At a recent press event, Capcom showed off a more complete version of Onimusha 3 and revealed some new information about the upcoming game. Producer Keiji Inafune showed off the game's impressive intro CG cinema, which is once again being done by Robot, the company responsible for making all of the Onimusha games' opening cinemas. To give the final installment in the series more punch, Capcom has also enlisted the talents of acclaimed movie director Takashi Yamazaki to direct the CG sequences and Hong Kong action star and director Donnie Yen to direct the CG movies' slick action sequences. Following the video, Inafune went on to discuss more specifics on the game's release and content.
While some of the information discussed is already known, it was revealed that the game's release date has slipped a little. Once scheduled for a worldwide release this March, Inafune noted that the U.S. and European versions of the game would trail a little. Press materials provided at the event currently target a May release for the game and add a new subtitle, Demon Siege, to its name. However Inafune noted that the time between the Japanese release, which is now set for late February, would be spent tuning the game's difficulty and adding content such as new enemies that won't be found in the Japanese version.
Later in the day a much more complete version of the game than we've seen previously was on hand to play. While there haven't been any dramatic changes to the look of the game since we last played it at Tokyo Game Show, there have been some subtle tweaks to the visuals and control that give it a more polished feel. One new element we noticed was a training mode you could access at the save points in the game that would let you hone your skills with Samanosuke and Jacques Blanc. Apparently you'll come across books as you go through the game that will open up different training options in this menu. Each of the training segments you can engage in will feature different levels of difficulty and focus on an aspect of the game. The ones we tried focused on blocking and counterattacking, absorbing souls, and performing a dramatic and deadly one hit slash that, while a bit challenging to pull off, packs a serious punch.
As mentioned, the visuals in the game haven't changed dramatically since we saw the game, but there's certainly a new level of polish to the game. The environments and character models all look quite sharp and move along at a high frame rate in fully 3D environments. During a montage of gameplay footage we were able to see some new locales, such as a snowy region, which looked impressive and showcased Samanosuke's magic attacks. While we're not usually prone to hype, we have to say Inafune's claims that the Onimusha 3 engine pushes the PS2 hardware pretty close to its limits ring pretty true.
Based on what we've seen so far, Onimusha 3: Demon Siege is shaping up to be a worthy send off for the franchise. The impressive CG movie, polished in-game graphics, and tight gameplay all combine in Voltron-like fashion to make this one look like it'll be the best entry in the series. Onimusha 3: Demon Siege is currently slated to ship this May for the PlayStation 2.
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