Summary
Onimusha: Warlordswas released for the PS2 in 2001 and starred a samurai named Samanosuke Akechi. He was the main playable character, but there were sections of the game that gave players a chance to usea female ninjanamed Kaede. The duo made a good pairing, but Capcom outdid themselves with the recent sequel by including five playable characters.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destinyfocused on a demon-hunting samurai named Jubei Yagyu, who is aided by Magoichi Saiga, Ekei Ankokuji, Kotaro Fuma, and Oyu. These four side characters can be played depending on story choices and in a separate mode called Team Oni. It’s a good reason to replay the game multiple times, even without a New Game+ Mode. So, what character is the strongest and most fun to play?
5Magoichi Saiga
Needs More Ammo
Magoichi Saiga has appeared inother games likeSamurai Warriorstoo. He is a cool cucumber, rarely showing emotions in the story. He’s mostly there to stir up trouble with Ekei inOnimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny,which is fun to see play out. Magoichi’s main attraction is his rifle, which has unlimited ammo, unlike the rifle players can use with Jubei. The catch is that Magoichi also has a dagger, and most of his normal combos involve both weapons.
It makes sense not to give players unlimited ammo in a horror game, as that would makeOnimusha 2: Samurai’s Destinya bit too easy. But at the same time, it can be a letdown when controlling Magoichi. In addition to his normal attacks, Magoichi can heat up his rifle to give the bullets more damage. He can also throw down flash bombs to stun enemies for a few seconds. Magoichi is not a weak character, but he is also not the most fun to play compared to others.
4Oyu
A Warrior With A Secret
Oyu is the only character who will be playable in the main campaign no matter what. She is also the onlyfemale heroine in this horror game. She’s armed with a sword and shield, a classic setup in a game. Her attacks are slightly faster than Jubei’s normal sword swings, but no matter what sword she has equipped, her range is a bit more limited. The shield doesn’t add much to combat either, as all weapons can block.
Her special imbues her sword with light to increase its damage, which is a decent bonus. She can also throw knives, which seems more like a ninja technique than anything, but it’s not bad. Oyu has nothing mesmerizing or surprising about her character build, but she is an effective fighter when it comes right down to it. She’s also an important character in the story, but those revelations are best discovered through playing.
3Kotaro Fuma
A Quick Diversion
Kotaro is part ofa ninja clanand another famous Japanese character who has appeared in games likeSamurai Warriors. This game depicts him as a young kid, and because of this, he’s a bit of a prankster. He likes to joke around and often finds himself bored when he’s not spying or getting gifts from Jubei to pass the time.
Gameplay-wise, Kotaro’s dagger strikes are not that strong compared to anyone else in the game, but he hits so fast it doesn’t matter. Kotaro’s special is truly unique, as he will turn invisible and create a decoy. While enemies attack his decoy, he can escape or get the drop on them from behind. Kotaro can also throw knives at enemies, but the invisibility and decoy combo are truly something to behold.
2Ekei Ankokuji
A Thirsty Monk
Ekei is the biggest character in the game, and moves a bit slower than other characters. However, size also empowers him, because Ekei’s ability with the spear is unmatched in both speed and power. He also has a big heart, even though it seems like he only likes booze and cheap women at first. There’s more to Ekei than meets the eye.
Beyond his heart, Ekei will strike enemies with lightning-fast reflexes even better than Jubei’s spear attacks. He can throw talismans to damage enemies as his throwable sub-weapon, which matches with themonk vibe of the warrior. His special will pin a group of enemies in place, which is beyond useful for getting an advantage. This works well when players are controlling Jubei and Ekei comes in for an assist, but manually controlling Jubei is fun too.
1Jubei Yagyu
The Power Of The Oni
It would be odd if the star ofthis Capcom gamewas a weak character, but fortunately, Jubei is anything but. In the story, he can gain four elemental weapons, two ranged weapons, and a secret fifth elemental sword. His first weapon, for example, is called Buraitou, which is a larger katana that can strike single enemies with quick lightning strikes. A later unlock is Dokoutsui, which is a hammer that can strike all enemies on screen with Earth-based damage.
Most of Jubei’s gear can be upgraded, including his clothing, which gives him an advantage over his co-stars. Best of all, if players collect five purple orbs, they can transform Jubei into a demon via a mode called Onimusha. It’s fitting forOnimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny,but this is not a new mechanic. Overall, Jubei isthe samurai herowho is well-balanced in all gameplay styles and is armed to the teeth, and is ready to slay demons.
