Capcom's first mainline Onimusha in two decades is out this Friday, September 4, and the reviews are warm. The word from TheGamer is that it's a great jumping-on point whether or not you've touched the series before. Good. But it's a game built on timing, and if you go in swinging wildly you'll spend a lot of it face-down.
The four moves, and the gauge that matters
You've got light attack, heavy attack, deflect and dodge. Both you and your enemies carry a health bar and a stamina bar, and the stamina bar is the one to watch: drain an enemy's and you open them up to a big, ugly finisher. Drain yours and you're the one in trouble.
Deflect first, panic never
Deflection is the whole game. As GamingTrend describes it, react at the right moment and blades clash in a shower of sparks that briefly staggers the enemy. React too early or too late and you eat the hit. So drill the rhythm before you worry about anything flashy. Getting jumpy is the fastest way to die here.
The showy stuff, and when to risk it
Parry enough and you enter a Blaze state that cranks up your damage. Dodge enough and time slows so you can get free swings in. And then there's the Issen: hit attack at the exact right frame and you cut an enemy in two on the spot, bosses included. It's brutal and it's very hard to land, so treat every Issen as a bonus, not a plan. Learn the deflect, respect the stamina bar, and let the one-hit kills come when they come.
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