Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams [PS2/JPN]

[Chadruharazzeb]

What an unbelievably fascist con. -10,000 for Capcom's disgraceful whoring.

If I had any inclination to review this one I'd be sure to whine about this. But I've got no desire to review it, so I won't be mentioning it.

[112]

Wow, finally started playing this, and boy am i suprised at what i was hearing, the intro video sounded so familiar then it clicked, i was listening to Ayumi's new single "startin" The original music vid to this song is crap but when mixed with the onimusha visuals its quite fitting. It seems Capcom and Ayu collaborate quite a lot given her influence in Biohazard 0.

Anyways, im likeing the fighting system in this and its showing more and more how they are pushing the ps2 hardware, even as its on its last legs now. Im not too sure abouts the respawning or the stages, the game has become more arcade like, an heavily influenced by Devil May Cry. Nice lil RPG elements with the leveling up and ugrading of attributes too. coming on 2 discs im hoping for a long slog as previous games tended to be on the short side.

About this special mode, how many codes are there? are they randomly generated numbers or can any code work?

Also, ive collected quite a few items which let you increase your life and special bar, but how do i use them?

Its suprising that this is the 4 game in the series, and suprising that it only appears on the one platform, but thumbs up so far for this game. Does anyone know why they called the girl jubei? as jubei was a guy in the second game.

112

[Chadruharazzeb]

You do know you can put the whole game into English, don't you? That might make it a bit easier for you

On the main title screen click O on the third option, then change the top option left one and press X.

"Jubei" is a title and not a name apparently. She inherited it from her grandfather (the Jubei from Onimusha 2).

Does anyone know how apparel works? Never seems to do what it says.

[Bleeders]

I heard that Devil May Cry 3 actually borrowed the "Deflect" system from Onimusha.

[Chadruharazzeb]

The way Royal Guard works is pretty much how the parry/ counter system has worked in Onimusha since the first game. Just blocking works ok but the shield wears down, but a perfectly timed block knocks the enemny back and allows for a critical hit ("issen" as they're otherwise known in Onimusha) to be performed.

You can also perform a critical hit if you dodge around an attacking enemy and attack at the right moment.

[Bleeders]

Thanks, I sussed that last night as it goes, so I deliberately waited for the opponent to strike before launching the parry.

Bloody great fun!

[112]

aye, i did know it was in english, but i only put it into english text as opposed to voices as i have heard it is awful, so far i have yet to hear any english voices, dont even think i will bother. Im a bit suprised at the amount of loading in the game, but there you go.

whats the deal with scale in current jap games, it seems to be the in thing, with shadow of collosus going miles up. Now Onimusha has you fighting giants, its cool and everything, if handled the way of colosus, but in onimusha, it seems a bit clumsy, as a big fist comes down your gonna get twatted no question, which makes it somewhat cheap as free hits are concerned.

Interaction with the 3D plane does not seem as intricate, as it is very apparent you cant walk to certain parts of the screen due to the invisible walls.

Dont get me wrong, im luvin this game, jus seems a bit rushed in certain places.

Those test of valor moments further emphasises the arcadey feel and direction towards action. As the first game peeps would moaned that it was biohazard in ancient japan, now its more akin to devil may cry, which aint a bad thing.

112

[Combination]

Some attacks can't be blocked, but you can easily evade them by rolling or side-stepping for instance - and then follow up with a critical and just chain the whole scene.

[112]

yeah, i luv chaining! its like shinobi, where i chained a boss and kiled them in like 20 seconds flat!

A lot of fun!

112

[Combination]

My only complaint thus far is that a number of bosses are invulnerable to criticals and as such can take ages to destroy using the regular attacks, and some puzzle solving sequences are just plan dull due to lack of enemies to slash.

Other than that, not bad Capcom.

[112]

there is a game called nobunaga, and is a strategy war game, is that the same nobunaga as the one in the onimusha games? Also, there is no mention of samanoske, it says nobunaga perished, but what abouts takeshi's character? or is that a spoiler further into the game?

112

[Neo Zeed]

Yep he is the same character,Nobunaga Oda,just a demonized version in the Onimusha games and a little more historically accurate in Koei's Sengoku Mussou and Kessen III,albeit romantasized in several ways.

8)

[Chadruharazzeb]

And as for Samanosuke - if you really want to know, don't ask

[Chadruharazzeb]

I must've been sleeping while I played this through first time. I missed out on

a) using any apparel at all. I didn't know how to equip it on characters for some reason. It's not exactly difficult, is it?
b) knowing that you could charge up your magic attacks. All I did was tap triangle and did a poxy little move. "That's a bit ****" I thought. Looks far more impressive if you charge it up though
c) doing a proper combined attack with a partner. Now I've figured out that you can charge magic, I've realised that while doing this you can press L2 and have your partner charge their magic up as well and perform some ludicrously impressive OTT moves.

I like it even more now!

[katamari]

My God. You really were asleep. LOL
I can't believe you played the whole game and missed out on all that.

I'm about ten hours in and loving it. It's great to be playing Onimusha again, but with fresh gameplay and lots of depth. It's like Genma May Cry: the Action RPG.