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Onimusha Way of the Sword Difficulty and Modes
Capcom ships Story Mode and Action Mode. Story widens the Issen window and can show a button guide. Famitsu says death does not send you far back.
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Direct answer
Capcom ships two presets, Story Mode and Action Mode; Story Mode widens the Issen window and can show a button guide, Famitsu says death does not send you far back, and extra post-clear difficulty remains unanswered.
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What is confirmed
Producer Akihito Kadowaki described two presets on Xbox Wire: Story Mode (Japanese 活劇, Katsugeki) and Action Mode (剣戟, Kengeki). Story Mode is the easier preset and can show a button guide by default. Action Mode can still enable that guide.
Famitsu reports no death penalty that sends you far back; retry is immediate. Story Mode is the easier preset.
Capcom is not chasing an “impossibly difficult” action trend, per Kadowaki. How hard the game feels still depends on the preset and on landing Issen without an on-screen timing cue.
Whether the game is a soulslike is a separate question and lives on its own page.
What is not confirmed
Post-clear extra difficulty is unanswered. Kadowaki gave no comment; Nihei said there will be something. This page does not name a New Game Plus hard mode.
Reddit threads calling the demo “too easy” are player opinion, not Capcom’s difficulty table. Exact Issen frame windows are not published.
Frequently asked questions
Is Story Mode the easy mode?
Yes, relative to Action Mode. Official interviews describe Story as the easier preset with a wider Issen window and an optional button guide.
Will the final game include a harder mode after credits?
Not confirmed. Famitsu left post-clear extra difficulty unanswered. Do not treat a named NG+ rank as fact.
Sources
- Developer interview Xbox WireOnimusha: Way of the Sword developers' interview and preview (opens in a new tab)
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- Developer interview FamitsuOnimusha: Way of the Sword director interview (opens in a new tab)
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- Official source CapcomOnimusha: Way of the Sword action page (opens in a new tab)
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