Capcom announces 'Onimusha: Warlords' remaster to join its stable of remakes

Something to look forward to: If you are feeling a bit nostalgic for the gaming days of yore, Capcom has your number. In addition to the Resident Evil 2 remake coming January 25, 2019, the publisher is remastering another early signature game --- Onimusha: Warlords. The demon-slaying remake is even due out a few days before RE2, so sharpen your katana.

Today Capcom announced that it is dusting off yet another old franchise from the PlayStation era. The publisher is in the process of remastering the 17-year-old Onimusha: Warlords for modern hardware.

The game launched on the PlayStation 2 in 2001 but was initially intended for the original PlayStation. Production of that version was scrapped due to the imminent release of the PS2. Capcom started all over with the newer console.

Onimusha was conceived and a spinoff to Resident Evil, but developers eventually decided to make it its own game. However, it does share similarities to the title it spawned from such as fixed cinematic camera angles and puzzle solving elements.

The core story and gameplay will remain intact, but the remake will feature updated HD characters, environments, and CG cutscenes. Players will also be able to choose between the game's original display or a modern wide-screen effect, which is more suitable for today's TVs.

The PlayStation 2 pre-dates Sony's DualShock analog controllers, but Capcom is adding analog support to the game. Purists will still be able to use the D-Pad if they chose, but the analog support will allow much more accurate movement, which is welcomed in a title that focuses on battling with swords.

"This release of Onimusha: Warlords also allows players to move using the analog stick, which should improve movement accuracy and accessibility, especially in a game that is centered around combat," said Capcom Community Manager Andy Wong. "This was the same treatment that Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0 had for their release on PS4. For those who still prefer using the directional inputs like in the original game, that option is also open!"

The developers have also unlocked Easy Mode from the start. In the original game, players start at the Normal difficulty setting. If the player died a certain number of times in the same battle, it would open the option to switch to Easy. Having the noob setting available from the start will be nice for those just wishing to enjoy the story, but Wong warns that once you start on your chosen difficulty, there is no changing it later.

Onimusha: Warlords is slated for a January 15, 2019 release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. Capcom says it has opened pre-orders for the physical version of the game for $20. I find this somewhat humorous since the original PS2 version is still sold on Amazon for $25. Digital pre-orders will open at a later date, said Wong.