Compare Onimusha: Way of the Sword vs Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault

Despite the action-heavy premise, reviewers frequently found the character relationships, personal arcs, and later story beats funny, heartfelt, or unexpectedly moving.

The ending is a major weak spot for one detailed critique, with the built-up drama and emotion falling away at the conclusion.

Opinions on length are mixed, but the strongest criticism says a superb shorter action game has been stretched into a 25–30 hour experience. A smaller group felt the adventure did not overstay its welcome.

The main experience can comfortably run into the mid-20-hour range or longer, while completion goals and endless modes can push total playtime toward 40-50 hours without exhausting players who enjoy the loop.

The material economy is a weak point for some reviewers: common upgrade resources can be oddly expensive or grindy, and their relationship to the broader progression loop feels less refined than the combat.

Turning carefully prepared relics into large profits is deeply satisfying, but expensive upgrades and numerous money sinks can make early progress feel tight or overextended.

Exploration can be rewarding when it leads to charms, upgrade materials, myths, portals, or secrets. The strongest praise comes from reviewers who enjoyed searching every corner despite reservations about the hub structure.

The node-based dungeon structure sacrifices some of the free exploration returning players liked in the original. A few players want more room discovery and environmental puzzles.

Transitions between cutscenes and gameplay are described as seamless, and retries after defeat are quick enough to keep difficult fights moving.

Loading is one of the most consistent complaints, particularly on Switch 2. Stage transitions and repeated shop entries can feel long enough to interrupt the game's otherwise strong rhythm.

The reviewers who addressed crashes reported stable playthroughs without crashes, reinforcing the broader impression of strong technical reliability.

Several players encountered crashes on Switch 2 and PS5, including an earlier progression-blocking boss crash. A later Switch 2 patch report says that major crash problem was fixed.

Cinematic camera work can make attacks look spectacular, but combat framing is inconsistent. A few reviewers found the camera could get trapped or become frustrating near walls and bosses.

The isometric viewpoint keeps fights readable even when enemies begin to crowd the screen.

Common-enemy variety is a recurring weakness, with several reviews noting repeated basic foes and armored variants across a long campaign. Boss variety is much stronger.

Enemy variety is a consistent combat strength, with distinct visual designs, behaviors, and world-specific opponents keeping encounters interesting.

Musashi’s reluctant-hero arc and growing acceptance of the Oni gauntlet are widely appreciated, as are several supporting arcs. Some reviewers wanted the Ganryu rivalry and parts of the cast developed further.

The story gives its cast some witty moments, but one player found it difficult to become attached to the characters.

The reviewers who discussed technical reliability reported playthroughs without notable bugs, glitches, or crashes.

Some bugs remain in the full release, but they were not severe enough to erase the overall enjoyment for the player who highlighted them.

Fetch quests, repeated demon-clearing jobs, and reused overworld activities create a clear sense of repetition between the stronger set-piece missions.

The game continues introducing different challenges and surprises as the Vault advances, helping objectives feel less static.

Performance is strong across PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, PC, and handheld testing, with many reports of stable targets and smooth combat. Steam Deck’s Eastern Kyoto hub is the main recurring performance caveat.

Frame-rate stability is one of the main technical concerns, especially on Switch 2 and Steam Deck. Docked Switch 2 can be stable, and a later patch reportedly brought dungeon combat much closer to a consistent 60fps.

Steam Deck and Switch 2 coverage is notably positive, with playable performance and strong visuals on the go despite heavier battery or CPU load in Eastern Kyoto.

Switch 2 handheld play can be enjoyable and visually appealing, but town and crowded-fight slowdowns keep it from being consistently smooth.

The combat is easy to understand but demanding to master, and many reviewers enjoy the process of learning timing and boss patterns. Some training and system explanations could be clearer.

Relic rules can become convoluted as new biome mechanics stack up, and a misplaced item can be costly. The systems get more enjoyable once bag space and familiarity improve.

One recurring complaint is that the overworld leans on repetitive objectives and familiar enemy groups, reducing variety outside the bespoke story stages and bosses.

Enemy sets, relic rules, perks, and gameplay modes provide strong variety early on, but the three-biome structure can wear thin when the campaign asks for repeated runs.

Movement is mixed: modern 3D navigation and wall-running can feel good, while the dodge roll, lack of a normal jump, and some traversal friction draw criticism.

Movement is generally lighter, tighter, and more responsive than before, though one player wishes the dodge came out a little faster.

The best reviews argue that the swordplay has a rhythm and identity of its own despite borrowing from modern action games. More critical voices feel the broader structure follows too many familiar contemporary conventions.

The sequel adds meaningful new systems, but some players feel its modern roguelite structure borrows too heavily from genre conventions and lacks the first game's distinctive identity.

Shizuka, Okuni, Takamura, and Ganryu often earn praise for personality and chemistry with Musashi, though some reviewers wanted the rival storyline to go deeper.

The villagers can be charming, but the supporting cast is uneven; one critique says many residents feel defined mainly by their transactions with Will.

Progression is split between useful skill growth and incremental stat upgrades. Some reviewers enjoy how new abilities change combat, while others barely feel the numerical gains.

Permanent upgrades, run perks, shop growth, and Vault milestones create a deep progression loop that is hard to put down. Early costs and the sheer number of paths can sometimes slow momentum or cause choice paralysis.

Combat benefits from environmental tools such as carts, planks, flames, and destructibles, but one reviewer disliked how many seemingly fragile objects cannot be touched.

Environmental hazards and biome-specific objects add welcome tactical options, letting players knock enemies into traps or use stage elements offensively.

Checkpointing is usually generous, especially around difficult fights, though one reviewer disliked having to restart multi-phase boss encounters from the beginning.

One returning player specifically misses the first game's checkpoint-style dungeon mechanics after the sequel's structural overhaul.

Pacing is the most repeated non-combat concern: early hub stretches, side activities, backtracking, and recycled fights can drag. The linear story missions and final run of set pieces are much more frequently praised for momentum.

The alternation between intense dungeon runs and calmer selling sessions creates a strong rhythm. Long loading and a weaker final third can undermine that pacing later on.

The bow’s generous auto-aim makes headshots easy, but lock-on and targeting can occasionally keep attacks moving in an unwanted direction.

Aiming the gun with the stick and firing with the trigger feels more natural than the alternative control setup.

At its best, the loop of dueling, mastering defensive timing, absorbing souls, and upgrading Musashi is highly compelling. Some reviewers felt the opening and repeated hub chores obscure that excellent core.

The dungeon-run, loot, sell, and upgrade cycle is the game's biggest success. It repeatedly produces a strong 'one more run' pull even for players who notice grind or story weaknesses.

Regular Genma can be overly passive and easy to dispatch without using the full defensive toolkit, making ordinary encounters feel weaker than the bosses.

Enemy patterns become learnable, but at least one player found some attacks unexpectedly hard to read until those behaviors were memorized.

Several reviewers criticize material gathering and repeated combat as unnecessary grind, especially around upgrades. Others found resources plentiful enough that deliberate grinding was rarely required.

Late progression is a recurring concern: repeated gold targets and revisiting the same dungeons can make the second half feel grindy even when smaller upgrades keep progress moving.

Story reception is divided. Many reviewers love the character-driven tale, humor, relationships, and emotional beats, while others call the plot thin, convoluted, or less memorable than the combat.

The story works as a light framework for the systems and has some strong opening ideas, but several players find it thin or secondary. The ending receives especially sharp criticism for losing momentum and payoff.

The supporting cast is a major strength, with Shizuka, Okuni, Takamura, Ganryu, and the villains repeatedly praised for personality and memorable interactions.

Tresna's villagers are described as a charming supporting cast that helps make the hub enjoyable to revisit.

Animation is one of the game’s clearest showpieces, with bespoke parries, blocks, executions, facial reactions, and combat transitions repeatedly singled out as exceptional. A few reviewers noticed a gap between cinematic and gameplay presentation.

The move to 3D brings higher-quality character and weapon animations, with exaggerated swings and readable motion that add personality.

Detailed environments, expressive characters, fluid presentation, and the historical-fantasy setting create strong immersion for many reviewers. Repetitive Kyoto layouts and repeated activities can break that spell for some.

Lighter movement, clearer attacks, and the new 3D combat presentation make the moment-to-moment action feel more immersive.

The blend of samurai action, body horror, mythology, and distinct locations creates a strong dark-fantasy atmosphere. The best areas feel eerie and characterful rather than like generic combat spaces.

The colorful sci-fi/fantasy blend creates a sweeping, epic atmosphere that helps each region feel distinct.

Reviewers praise the way the game modernizes Onimusha and combines familiar action ideas into a distinctive parry-centered system rather than simply becoming another Soulslike.

Rather than simply polishing the original, the sequel meaningfully rethinks its structure with 3D combat, relic puzzles, and deeper run-based systems.

The easiest Story setting is praised as an effective introduction to modern timing-based action, especially because it teaches defensive responses without turning the game into a passive tutorial.

Mechanical onboarding is generally strong, with complex shop systems introduced gradually. Story onboarding is less consistent, and newcomers may miss context in the brief recap.

The writing is strongest in character banter, relationships, and emotional moments, though a few reviews describe the larger script as more serviceable than exceptional.

Character interactions can be witty, charming, and well written, but the prose supports a deliberately light story rather than a deep narrative.

Story mode earns strong praise for wider timing windows and real-time action prompts that teach parries, dodges, deflects, and Issens. One review still wanted broader visual accessibility options.

Difficulty choices are a clear strength, with easier settings making the shop-and-dungeon loop more approachable and hardcore modes available for players who want higher stakes.

Kyoto, temples, forests, palaces, and supernatural spaces are praised for dense detail, historical texture, lighting, and small visual touches that reward close attention.

Biomes are visually distinct and full of personality, with different regional looks and combat spaces helping the 3D presentation feel substantial.

Upgrades are mixed: combat skills and some equipment boosts feel meaningful, while incremental stat gains and material requirements can feel dull, imperceptible, or grindy.

There are many meaningful ways to improve Will, the shop, inventory, and weapons, but the volume of upgrade paths can cause choice paralysis and some expensive upgrades feel too subtle.

The revival modernizes movement, camera, scale, and combat without losing the Oni Gauntlet, soul absorption, Issen timing, horror flavor, or eccentric Onimusha identity. Longtime fans largely see it as a successful return.

The sequel generally preserves Moonlighter's defining shop-and-dungeon identity while modernizing it, but the magnitude of the changes may alienate players who specifically wanted more of the original structure.

Post-game play includes harder Carnage difficulty and New Game Plus-style replay, giving mastery-focused players a reason to continue after the credits.

Challenge runs, endless modes, and New Game Plus give dedicated players plenty to pursue after the main story. The main caveat is that some of this endgame can feel like more of the same gold grind.

Most reviewers found the swordplay and boss mastery intensely fun and addictive, often seeking extra fights simply to keep playing. Repetition and padding are the main factors that wear down that enthusiasm.

Across formats, the game is repeatedly described as fun, addictive, and difficult to put down, even by players who have clear complaints about repetition or story.

The layered defensive options, soul management, armaments, environmental tools, and resource systems create unusually rich moment-to-moment play. A few explanations and secondary systems can feel confusing or less polished.

The sequel's shop, combat, relic, and progression systems interlock unusually well, giving a simple premise much more depth than it first appears to have.

Oni Armaments fill distinct roles such as healing, stamina damage, and crowd control, and at least one reviewer found each option useful rather than redundant.

The four main weapon styles feel distinct and satisfying, with clear strengths and tradeoffs. Some players want a wider selection, and a few builds can feel overpowered.

Difficulty is demanding but generally regarded as rewarding, with Story mode offering a gentler route and Action mode asking for precise play. Opinions split where normal enemies feel too easy or late bosses become punishing and unforgiving.

Challenge is highly context-dependent: some find normal mode punishing, others find later runs too easy, and several praise the risk-reward once they learn the systems. The wide difficulty selection helps smooth those differences.

Reviewers consistently praise the grotesque Genma, corrupted Kyoto, historical architecture, and supernatural imagery. The aesthetic feels recognizably Onimusha while benefiting from much richer modern detail.

The cel-shaded 3D makeover is widely praised as colorful, charming, and a natural evolution, though a minority still miss the first game's whimsical pixel art.

The game is widely regarded as gorgeous, with strong character models, lighting, environments, and RE Engine presentation across platforms. Performance modes and the gap between cinematic and gameplay rendering introduce only minor visual compromises for most reviewers.

The overall 3D presentation is widely considered attractive and modern, although Switch 2 image clarity and larger-screen presentation draw some criticism.

Spirit Mirrors make revisiting areas straightforward, although travel is tied to those points rather than available from anywhere. One reviewer specifically liked that restraint.

Being able to warp back to Tresna at any point is a welcome convenience that lets players bank loot instead of being forced into a bad fight.

The sword combat is the overwhelming consensus highlight: precise, weighty, reactive, and deeply satisfying, with parries, deflects, dodges, Issens, clashes, and Oni Armaments giving players meaningful options. Even critical reviews tend to praise the core fighting.

Combat is one of the sequel's clearest strengths: fast, responsive, and satisfying, with stronger build variety and combo flow. A few players still find it either overly brutal or somewhat shallow compared with specialist roguelites.

Character banter and comic exchanges give the cast personality, while quieter conversations help sell relationships and the reluctant-hero tone.

Dialogue is often witty and occasionally singled out as genuinely great, adding charm even when the broader story remains light.

The combat, animation, and major presentation beats feel highly polished, but reviewers also point to camera issues, repetitive content, minor technical roughness, and uneven secondary systems.

The core package can feel polished and absorbing on PS5, but aliasing and technical roughness on Switch 2 keep the presentation from feeling uniformly finished.

One critical review argues that some late skill upgrades feel more like delayed quality-of-life fixes than genuinely meaningful progression choices.

Potion progression feels overly restrictive to one returning player because basic capacity must be slowly unlocked through a skill tree.

The bespoke story missions work well, but generic Encounter-style objectives and busywork are repeatedly called filler.

The Endless Vault objectives work especially well when they double as gameplay goals and narrative milestones, giving progression a clear structure.

The side content is uneven: Lady Murasaki’s Mysteries and character-focused quests receive real praise, while generic fetch, kill, and resource jobs are frequently dismissed as filler.

Small side quests are enjoyable and give the town useful optional goals beyond the main Vault progression.

Real mythology, Edo-period details, optional legends, and character stories give Kyoto a rich backdrop that many reviewers found unusually rewarding to dig into.

Tresna's dimensional-nexus concept and varied inhabitants are appealing, but the world does not always inspire attachment. Some returning players also miss the grounded charm of Rynoka.

Boss fights are the standout attraction: dramatic, mechanically distinct, visually memorable, and built to reward mastery of parries, dodges, deflects, and Issens. The main caveat is repeated use of some minibosses and recurring foes.

Bosses can be mechanically richer and fun to fight, but some designs feel weaker than the original and a few invulnerability phases are annoying.

Sharp sword clashes, parry impacts, executions, and other combat sounds give the fighting strong physical feedback and make successful timing feel satisfying.

Effects and small vocalizations keep the world from feeling static even without extensive voice acting.

The UI is praised for being restrained, clear, and largely out of the player’s way.

Quality-of-life improvements such as visible base prices, quick pricing, and easy-to-navigate interfaces make the sequel much smoother to manage than the original.

The handcrafted linear stages are generally the strongest spaces, with memorable temples, castles, laboratories, and supernatural areas. The hub and a few repetitive routes are less consistently praised.

Dungeon runs use a simple node-based structure that is easy to understand and satisfying for players who prefer focused roguelite runs.

Puzzles are a light part of the experience, but the secrets and environmental challenges that do appear can be enjoyable diversions from combat.

Backpack management is a standout feature, turning every chest into a spatial puzzle about curses, quality, and value. It is deeply satisfying when mastered, though some players find later combinations too convoluted.

Eastern Kyoto can feel maze-like, and map controls or blocked routes sometimes make simple travel more awkward than it should be.

The branching node map clearly communicates routes and rewards, but at least one returning player feels it disconnects the sequel from the exploratory dungeon feel of the first game.

Japanese performances receive near-universal praise, while English-language reactions are more mixed because of accent choices and occasional odd delivery. Several English cast members are still singled out for excellent work.

The sparse vocalization is a weak point for one player because Will sounds noticeably younger than expected.

The interface and menus are praised for staying unobtrusive and avoiding unnecessary tab complexity.

Shop controls are streamlined and quick-pricing features help, but console inventory management can still feel clumsy when moving many relics individually.

Reviewers who directly addressed the controls describe them as tight and responsive, which helps the demanding timing-based combat feel fair.

Controls are consistently praised as tight, simple, and responsive, helping both movement and combat feel fair even during demanding fights.

Technical optimization is a strong point, with reviewers highlighting smooth frame rates and good visual quality even on less powerful or handheld hardware.

Performance is serviceable on stronger hardware but uneven across platforms, with stutters, frame drops, and loading issues still visible. Post-launch Switch 2 patches show meaningful improvement.

The score is praised for mixing traditional Japanese instrumentation with cinematic fantasy and horror tones without overpowering the action.

Music reception is mixed: some praise energetic dungeon tracks and cozy town themes, while others find the score forgettable or noticeably weaker than the original.

Reviewers who directly discussed price generally felt the campaign quality, replay options, and production values justify the cost for action fans.

The mix of campaign length, replayable runs, and post-game content is repeatedly seen as strong value, with the shopkeeping system alone called worth the price of admission.

Boss rematches, harder difficulty, challenge rewards, and New Game Plus give combat-focused players meaningful reasons to return. Replaying padded missions is less appealing to some critics.

Run variety, permanent upgrades, endless modes, and New Game Plus produce strong replay appeal, with several players still chasing another run dozens of hours in.

The use of Toshiro Mifune’s likeness and the game’s performance casting are generally viewed as fitting and distinctive, even though a minority questioned the ethics or necessity of recreating a deceased actor.

The interdimensional setting supports a broader mix of character designs, which is seen as a welcome expansion over the first game.

Branching dungeon routes create meaningful tradeoffs, with temporary disadvantages and reward choices making path selection feel consequential.

Collectibles often reward exploration with mythology, story details, cosmetics, or progression, and the Lion Dogs and Oni Portals are particular favorites. Some completion-oriented tasks still feel repetitive or low-value.

Crafting can feel underwhelming because many options are different versions rather than clearly better upgrades.

Facial animation is repeatedly described as among the game’s best visual work, especially Musashi’s expressive mannerisms and subtle reactions during both cutscenes and gameplay.

The body horror, grotesque Genma, corrupted environments, and occasional Resident Evil-like sequences add genuine unease without overwhelming the action-adventure focus.

Large visual indicators, bright colors, and readable telegraphs make combat information easy to parse during action.

Relic quality, curses, status effects, and dedicated material storage turn loot into a strategic system rather than simple collection. This is one of the sequel's most praised upgrades.

Japanese myths, legends, readables, collectibles, and side stories give the world substantial optional lore without requiring prior knowledge of the series.

Wall-running is a small but well-liked traversal addition that expands movement without turning the game into a platformer.

Selling relics remains distinctive and often extremely satisfying, especially with perks, pricing feedback, and furniture bonuses. Some players find it less engaging or less deep than the expanded dungeon side.

Stealth exists, but the reviewer who evaluated it found direct sword combat far more rewarding.

Story mode’s prompts and the practice systems make the timing-heavy mechanics easier to understand, with reviewers praising their usefulness for newcomers and mastery alike.

Sparks, slow-motion reactions, attack effects, and cinematic finishing flourishes make clashes look dramatic without obscuring the swordplay.

Cosmetic options exist, with additional looks unlocking through play and harder modes, but the selection initially feels limited.

Musashi is one of the strongest points of agreement: reviewers repeatedly call him charismatic, funny, cool, expressive, and easy to root for, with only a small minority finding his arc less compelling.

The central Kyoto hub is the most consistent structural complaint. Reviewers often see its fetch quests, repeated streets, and resource chores as padding between much stronger linear levels and boss encounters.

Spending time improving Tresna provides a satisfying, calmer counterweight to dungeon combat and helps the two halves of the game stay balanced.

Console and Switch 2 versions are generally well supported with useful performance options and stable play; Switch 2-specific control features are seen as fun if somewhat gimmicky.