My Onimusha: Way of the Sword playtime guide tells you how much time you should set aside, whether you only want to finish the campaign or are aiming for the Platinum.
I’m currently at 12.7 hours and have reached Mission 13 of 22, so I’m already well past the halfway point. That said, I started skipping cutscenes at around the ten-hour mark and only completed a few side missions. Extrapolating from that, I’m on track for roughly 21 hours for the campaign. If you watch the cutscenes and engage with the side content, you should plan on closer to 25 to 30 hours.
Why Onimusha: Way of the Sword’s playtime varies so much
Capcom described the game as a 20-hour title ahead of release, but reviews have come in with very different numbers. GameSpot and GameStar both clocked in at 30 hours, while GamePro estimates 30 to 45 hours.
The reason has less to do with difficulty and more with two other factors. First, Onimusha contains a lot of cutscenes, something that regularly comes up in Steam discussions. Skipping them can shave a noticeable amount of time off your playthrough.
- Want to know whether the game is worth your time? Read our Onimusha: Way of the Sword review here.
Second, and this surprised me personally: About half of my total playtime was spent in East Kyoto. The hub isn’t just a stopover between missions, but the setting for several major main missions. It expands as you progress, and you’ll revisit older areas multiple times.
What adds to the playtime beyond the campaign
Kyoto’s Mysteries and Random Encounters
Onimusha splits its side content into two categories that are easy to confuse. Kyoto’s Mysteries are eight story-driven side quests featuring their own characters. Random Encounters are eighteen shorter assignments that appear in East Kyoto once you’ve cleared an area.
If you complete both, you’ll land at around 25 hours. Add systematic collectible hunting and you’re looking at 35 to 45 hours for a thorough playthrough.
Collectibles
The game contains more than 270 collectibles across eleven categories, including 23 Genma Notes, 36 Komainu, 15 Talismans, and nine Hozuki Bags. Most of them have a trophy tied to them.
Carnage difficulty
After the first ending, you unlock Carnage, the third difficulty setting. It can only be played in New Game Plus, is permanently locked in there, and removes Action Suggestions entirely. Two Gold trophies are tied to it, so you can’t avoid it if you want everything.
Boss rematches
You can challenge every boss again via the bell at the training grounds, with 18 entries in total. Consumable items are not allowed there, making these fights more demanding than their story counterparts.
Does Onimusha ever drag?
Not really, at least not for me. The pacing stays consistent throughout the missions, and the boss fights are the high points everything builds toward. The only section where I caught myself checking the clock was the underground laboratory. I enjoyed it, but it ran a little too long for my taste.
My verdict on the playtime
Plan on 25 to 30 hours for the campaign if you watch the cutscenes and complete some side missions along the way. If you only want to see the story and skip through the cinematic sequences, you can finish it in around 20 hours.
For the Platinum, you’ll need to set aside significantly more time. Dedicated trophy guides estimate 60 to 70 hours, which seems realistic because two full playthroughs are mandatory.
Is there a New Game Plus in Onimusha: Way of the Sword?
The short answer is yes, and you’ll need it. After finishing the game for the first time, you can start over while carrying part of your progress into the new playthrough.
Carried over into New Game Plus are your awakened Oni Abilities, all unlocked Basic and Special Abilities, your Hozuki Bags and their upgrades, your Talismans and their upgrades, Oni Armaments, items, Genma Notes, and rescued Komainu.
Reset are your Red Souls, all sword and gauntlet upgrades, upgrade materials, clothing and the Oni Bow, as well as your progress in Kyoto’s Mysteries and Random Encounters.
- Note: That leads to one useful tip before the final mission. Spend your remaining Red Souls on Talisman and Hozuki upgrades, not on your weapons. Talismans carry over, while weapon upgrades do not.
