Okay, I have to admit something here. I actually had no interest in the Onimusha series when I picked up this game. I hadn't even heard of it. I bought the game because I was dieing for a decent, new ninja game and it was before Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven or Shinobi were even close to their release dates. I bought this game because it was a samurai game and samurai was the closest thing to ninjas I could get. If I didn't like the game, I could always return it. Well, I should tell you that I still have the game...

The first thing I noticed was the opening movie. I know that sounds like a stupid thing to say, but it was the first thing I noticed. I was immediately blown away by the quality of the cg movie. The only thing that kind of kept me from thinking this was a great game then is the fact that graphics don't make good games. So many games have great graphics, but many of those games don't deliver on the gameplay aspect. I was still as questioning as when i bought the game.

As I was talking about earlier, the opening movie was incredible. The detail and lighting was so good you could taste it...or that could have been the food I was eating. Once I got into the game, the graphics were still very well done. They did some tweaking from the PS2 version but not enough to be all that noticable. The souls look very good. the character models are very detailed and the animations are smooth and beautiful for the most part.

This is an area that I have minor problems with but overall it seems pretty good. I have listened to the game many times since I bought it. The music is just incredible. The haunting sounds of the score by Mamoru Samuragoch is perfect for this game. The problem lies with the voice acting. This game's English voice acting is good but not great. The Japanese voice acting is, by what I can tell, very well done. Some of the voices in the english part of it were kind of dull or annoying (Tokichiro) but the majority was good and therefore, it deserves a decent rating.

The gameplay...this is where it all counts. I didn't think much of the game when I got it, but after playing it for a while, I was hooked. I had to have more. I still have withdrawals if I don't play it at least once a week. The tug of war for green souls both irritate me and keep me coming back for more. charging the power of your sword makes big enemies fall like nothing. the upgrading system is great. The Dark Realm and Ogre Tower leave many used health items. Actually, the part I love most about the gameplay is the difficulty. This game isn't for pansies. Flowers shouldn't play games. This is a game for hardcore gamers that want a real challenge. The enemies are tougher and are more in numbers. There is a creepy little possessed doll that will beat the hell out of you the first time you see it unless you run...and fast. The one thing I could've done without is the game telling me that I suck so badly that I have unlocked easy mode. Well, screw you! I've gotten a lot better at the game by now. The thing that actually pulled me in most was the storyline. Seriously, this story is amazingly good. If Onimusha: The Movie came out tomorrow, I would camp out at the theatre to see it. It is that good.

This makes the game a bit tricky. I was used to controls like in Devil May Cry and these controls are pretty different. When you press up, the character goes in the direction he/she is facing. When you press down, the character moves in reverse. Pressing left or right makes the character turn in that direction. I takes some getting used to, but for the most part, I thought it was very clever and showed ingenuitey just like in the other games that used controls like this. It is like a breath of semi-fresh air. Not something so completely new that it's difficult to adjust to, but different enough to be fun.

This is one of the best games I have ever played. It is right up there with all Zelda games, all LoK games, Final Fantasy, and Mega Man! I have yet to play a bad Onimusha game. Capcom outdid itself on this one. Of course, they do that with a lot of games.

• + Samanosuke Akechi kicks royal ass!
• + Difficulty really brings out the best in gamers
• + BISHAMAN SWORD!!!!!!
• + Kaede is...nevermind
• + Upgraded gameplay
• + Great story line
• - The game tells you that you can use easy mode if you get whipped a few times
• - Seriously, that's pretty mean
• - Some of the voice acting could stand some improvement
• ? So...what's so scary about this doll?...OH MY GOD! GET IT OFF!!!!!
• ? SWEET MOTHER OF PEARL WHY DID THAT DOLL COME ALIVE?!

Overall (not an average): 9/10
great game...redrum....really, a great game.