Onimusha Warlords gets new difficulty mode after 24 years

Originally released back in 2001, the action-horror game Onimusha Warlords was known for its Sengoku-era setting and combat-heavy gameplay, which set it apart from genre peers like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Following the release of a remastered version in 2019 that included all the original content, developer Capcom has now added a new difficulty mode to the game, along with new language options and minor updates – 24 years after the original’s debut.

Onimusha’s new difficulty mode is hard as hell

The newly introduced "Hell" mode presents gamers with an extreme challenge: Every enemy attack will lead to instant death for the player character, regardless of enemy type, character upgrades or game progress. The sole reprieve is a talisman, which can revive the place once; otherwise, perfect defence and evasive skills are imperative for survival.

Hell mode goes far beyond the previously hardest challenge in the game, the Dark Realm. Gamers have described it as Capcom’s toughest offering since Resident Evil 4 Remake’s Nightmare mode. Completing the game in Hell mode will reward players with a new achievement aptly called “Hell”.

The update offers both veterans of the original and newcomers of the remaster a new opportunity to put their sword-fighting abilities to the ultimate test. It also serves as a great way to get prepared for the next instalment in the Onimusha series entitled “Way of the Sword”, which was unveiled at the Game Awards 2024. But before its release, fans can look forward to the Onimusha 2 remaster, scheduled to hit store shelves on 23 May 2025.