PixlBit

This game has great cut-scenes for the time and good graphics. I liked the dark story too but one control choice made it a real problem for me. I died twice before I got a game over screen. I guess you only live twice in this game. 

This is the 2002 Xbox port of the 2001 Onimusha Warlords for the PS2. Genma Onimusha has better graphics and extra content and mechanics. Strangely, the remastered version that came out in 2019 doesn't have these improvements. In any case, this was a very successful game at the time, especially for PS2. I however found it hard to stick with for one annoying reason. 

Movement is only controlled on the d-pad and not the left analog stick. I don't understand why because it makes the game very difficult. I mostly went back and forth in battle until I had time to rotate relatively slowly to face an attacker coming at an angle to me. It's a total shame because there are many things to like about this game. 

The opening cutscenes are fantastically directed. I think they are exciting and thoroughly engaging. Your character Samonosuke is fighting Nobunaga's forces in a pitched battle, Nobunaga's forces win but Nobunaga is shot with an arrow to the throat. Later Samanosuke rushes to a palace to save princess Yuki. She's been taken by demons and it's your job, with the help of a magic gauntlet given to you by some mysterious oni, to defeat the demons and bring her back. I love fighting demons in dark environments like forests and maze-like corridors. It kept reminding me of Demon's Souls in that way. 

Fighting is pretty good except for the movement controls I mentioned before. You pick up different souls with your gauntlet as you defeat enemies with your sword. The orbs give you health, magic, points to improve your abilities or temporary invulnerability (which was new to this version of the game) with five green orbs. The problem I had with collecting orbs is you have to hold down "A" to draw the orb in and if a demon is trying to get it, you have to mash "A". This makes you pretty vulnerable in battle because you can't fight with "X" while drawing in orbs. I didn't like that. 

Well, I died on the first boss demon and then was miraculously resurrected on the spot. I guess I got a mulligan. I kept going and beat the boss but died a little later while fighting off three demons, one of which was trying to steal my green orb. I had to mash "A" or let the demon have it and have him power up. I didn't want that. Then one of the other demons let me have it and that gave me a game over. As much as I wanted to continue, having to use the d-pad for all movement made me not want to keep playing. I don't quite understand the reason for it because I think all the systems had analog sticks by 2001. 

Well, that was fun. Onto 4x4 Evo 2, an offroad truck racing game.

What was it with the word "evolution" in 2001? It was like "extreme" in the 90s.