Hello everyone and welcome back to another blog post. You’ve beaten Onimusha: Way of the Sword. You’ve absorbed enough Genma souls to power a small nation. And now you’re sitting there, controller in hand, wondering what to do with your life.
Congratulations. You’ve discovered the cruelest truth of the gaming industry: the games that hit hardest are always the ones that end.
Capcom’s return to the Onimusha franchise has been nothing short of triumphant. The combat is precise, the parrying is satisfying, and the soul-absorbing loop is as addictive as ever. But here’s the thing: not everyone wants to wait for the next AAA release, and the indie scene has been quietly cooking up samurai action, soul-absorbing mechanics, and demon-slaying for years.
So here’s your list. Games that actually understand what made Onimusha great: the precision combat, the soul absorption, the Edo-period demon-slaying, or some combination of all three. No filler recommendations here—just actual substitutes for your Onimusha cravings.
1. Unsouled
Why it’s here: This is the closest thing to Onimusha you’ll find in the indie space. Unsouled is explicitly inspired by Onimusha 2, and it shows.
You play as a prince who gains the ability to absorb the souls of the dead. Sound familiar? The counter attack system bears a striking resemblance to Issen, Deflect Issen, and Issen Dance, though the window is less punishing on standard difficulty. Fallen enemies drop souls that can be channeled and sucked in, giving currency, health, and replenishing special abilities—just like the Oni Gauntlet.
It’s a top-down, fast-paced action game with a distinctive pixel art style. Developed by a sole developer, Unsouled understands that what made Onimusha special wasn’t just the swordplay—it was the resource loop of absorbing souls and growing stronger.
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
2. Blood Moon Duel
Why it’s here: If you loved Onimusha‘s parry system—the tension of reading an opponent, waiting for the perfect moment, then striking—Blood Moon Duel is pure adrenaline in pixel-art form.
This is a fast, lethal samurai dueling game. Most fights are short. Attacks are dangerous. Getting careless can cost you the whole duel. The game explicitly describes itself as inspired by “samurai films, old anime sword fights, and that specific feeling of two fighters staring each other down before everything goes wrong in a second.”
The dark fantasy setting includes demons, cursed warriors, and fighters who “clearly stopped being normal a long time ago.” Button mashing will get you killed. Reading distance, waiting for the right moment, and learning your opponent is how you survive. That’s Onimusha parry energy, distilled into pure dueling.
Platforms: PC
3. Mortal Shell
Dark Souls went to a gothic horror party and wore somebody else’s body.
Why Onimusha Fans Will Love It: While often grouped with Soulslikes, Mortal Shell’s “Harden” mechanic functions almost like a tactical defensive stance. Instead of rolling away, you absorb damage, pause enemy attacks, and deliver brutal counter-strikes—mirroring the weight and cadence of Onimusha‘s heavy weapon combat.
The Reality Check: It’s shorter than standard action RPGs, but the quality-to-length ratio is rock solid.
4. The Spirit of the Samurai
Why it’s here: This one is all about the theme. You play as Takeshi, a Japanese samurai protecting his village from an Oni and its undead army.
The game features a unique, brutal stop-motion cinematic adventure style. You’ll fight Tengu, undead, and the horrifying Jorogumo—all inspired by Japanese mythology. It’s less focused on the soul-absorbing mechanic and more on the atmosphere and enemy design that made Onimusha‘s world so compelling.
If what you loved about Way of the Sword was the feeling of being a lone samurai against supernatural forces in feudal Japan, this delivers that fantasy.
Platforms: PC
5. Ronin Revengeance: Samurai 3D
Why it’s here: A top-down action game set in ancient Japan where you play as a samurai facing hordes of enemies, skilled archers, and powerful bosses.
The combat features a top-down parry-based system. You draw and sheath your katana, roll and sprint to dodge, and use a defend button to parry and counter enemy attacks. Different enemies require different strategies, and you unlock multiple powers to aid your journey.
You’re fighting to defeat the Great Demon King, Tenmaou. It’s a mobile-friendly, solo-developed take on the samurai action formula that Onimusha popularized.
Platforms: Android
6. Samurai Simulator: Kensei Warrior
Why it’s here: A more grounded take on the samurai revenge story. You play as Takashi Hayato, a samurai turned ronin after the murder of his lord.
The combat is skill-based katana action with light and heavy attacks, blocks, parries, counterattacks, and executions. Set in feudal Japan during the Sengoku era, the game follows a journey of revenge, honor, and difficult choices.
It doesn’t have the supernatural soul-absorbing elements, but if you appreciated Onimusha‘s grounded swordplay and samurai aesthetics, this scratches that itch.
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
7. Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade
Why it’s here: A Japanese-style action RPG with Roguelite mechanics set in the Edo period. The story follows the invasion of the mortal realm by the sovereign of all demons, the Nine-Tailed Fox.
You play as three protagonists—a Ninja Girl, an Oni Emissary, and a Demon Samurai—each wielding distinct weapons including the Demon Blade, Dual Blades, and Bow. You battle countless fiends through cycles of life and death to restore peace.
The Edo-period demon-slaying theme is pure Onimusha. The Roguelite structure adds replayability, and the three distinct characters give you variety in how you approach combat.
Platforms: PC (Steam demo available)
8. Trek to Yomi
The Vibe: Akira Kurosawa took over an indie studio and forgot to add color.
Why Onimusha Fans Will Love It: It’s side-scrolling, cinematic, and unflinching. You play as Hiroki, a young swordsman defending his town against bandits and supernatural forces. The fixed camera angles and reliance on tight defensive timing feel like a direct nod to classic early-2000s action games.
If you get frustrated when a game demands frame-perfect parries instead of letting you hold “block,” prepare to die—a lot.
9. Interitus
Why it’s here: A darker, more challenging take on the formula. You embark on a dangerous journey to a monastery where only death and decay remain.
The combat is described as “gritty, blood-soaked brawls” against challenging monsters in a realistic 3D environment. Each play session is unique thanks to a randomized dungeon with handcrafted rooms.
It doesn’t have the soul-absorbing mechanic or the Edo-period setting, but it captures the feeling of Onimusha: brutal combat, oppressive atmosphere, and a lone warrior against overwhelming odds.
Platforms: PC
10. Kannagi Usagi
Boss-rush parry practice disguised as an anime action game.
Why Onimusha Fans Will Love It: Built specifically for players who want to strip away long levels and jump straight into high-stakes, single-target melee duels. The parry mechanics require instant reaction times, making every successful counter feel incredibly rewarding.
It is strictly a boss-rush game—don’t expect deep story campaigns or puzzle-filled maps.
The Honest Conclusion
Here’s the thing about lists like this: none of these games are Onimusha: Way of the Sword. That’s not a cop-out. It’s the truth. Capcom made something special, and pretending that an indie platformer is “just like it” would be doing both games a disservice.
What these games share is a philosophy: they respect your time, they challenge your skills, and they understand that samurai action isn’t just about swinging a sword. It’s about precision. It’s about resource management. It’s about the tension of a perfect parry and the satisfaction of absorbing the power of your fallen enemies.
So play Onimusha again on New Game Plus. Then try one of these. You might be surprised by what you find.