Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (PS2)

Set in feudal Japan, the main premise of the game is to fight through several stages of demons / monsters whilst solving puzzles along the way which will either allow you to get to the next stage or will equip your character/s with stronger weapons, medicines, magical items. The player will encounter several characters that will join the main character throughout the game. However, unlike previous versions of the game, where the additional characters only appeared at set times and the player had little or no choice as to when the character could be controlled in Dawn of Dreams the player can switch between characters whenever he / she chooses once they have joined the game.
Like previous versions the weapons can be upgraded / bought / sold. But unlike previous versions of the game there is a much greater choice of weapon and weapons can be upgraded to a much higher level, which in turn unlock several special properties found only in that weapon.
The characters themselves also gain experience points throughout the game. These points can then be used to upgrade the abilities of the character, which, in turn, unlock several other abilities.
One of the new options available in Dawn of Dreams is the ability to revisit previous stages already completed. In some cases this can be done merely to increase your characters experience points but more often than not it is to obtain access to puzzle boxes, which can be accessed only by certain characters.

Some of the cut scenes between stages are visually very impressive, in particular the Cherry Blossom Festival, which is exceptional.

Compared to the previous games in this series, this is, without doubt the best. That's not to say that the previous games were poor, far from it. It's just that Dawn of Dreams seems to have moved on several stages. The game play is much more involving and there is a huge replay factor, which for me is the ultimate accolade for any game.

One again, the evil Genma are laying siege to Japan, and it is your job to wipe them out. I won't go into detail on who has taken over Japan, as this will spoil some of the plot line (but, it is NOT Nobanaga this time!).

Anyone who has played the previous 3 games will be familiar with the battle system. Hack and slash away at your enemies with a weapon of choice. With this game, there is a shop, a first for the series. Here you can buy supplies and weapons with the money you receive for killing enemies. You still suck the souls of the fallen Genma, to upgrade your weapons.

The biggest change in this game, is the fact that there are 5 different characters, each with their unique stories and personalities. These characters fight along side you in the heat of battle, helping you to defeat the Genma. You can switch between who you want to control mid battle.

I really enjoy this game, it is really fun to pick up and play. I warn you, this game is the hardest of them all (in my opinion). With very difficult bosses, you may be seeing the "You Died" screen (our old friend) more and more.

The main issue I have with this game, is the story. The story is far from engrossing. This is because, in my opinion, the game is not well translated, and some phrases the characters come out with are just stupid. The story does start to pick up as you progress through, but the story may dissapoint Onimusha fans.

So, if you are a fan of the Onimusha series, or somebody new to the family of games (as this game is not related to the other 3, so no previous knowledge is really needed), then I suggest you give this game a try, it's action packed levels will keep you occupied for hours.

Graphics - 4/5
Sounds - 4/5
Game play - 5/5
Storyline - 2.5/5
Longativity - 5/5
Overall - 4.5/5