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Onimusha 3: Demon Siege ps2 Game Reviews
Onimusha 3: Demon Siege
Critic Score
Metascore: 85 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.8 out of 10
based on 53 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 17 votes
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Rate this game

In Onimusha 3 Demon Siege the year is 1582 and 10 years have passed since the events that unfolded in Onimusha 2 Samurai’s Destiny. The stage is set at the burning Honnoji Temple, as the famous Onimusha warrior Samanosuke Akechi (Takeshi Kaneshiro) continues to fight the demons in his path. The moment has finally arrived for Samanosuke to confront the true enemy that has eluded him until now, the undying Nobunaga Oda. Unfortunately before the long-awaited final battle begins, Samanosuke is suddenly engulfed in a whirlpool of light and disappears. The year is 2004. A peaceful French metropolis is suddenly attacked by demons. In the blink of an eye, the city is transformed into a hellish sea of blood as Genma demons slaughter civilians and soldiers one by one. Within this pit of darkness appears one man who stands up against the Genma demons, Jacques Braun (Jean Reno). As a member of the French army, Jacques is deployed to the nightmarish scene only to discover himself amid a plague of horrific enemies that are beyond anyone’s imagination. An ancient samurai warrior unexpectedly appears to help him defend the helpless city. As they cooperatively fight off the demons, Jacquesis caught in a mysterious vortex and vanishes to feudal Japan, leaving the warrior behind in modern day France. Why has Samanosuke appeared in present Paris and Jacques in feudal Japan? What fate awaits these two men? The fierce and bloody battle is unfurled as the beginning of the final Onimusha chapter unfolds. [Capcom]

PUBLISHER: Capcom Entertainment
DEVELOPER: Capcom Production Studio 2
GENRE(S): Third-Person Action, Adventure
PLAYERS: 1
ESRB RATING: M (Mature)
RELEASE DATE: April 27, 2004

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100
Adrenaline Vault
The graphics are fantastic, the score is excellent and the gameplay offers a great variety of fast-paced combat and brain-teasing puzzles.
Read Full Review
100
PSX Nation
This is the best in the series and my nomination for action game of the year. I loved every minute of the game including finding all of the secrets in the game.
Read Full Review
100
Into Liquid Sky
The perfect sequel. It also has everything a great action/adventure game needs. Fast and smooth action, multiple characters, well thought of puzzles, well fleshed out characters, a good story and kickass graphics and sound to boot. [JPN Import; Grade = A+]
Read Full Review
97
GameReviewer
The experience that awaits you here transcends such archaic terms. This is an event, an epoch making title that years from now historians will look back upon as a defining moment in the history of video games. This is not an over exaggeration, nor is it simple hyperbole, this is the cold hard truth. Onimusha3 is the reason why you became a gamer in the first place. [JPN Import]
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96
Worth Playing
The game keeps the repetition to a minimum, mixing whips, swords, and guns into the Onimusha equation. I just couldn’t drop the controller until the very last minute before I had to go to class.
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93
Gamezilla!
It provides both a immensely enjoyable movie experience as well as some quite robust game play.
Read Full Review
92
Siliconera
Onimusha 3 more accurately represents an action game like "Devil May Cry." Instead of the rigid control scheme used by the "Resident Evil" series, Onimusha 3 has fluid controls. Moving the analog stick around will directly move your character, instead of just turning him. [JPN Import]
Read Full Review
91
Warcry
Not mindless fun, but rather fun with a slight level of intelligence. If you enjoy games with a lot of action, a decent story, and massive amounts of monsters, you should definitely pick up Onimusha 3.
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91
Cinescape
The biggest problem with this is that the backgrounds don’t look as rich and colorful as they did in the two previous installments.
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91
Computer Games Magazine
On the technical side, an analog control has finally been added, rather than continuing to rely on the directional pad. [Aug 2004, p.6]
90
Weekly Famitsu
10 / 8 / 8 / 10 - 36 platinum [Vol 794; 5 Mar 2004]
90
PSM Magazine
If you've never plaed the series before, this is the one to try. If you have played it, you won't want to miss this amazing finale. [July 2004, p.20]
90
IGN
So while it may be a bit bothersome to weed through the tile-sliding treasure chests and the time travel puzzles don't happen often enough, it's not really what the game is really about anyway -- they're really just supplements to a kick-ass action title with a tremendous presentation and storyline.
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90
Gamestyle
Double bastard-woo with hot custard on top (and those who allege otherwise are suffering from cranio-rectal inversions).
Read Full Review
90
TotalPlayStation
Onimusha 3, if meant to be the series’ swan song, is as polished, refined, challenging, rewarding and just plain fun as a game of this type is ought to be. Stop reading this review right now (cause, well, it’s over) and get to your nearest store to pick up a copy of this game.
Read Full Review
90
Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
Even if the story doesn't do much for you, Demon Siege's production values still might win you over. [June 2004, p.97]
90
GameZone
You will be hard pressed to find a game that controls as nicely as this one.
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90
Game Informer
What I really like about this game is that I always felt like I was getting a new weapon, going to a new area, or fighting a new boss (most of which are ferociously tough, by the way). [June 2004, p.126]
Read Full Review
90
GameSpy
While the game isn't a construction of godly perfection, it is pure, raw fun that may eclipse the first two, depending on whether you'll miss the adventure elements or the less ostentatious presentation of the first game. I, for one, did not.
Read Full Review
90
GamePro
Aside from the Leon bait-and-switch, there are few surprises in Onimusha 3—it’s a great game that fits like an old glove, so the old saying goes. A soul-sucking, flesh-leeching glove with one creepy, blinking, hollow eye.
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90
Stuff
You’ll get at least 40 or 50 hours of game play, and that’s before you get to the mini-puzzles.
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90
GMR Magazine
This is in fact everything you have ever loved about Onimusha buffed out to the max. [June 2004, p.75]
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89
BonusStage
While Samanosuke’s sword play is second to none and impressive in itself, Jacques’ energy whip is where the real fun is at. Jacques has the ability to grab his enemies, throw them around and even use his pistol in between to keep the combo rolling.
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88
GamingTrend
This game is easily a recommendation because it gave me the same feel as I had when I first played "Devil May Cry," a game this one borrows a lot from.
Read Full Review
86
VideoGamesLife
Definitely the best Onimusha title so far, based on a purely aesthetic level.
Read Full Review
86
Gamer.tv
Capcom knows a thing or two about learning curves and each victory is extremely satisfying, even if death scenes last longer than German operas and bosses always do something nasty before they keel over.
Read Full Review
85
Game Over Online
The introduction of a secondary hero, as well as a number of side characters that aid and even have their own role to play in the defeat of Nobunaga’s forces are handled very nicely, and the plot of the game is well constructed.
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85
eToychest
Besides the multiple endings that can be reached, defeating the game on a number of different difficulties will yield extras, some of them being playable ones (such as the Adventures of Heihachi) to alternate costumes (yes, Samanosuke’s killer panda suit is back).
Read Full Review
85
1UP
The time travel aspect on the one hand conjures up the best puzzles yet in the series, and also gives rise to the lamest story.
Read Full Review
83
Game Revolution
The classic action/adventure combat, now augmented with time travel and more ways to dish out punishment, will please fans hoping for a good ending. There are still some lingering issues, but this old warhorse remains in top form.
Read Full Review
83
GameSpot
Onimusha 3 maintains the series' very high standards for production quality, and it features vastly improved controls, an entertaining premise, and Jean Reno, who's good in pretty much everything, including this game.
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83
TotalGames.net
It also looks immensely cool to see Jacques swinging through the air. Later, his whip is upgraded to a segmented sword-cum-whip combo - as brandished by Ivy in Soul Calibur - once again demonstrating the disparate influences that have gone into his design. [JPN Import]
Read Full Review
82
GameBiz
The storyline is absolutely fantastic due to its originality and well-paced progression.
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82
RealGamer
The game is almost flawlessly presented and the CG movie that opens it is probably one of the best to grace the PlayStation 2.
Read Full Review
82
Electronic Gaming Monthly
The new "Devil May Cry"-like control scheme makes it easy to quickly change targets and evade swarms of Genma demons. [July 2004, p.96]
80
Cincinnati Enquirer
The weapons, amazing special attacks, mostly interesting story and button-mashing fun make O3 a highly addictive game and well worth the money.
Read Full Review
80
AceGamez
I think some more innovative and radical changes are needed if a fourth in the series is to materialise.
Read Full Review
80
GameCritics
A great popcorn thrill-ride from start to finish. It may not be the deepest or most thought-provoking thing out there, but there's no question it delivers on its promise of slam-bang action and enough plot to hold it together.
Read Full Review
80
PALGN
A great conclusion to this part of the story and a great experience in general.
Read Full Review
80
EuroGamer
A highly polished, mostly highly enjoyable hackandslash romp with only occasional lapses into tedious gaming by numbers same-old-same-old object hunting and respawning enemy laziness.
Read Full Review
80
Boomtown
It may seem like Onimusha 3 lacks ambition, but even though it fails to provide any solid innovation to a tired genre, it makes great effort to keep what’s familiar interesting and engaging - going to great lengths to cater for its audience’s needs, even if they seem run of the mill.
Read Full Review
80
Maxim Online
Ah, gay Paris. The sights, the sounds, the frothing hordes of time-traveling Japanese demons. Wait...what?...Minor complaints aside, Onimusha 3 is amazing. It breathes new life into a familiar genre and makes France, well, kinda cool.
Read Full Review
80
Total Video Games
A fitting tribute to the popular trilogy, granting fans everything they could hope for.
Read Full Review
80
Cheat Code Central
The gameplay is almost generic. You may feel as though you've been manipulated after the game but not while you're actually playing it. That's the sign of good development.
80
Yahoo! Games
More ambitious and interesting than its predecessors, the game offers the same excellent action-packed gameplay, even if it does suffer from several of the same drawbacks.
Read Full Review
79
netjak
The originality in this series is pretty much gone. On the other hand, those who pick up this game as their first Onimusha title will most likely come away with being very pleased with what they play.
Read Full Review
75
Gaming Age
The last entry could have been a less conservative on the fighting gameplay, but it doesn’t prevent players from having a good time.
Read Full Review
75
Play Magazine
A classically charged action game. [July 2004, p.73]
70
games(TM)
That Onimusha 3 is the final chapter is a shame, given its stellar mix of action and puzzles. Combine this with a new control system and it's clear that the series is only just hitting its stride. [July 2004, p.102]
70
Edge Magazine
It's easy to forget just how precious few of the genre's many exponents ever attain this level of competence, of course, but that said it's not unreasonable to have hoped for a little more innovation from Capcom. [July 2004, p.103]
Read Full Review
70
NTSC-uk
Capcom have succeeded in taking the series to a natural end without making any significant changes...A crowd pleasing adventure, but not an essential one. [JPN Import]
Read Full Review
70
RewiredMind
It could have been a great game rather than a merely average one if it backed up it's shiny new exterior with some added substance. Expect to be pleased, but don't expect any surprises.
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70
GamerArchive
Just a few little flaws with the sometimes simplistic combat, and the fact that there’s not really anything here that we haven’t seen in the previous titles (although its done much better in this third instalment), means that Onimusha will never be remembered in the same kind of regard as say the "Resident Evil" series.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 17 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Raul C. gave it a 10:
Few games these days keep you hooked like this one, it may not break any boundaries in terms of gameplay, but it is pure, solid, unadultarated fun, you can´t go wrong here, buy it.

Benjamin A. gave it a 9:
Gameplay is great, awesome graphics, sound music. The only detractor are these cheesy story lines Its still worth it.

S. Martin gave it a 10:
One of the few console games I found I had to finish. From the opening scenes to the final battle I was excited at every turn to see what happens next. I really enjoyed the 'time fold' technique used to let you play two people in two very different places. Well worth the price of admission in my opinion.

Kevin F. gave it an 8:
More of the same, but very well done nonetheless. Longest, richest intro of any game I've ever seen.

Carlos A. gave it a 9:
The first two games were good but the third one is the best. Better graphics, fighting, story, Better everything.

Bashlionheart lone wolf gave it a 10:
This game will take your breath away. The Intro has to be the best damn thing I have ever seen. The controls are bit more fluent but still the same. The biggest improvement that I thought was in the game was the camera movement which will move around wherever your going, and also the environments are fully 3D! I'm glad to see that Samanosuke has reprised his role in the onimusha series. I wasn't too sure about Onimusha 2 because it had different chracters and the story didn't relate to the 1st game at all. I am happy that jean reno was in this game because this has to be the first successful game with a brilliant actor in it.

Alex R. gave it a 9:
Capcom finally gets it right... Controls a bit like Devil May Cry without a jump button. Interesting story and good use of time travel between the two characters. And yes, the CGI Intro is a must-see.

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