Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (2006)

Dawn of Dreams departs in some significant aspects from earlier Onimusha games. Being able to change camera angles is only a symptom of deeper and wider environments. I played this on my PS2 many years ago, I suppose almost twenty. I liked it a lot then and I like it a little less now. I see some of its flaws, but nothing major. Certainly nothing that makes the game dull or unplayable. I remember that it wasn't too difficult back in the day and I didn't bother with difficulty this time around: cheated the whole gameplay because I'm not interested in having a hard time in a replay after so many years.

I like Akane the most. The other characters lack something in the charisma department. Ohatsu is a little too gratuitously sexualized after her outfit exchange. Roberto is just dull. And Tenkai, well, I wish we had a little more from him throughout the game since he's Samanosuke. I think there's an excess of weapons compared to Demon Siege, for example. Why have two or three weapons with the same elemental special attack? I think it's one of the game's weakest points. Also, why have one hundred levels of upgrade to the armors and not have them at least have a change in appearance? Too much of a grind, I think.

The humor is ok and the story is good, but I don't think it's the series best. Honestly, the other three games were more compelling to me. I suppose Dawn of Dreams tries to stretch the story and its elements, but not really builds on it or develops it in any meaningful way. Anyway, soundtrack is very good, possibly the best in the series.

Beat on loan from my coworker at the end of an Onimusha marathon from 1st to this. This game is the least memorable of the series. I have no idea what weapons I used or which characters I preferred. I think I beat the 100 floor Dark Realm as the main guy but can't say for certain. What I do remember clearly though is the obnoxious brat that hangs from rope like a spider. I wanted to punch him in the face every time he opened his mouth.

This game has the best controls and camera of the series. In the earlier games I felt the greatest challenge was overcoming the controls and fixed camera angles to actually do what you intend. In this game though it seems like they felt the need to make the enemies more difficult to balance out the better controls; tough enemies that hit hard, health sponge gimmicky bosses and the absurd Dark Realm. Good thing the game has good checkpoints and allows you to carry enough healing items to use as a crutch. I felt the game had too much pointless content, such as the ridiculous number of weapons, the extent that you can upgrade gear and the entire rpg leveling system. This game seems about as far away from the original Onimusha as you can get while still being in the same genre when what I really wanted to play was a more survival horror experience with actual good controls.

7.0/10.