While 2024 was a low-key year forCapcom, the Japanese publisher has been on a recent tear of bringing back beloved franchises. Finishing its spree ofAce Attorneyremasters and translations withAce Attorney Investigations Collectionwas just the start, as it quickly followed that with the launch ofMarvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade ClassicsandDead Rising Deluxe Remaster. What really blew oldCapcomfans away, though, was its announcements at The Game Awards 2024. Not only wasOnimusha: Way of the Sworda new mainline entry in its franchise, nearly twenty years after the last one, a console sequel forOkamiwas finally announced.
Capcom’s investor relations website quickly followed up The Game Awards with a short overview of the announcements, with some additional paragraphs declaring its intent to revive dormant IPs that haven’t launched new games recently. Few gaming companies have libraries withas many potent franchises as Capcom, so following Sega’s ongoing example of bringing series back en masse would be a well-received move. However, Capcom starting with new installments forOkamiandOnimushain particular will also have the happy side effect of jump-starting a particular game genre’s return from the very era they hail from.
Capcom Has More Than Just Franchises Sleeping In Its Library
There are a lot of genres under Capcom’s banner, from puzzle games likeGhost Trickto turn-based RPGs like the oldBreath of Firetitles. Above all else, though, Capcom is best known for its action games. They are spread across many categories, likeStreet Fighter’s fighting games,Final Fight’s beat-‘em-ups,Devil May Cry’s hack-and-slash, and evenResident Evil 4’s takedown-integrated third-person shooting, but all ofthese Capcom titles are genre-defining examplesof their respective gameplay style.OnimushaandOkamifall closest toDMC, which is a relief after how the last decade has treated their shared subgenre.
Stylish 3D Action Nearly Died In The 2010’s
3D hack-and-slash action, with minimal RPG elements attached, has been scarce since the PS3 and Xbox 360 generation. Capcom’s AAA and AA output narrowed alongside the rest of the industry, andDevil May Cry’s releases slowed down before the series’ primary director, Hideaki Itsuno, left in 2024. Ex-Devil May Cry,Okami, andGod Handdevelopers continued their hack-and-slash career as Platinum Games, but eventually many key staff left over creative differences and growing financial concerns. Other genre pillars like Koei Tecmo’s Team Ninja and Sony’sGod of Warfranchise introduced RPG mechanicsto expand their audience. Even accounting for indies, it’s hard to downplay how much ground 3D melee action has lost.
Hack-And-Slash Is Creeping Back Into Capcom’s Output
Action-RPG dominance isn’t a bad thing, as Soulslikes are popular for a reason, and other hybrid approaches likeKingdom Hearts,Dynasty Warriors,Like a Dragon, theTalesseries,Ys, and even Capcom’s ownMonster HunterandDragon’s Dogmaoffer plenty of variety. More options are still better for everyone, though, and Capcom seems dead-set on bringing some back. It’s already on its way, too, as summer 2024’sKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddessharkens backto the experimental period of hack-and-slash’s PS2 golden age. Now,OnimushaandOkamijust need to make this revival worth Capcom’s trouble.
How Onimusha and Okami Can Correct Capcom’s Combat Course
Onimusha: Way of the Swordis an offshoot ofResident EvillikeDevil May Cryitself, and could once again strike a middle ground between the two. It might also be Capcom’s first Soulslike in disguise, but wouldlikely stay close toSekirodue to parryingand careful offense already being part of its identity. More pertinently,Okami’s sequel is being helmed by its original director, Hideaki Kamiya, on top of an unknown number of ex-Platinum staff. That should guarantee being able to match the surprising combat depth of the firstOkami, and could pave the way for future action endeavors atCapcom, just like old times.
