Capcom's upcoming Onimusha: Way of the Sword, a return for the series after a 20-year hiatus, will include granular difficulty sliders, according to producer Akihito Kadowaki in an interview with Game Informer.
Kadowaki said the game was built with the intention of creating what he called "the pinnacle of swordplay action games," and that Capcom wants the experience to be accessible beyond players already familiar with challenging action titles. He said the team created modular difficulty settings that include separate story and action difficulty options, with the ability to adjust settings on a more granular scale between those categories.
Kadowaki explained the reasoning behind the accessibility push, stating that many players pick up these kinds of games but fail to finish them because they are too difficult. He said the goal is for as many people as possible to enjoy the action and see the game through to the end.
The move follows a playable demo released last month on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, which Wccftech reported left some players disappointed due to a low challenge level. Kadowaki had previously confirmed the final game would be harder than the demo, though details on how difficulty would be adjusted were not specified until this interview.
Wccftech noted that the genre has faced a wider issue with difficulty balance and expressed hope that the granular settings might include control over enemy aggressiveness, which could affect how the game's Issen mechanic is experienced. The outlet also framed the accessibility effort as important for the long-dormant franchise, suggesting strong sales could help Onimusha join other major Capcom franchises such as Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, and Street Fighter.