Onimusha

Capcom’s Onimusha games carved out a distinct niche for themselves in the gaming landscape of the early 2000s. Superficially, they were reminiscent of the Resident Evil games with their pre-rendered backgrounds, fixed camera angles, and environmental puzzles, but they also fused sword-swinging samurai action with elements of demonic horror, giving them a vibe all their own. (At one point they even pulled French actor Jean “The Professional” Reno into the proceedings, and I gotta say, I respect the sheer audacity.) With the recent success of the TV miniseries Shogūn and more high-profile games than ever before being set in the era of samurai, I think the time is ripe for a new Onimusha game as well. Give us a tightly focused 8-10 hour game along the lines of Capcom’s recent Resident Evil remakes that lets us slash demons and vanquish evil without going the route of colossal open-world adventures like Ghost of Tsushima or the forthcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows. — Carolyn Petit