E3 2005: Another round of Onimusha @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on May 18, 2005

News: Onimusha Dawn of Dreams will help close out the PS2 era.

With the PS3 gearing up for it's Spring 2006 release, the PS2 release schedule is winding down. One of the games that will help it go out with a bang will be Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams. Dawn of Dreams has an unknown 2006 release date, but we know plenty about the story.

Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams begins approximately 15 years following the annihilation of the infamous Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga at Honno Temple. Another dark shadow now looms over Japan as Nobunaga's successor, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, has decided to align himself with the evil Genma forces. Assume the role of Soki, a young warrior who possesses incredible power, along with several other cohorts to try and thwart Hideyoshi's pursuit for power.

Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams possesses a compelling cast of warriors, each with their own unique abilities, attacks and storyline including: Soki, with his broadsword, is viewed amongst the Oni as the world's last hope against the Genma and whose power could potentially be humanity's greatest threat; Akane can unleash the power of her Oni Eye that gives her various special abilities. Her mastery of the martial arts grants extra mobility to wield her sword with speed and grace.

Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams also brings plenty of new features to the series, including the ability to have two on screen playable characters and others such as:

New gameplay system - Implementation of a new fighting system allows for the control of various characters throughout the game. Each playable character has unique abilities and storyline.

New 'Allies System' - Players can switch between the main character and partner in real-time, anytime. Give commands to your ally: tell them to wait, follow, attack, defend, etc.

All new compelling storyline - Players new to the series need not have played the previous instalments in order to enjoy the story. The story picks up with Nobunaga's successor, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, as he aligns himself with the insidious Genma forces.

Most expansive environments in the series - The scale of environments has been multiplied in order to accommodate a more open ended gameplay experience.

Continued Artistic Excellence in the Onimusha Series - Building upon the series tradition of delivering an amazing visual experience, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams realizes unbelievably meticulous graphics that span over a multitude of diverse stages. Traditional Japanese landscape and architecture are recreated in rich detail.

We'll have more on Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams shortly.