusha 2 (PS2) - story 3A little help from your friends
The game also has a character assist mode, where the story's supporting characters lend a hand during certain battles. Only one character can help out at a time, though. Who helps you out is determined by how friendly you are to each of them. You act friendly by giving them items as gifts to win them over. Furthermore, supporting characters have their own back stories, which are exposed if you get them to help you. This leads to diverging plot paths, adding to the game's replay value (at least for the hardcore fans).

Graphically, the prerendered backgrounds are outstanding, especially when it comes to the outdoor environments. There are areas where running water in a creek looks so photo-realistic, you'll be debating whether it's bring rendered in real time or just a looping graphic.

Undead casting

Like its previous installment, "Onimusha 2" modeled its main character from a real-life actor. The first installment had Takeshi Kaneshiro (known mostly for his cop role in "Chungking Express") play Samonosuke. This time, though, Capcom called for a digital resurrection, employing the late Yusaku Matsuda (known in the States for his role in the Michael Douglas flick "Black Rain") to fill in the shoes of Jubei Yagyu.

The sound leaves much to be desired. Unlike the first "Onimusha," there isn't a Japanese-language option. Moreover, the English voice-over ends up making the game sound like a poorly dubbed Hong Kong action film. The music is fitting of the time-period, though it isn't anything to write home about. Oddly enough, the standout track is the eerily catchy demo theme, a hard-rock Japanese number complete with neo-Elvis vocals. Certain sound effects do shine, though, including many sword-fighting sounds and meaty blows to the enemy.

Anyone looking for a great hack-and-slash adventure will be more than satisfied with "Onimusha 2." You still have to put up with funky camera angles, but the overall control is more than sufficient to get you though this 10-hour-plus trek.