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The complete Onimusha series timeline — every game, remaster, spin-off and the Netflix anime, in release order, building to Onimusha: Way of the Sword (2026). Each card's badge marks the in-game era it is set in: the four original main games form one Sengoku-era story (1560 → 1597), while Way of the Sword starts a fresh continuity. CAPCOM says new players can jump in without prior knowledge and that the game has no direct storyline connections to earlier entries. Tap any title for the full story and gameplay details.
For the original story, play the main games in release order: Warlords, Onimusha 2, Onimusha 3, then Dawn of Dreams. If you only care about Way of the Sword, you can start with the 2026 entry — CAPCOM presents it as a fresh continuity.
Warlords (2001) → Onimusha 2 (2002) → Onimusha 3 (2004) → Dawn of Dreams (2006). This follows both release order and the core Sengoku-era story.
Play Warlords Remastered and Onimusha 2 Remastered first, then use the Way of the Sword demo to learn its parry, deflect and Issen loop.
Safe for newcomers. CAPCOM says first-time players can jump in without knowing the earlier games, which have no direct storyline connection to Way of the Sword.
The way of the sword awaits.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword arrives September 4, 2026 — the series' boldest reinvention yet. Play the free demo now, then dive into our guides to master parry, deflect and the returning Issen before launch.
There are four main games (Warlords, Onimusha 2, Onimusha 3 and Dawn of Dreams), plus spin-offs (Onimusha Tactics, Blade Warriors), the online game Onimusha Soul, HD remasters of Warlords and Onimusha 2, and the 2026 entry Onimusha: Way of the Sword. A Netflix anime joined the franchise in 2023.
For the original story, play the four main games in release order — Warlords (2001) → Onimusha 2 (2002) → Onimusha 3 (2004) → Dawn of Dreams (2006) — which also follows their in-universe order (1560 → 1597). The remasters of Warlords and Onimusha 2 are the easiest way to play the first two today. Way of the Sword is a fresh continuity: CAPCOM says first-time players can jump in without knowing previous titles, and it has no direct storyline connections to earlier games. Play the originals if you want their separate story.
The three elements come from the Oni Gauntlet's three sacred elemental weapons, each bound to an Orb granted by the Oni clan — fire (the Flame Dragon Sword), lightning (the Thunder Blade) and wind. Established in the first game, they form a deliberate tactical triangle: fire is a frontal blast, lightning hits one target hard, and wind is a 360° spin. They also echo the thunder and wind gods (Raijin and Fujin) of Japanese folklore, fitting the samurai-versus-demon mythos.
It is a new entry point in a separate continuity. CAPCOM says first-time players can jump in without previous knowledge, and that it has no direct storyline connections to earlier games. Treat it as a separate story, not chapter five.
The four original main games share one continuous story and cast across the Sengoku period, with Samanosuke, Jubei and finally Soki carrying the Oni's fight against the Genma. The spin-offs, the online game and the anime sit outside that core continuity, and Way of the Sword starts a separate continuity.
In-game years for the four main games are anchored to real historical events (Okehazama 1560, the Honno-ji Incident 1582) and are widely cited by fans, but are not all stated on-screen by Capcom — Dawn of Dreams in particular shows 1596 in-game while most references say 1597. Onimusha 3 splits between feudal Japan (1582) and modern Paris (2004) via time travel. Way of the Sword is a separate continuity and does not continue the original timeline. Official references: Capcom, PlayStation Blog.