Onimusha 3: Demon Siege

Onimusha 3: Demon Siege
North American box art
Developer(s)	Capcom
Publisher(s)	Capcom PlayStation 2 Capcom Microsoft Windows Ubisoft
Director(s)	Minoru Nakai
Producer(s)	Keiji Inafune
Writer(s)	Noboru Sugimura Shin Yoshida Hiroaki Kanazawa Minoru Nakai
Composer(s)	Akari Kaida Hideki Okugawa Kota Suzuki
Series	Onimusha
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	PlayStation 2 JP February 26, 2004 NA April 27, 2004 PAL July 9, 2004 Microsoft Windows PAL December 8, 2005 NA March 16, 2006
Genre(s)	Action-adventure
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ACB: MA15+ CERO: 15+ ESRB: M OFLC: R16 PEGI: 16+
Media/distribution	Optical disc, download

Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, released in Japan and Europe as Onimusha 3 (鬼武者3, Onimusha Surī^?), is an action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It is the third game of the Onimusha series and was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 27, 2004. It was later ported to Windows on December 8, 2005.

Plot

Onimusha series fictional chronology Warlords Samurai's Destiny Tactics Blade Warriors Demon Siege Dawn of Dreams

The game opens with Samanosuke Akechi destroying the monstrous Genma army in Japan 1582. It then jumps to modern-day Paris 2004, featuring a man named Jacques Blanc riding on his motorcycle to help his friend Philippe. The Genma army then begins its invasion of Paris near the Arc de Triomphe.

The game returns to Samanosuke in feudal Japan fighting his way to Honnō-ji Temple, which is on fire from a raging battle. Samanosuke battles and kills Ranmaru Mori and approaches Nobunaga Oda. However, before they can fight, a portal opens in the floor and Samanosuke is pulled through it.

Meanwhile, the French military is fighting several monsters from 1582, but the soldiers cannot hold them for long. Jacques arrives on the scene finding his friend Philippe injured from the battle. Suddenly, Samanosuke appears from a portal in a Paris alley right where Jacques is fighting the Genma monsters. Jacques Blanc runs out of ammo just as he and Philippe are ambushed, but Samanosuke manages to rescue them. Samanosuke and Jacques meet but are unable to properly communicate.

The time portal reappears and pulls Jacques and Philippe through to feudal Japan. Samanosuke makes his way towards the center of the hysteria, the Arc de Triomphe. Samanosuke first meets Michelle, Jacques' girlfriend, near the Arc and makes his way towards the roof. There he encounters Guildenstern and finds out he is actually in Paris, 500 years in the future. Samanosuke then fights and destroys Brainstern, Guildenstern's robotic creation.

Jacques Blanc and Philippe arrive in 16th century Japan. Unfortunately, Philippe dies of mortal wounds from the previous battle after the time warp. Jacques encounters a different Samanosuke in an alternate timeline on his way to Honnō-ji Temple. Both men realize that to return to their own time period, they must save the respective timelines they are in from destruction. The Samanosuke in 2004 Paris teams up with Michelle and Jacques' son to save the city from destruction while Jacques and another Samanosuke (not player controlled) struggle to fight Nobunaga in feudal Japan. The two men work together across time to solve puzzles and access new areas.^[1]

Gameplay

Unlike the previous games, Onimusha 3 is played a real-time environment instead of pre-rendered backgrounds, although the camera is still controlled by the computer.

Gameplay alternates between Samanosuke fighting in modern day Paris and Jacques fighting in Feudal Japan. Samanosuke fights using close range weapons whilst Jacques uses an energy whip which can also be used at certain points to swing across gaps. Like the previous games, Samanosuke and Jacques can gain elemental weapons, changing their fighting style and allowing access to magic attacks. If the player collects certain items during the game and completes it, Samanosuke will be able to use his weapons from the first game in the next playthrough. Players will also get to control Michelle, who relies on guns.

Like previous games, attacking and defeating enemies reaps souls, which when absorbed can restore health and magic, be used as currency for purchasing ammo and health items, and allow Samanosuke or Jacques to enter a more powerful Onimusha state for a short time.

New to this game is a focus on time travel when solving puzzles. For example, if Samanosuke comes across a door in the present that has become too withered to open, Jacques will need to open the door in the past so that it will stay open for Samanosuke to progress. Such as the flow of time is, things Samanosuke does in the present will not affect things in the past. However, Ako is able to transfer some items between both timelines.

Characters

Hidemitsu Samanosuke Akechi (明智 左馬介秀満, Akechi Samanosuke Hidemitsu^?) Voiced by: Takeshi Kaneshiro (Japanese), Robin Atkin Downes (English)

The primary protagonist of the video game, he is a master swordsman who travels across Japan seeking his rival. Often perceived as a passionless soldier because of his quiet ways, Samanosuke is actually a hot-blooded warrior with a noble sense of justice. He is a playable character.

Jacques Blanc (ジャック・ブラン, Jakku Buran^?) Voiced by: Jean Reno (French), Takayuki Sugo (Japanese), Paul Mercier (English)

Another primary protagonist, he is a French policeman who lost his friend Philip (フィリップ^?) when fighting the Genma. When Samanosuke goes to his time, he goes to the past and receives the Magic Power of the Oni. He also has an automatic rifle but, due to the lack of ammo in Feudal Japan, its use is limited. Jacques is an honorable man and a dedicated worker. He is a playable character.

Michelle Aubert (ミシェル・オベール, Misheru Obēru^?) Voiced by: Yu Asakawa (Japanese), Jennifer Hale (English)

A French policewoman and Jacque's fiancée. She works with Samanosuke to help save Paris. She is briefly playable twice throughout the game.

Ako (阿児^?) Voiced by: Omi Minami (Japanese), Amber Hood (English)

A small Tengu that assists Samanosuke and Jacques during their adventure. She is able to travel through time to assist both characters, including taking some items with her. When she is around people, they can understand each other's language (i.e. the French characters speak in Japanese or English, depending on the version of the video game).

Henri (アンリ, Anri^?) Voiced by: Akiko Yajima (Japanese), Daniel Beni Estrada (English)

Jacques son, he shows the unique ability of communicating with his father through time-space continuum (without any perceivable medium) in times of dire need. This unique ability which even surprises Ako is instrumental in solving one of the video game's puzzles. Henri has trouble imagining Michelle for a godmother, though he copes with it.

Nobunaga Oda (織田信長, Oda Nobunaga^?) Voiced by: Akio Ōtsuka (Japanese), Richard Doyle (English)

The Genma Lord and the primary antagonist of the video game, he survived Jubei's attempt on his life and resumed his campaign on conquering Japan. He appears as the final boss at the end of the game and is slain by Samanosuke.

Tokichiro Kinoshita Voiced by: Tōru Ōkawa (Japanese), Armin Shimerman (English)

One of Nobunaga's high ranking generals, Kinoshita has the warlord's complete trust. Though he has sworn absolute loyalty to Nobunaga, the only thing Kinoshita truly cares about is his own advancement in the ranks of power.

Ranmaru Mori (森 蘭丸, Mori Ranmaru^?) Voiced by: Masakazu Suzuki (Japanese), Joshua Keaton (English)

One of the loyal servants of Nobunaga. Ranmaru fights Samanosuke several times in the game, twice in Genma form. He is slain by Jacques in front of the Eiffel tower.

Tadakatsu Heihachirō Honda (本多平八郎忠勝, Honda Heihachirō Tadakatsu^?) Voiced by: Tesshō Genda (Japanese), Dee Bradley Baker (English)

Ieyasu's general who helps Samanosuke in the time of Sengoku many times. Ironically, he battles Jacques thrice throughout the game, each time abandoning the battle inconclusive, thus his true identity, motives and loyalties are not revealed before later in the game.

Mitsuhide Akechi (明智光秀, Akechi Mitsuhide^?) Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto (Japanese), Paul Eiding (English)

Samanosuke's uncle and the leader of the revolt at Honno-ji.

Guildenstern (ギルデンスタン, Girudensutan^?) Voiced by: Tamio Ōki (Japanese), Neil Ross (English)

A Genma scientist who creates most of the Genma's arsenal. He is slain by Samanosuke.

Gargant (ガルガント, Garuganto^?) Voiced by: Takaya Kuroda (Japanese), Dee Bradley Baker (English)

A former Oni warrior that joined the Genma, swearing undying allegiance to Fortinbras. But after the demise of Fortinbras, he had yielded his position as the righthand man under the new Genma Lord, Oda Nobunaga. It is unknown if Gargant formed and mutated into a Genma by joining them.

Vega Donna (ベガドンナ, Begadonna^?) Voiced by: Naoko Kouda (Japanese), Vanessa Marshall (English)

Nobunaga's loyal wife, known historically as Nōhime (濃姫). Like many of the Oda Clan, she has also taken the form of a genma. She is slain by Jacques.

Reception

Onimusha 3: Demon Siege debuted at number one on the Japanese sales charts according to Famitsu. The game managed to sell 431,000 units in its first week.^[2] The game went on to sell 569,275 units in Japan by the end of the year, making it the eleventh best-selling game in the region for 2004.^[3] Sales info from NPD Group and Chart Track show that Onimusha 3: Demon Siege was the 10th best-selling game in both the United States and the United Kingdom during the week of its release.^[4][5]

Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Onimusha 3

A pachislo version of a minigame in Onimusha 3 was released in pachinko parlors in Japan. That incarnation was made to a PlayStation 2 version as Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Onimusha 3 in July 14, 2005.^[6]

References

1. ^ "Onimusha 3: Demon Siege". IGN. 2004. http://guides.ign.com/guides/536090/. Retrieved 2011-01-26. 
2. ^ Jenkins, David (March 5, 2004). "Latest Japanese Sales Charts - Week Ending February 28". Gamasutra.com. http://gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=3513. Retrieved 2009-08-19. 
3. ^ "GEIMIN.NET／2004年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP500" (in Japanese). Geimin.net. http://geimin.net/da/db/2004_ne_fa/index.php. Retrieved 2009-08-19. 
4. ^ Jenkins, David (March 19, 2004). "Latest Japanese Sales Charts - Week Ending March 14". Gamasutra.com. http://gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=3573. Retrieved 2009-08-19. 
5. ^ Jenkins, David (June 24, 2004). "Latest US Console Sales Charts – May". Gamasutra.com. http://gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=3935. Retrieved 2009-08-19. 
6. ^ "Jissen Pachislo Hisshouhou! Onimusha 3". Gamespy. http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/jissen-pachislo-hisshouhou-onimusha-3/. Retrieved 2011-01-26. 

External links

• Official website (Japanese)