play station official magazine

016

06

Japan’s Sengoku

period has

provided the

backdrop to some

great games in

recent years,

including the Sony-published Nioh

and the forthcoming Sekiro. But the

supernatural

hack-and-slash

Onimusha:

Warlords did it in

style back in 2001,

as we can

rediscover

in a brand-new

remaster, out

this month.

“The Sengoku period is popular in

Japan too, not just in games but also

manga, anime, and so on,” Takayuki

Hama tells us. The producer on this

remaster, his history with Capcom

goes all the way back to the original

games, and its sister series

Resident Evil. We’re talking about the

popularity of the Sengoku era – a

bloody period in Japanese history

when there was constant warring

between smaller

states. “There are

a lot of works

coming out set in

that period, so

perhaps the

influence of those

creations has

spread globally and

influenced other creators.”

There’s definitely an allure to the

Sengoku era; tales of great battles,

heroism, and betrayals have global

appeal. It’s the perfect setting for the

supernatural elements of Onimusha,

where there is so much death. But

there’s a beauty to the period too,

which Onimusha captures, as

perfectly demonstrated in the

artwork above – a rare piece from

Onimusha’s development that’s been

shared with us for the first time

outside of Japan.

WARRING STATES

Hama thinks that part of the series’

lasting appeal is how unabashedly

Japanese it is. “I would say it makes

it more appealing – those who are

familiar with the Japanese style of

design will find it a positive, while

those who aren’t have got so much

to discover!” he says. “Having

something that piques your curiosity

IT FELT LIKE

A GOOD TIME

TO BRING BACK

ONE OF THE

MASTERPIECES.

The Onimusha: Warlords producer digs up the past

This artwork, revealed

outside of Japan for the

first time, captures the

supernatural Sengoku

aesthetic perfectly.

dev talk

“I think the appealing

characters set in a

unique, darker take

on a Japanese-themed

world are what has

made the series

so enduring.”

Takayuki Hama

Producer,

Onimusha: Warlords

Takay uk i Ham a

revisits history