When a high profile game comes along, we at NTSC-uk do our best to review it as quickly as possible. Onimusha 3 was a high profile release, one of the biggest of the year so far, yet although the game was released late in February in Japan, the review is only going online in April. Without wanting to make too many excuses, the fault lies almost entirely with The Most Incompetent Company In The World, AKA Parcel Force. Not only did they manage to mess us about for an entire week with false delivery promises, they eventually succeeded in losing our package made up entirely of new releases direct from Japan. The muppets.

Complaints aside, this delay has given rise to a different review than that which would have been originally presented. Something happened between late February and early April that wasn’t expected, but this something could be very significant.

Capcom revealed Biohazard 4.

Clearly recognising that the Biohazard series was lagging behind the times, Capcom have been extremely brave to flip the entire series on its head. The problem with Onimusha 3 however, is that, although Capcom have been brave in some regards, it has merely been refined in most. Refined are the graphics, which are now in full 3D. Refined are the controls, which are now thankfully far more intuitive taking full use of the analogue stick (though the D-pad can be used for those who like the old Rotating type of movement). Brave is the story, which takes place in Japan year 1582 and France 2004. This is a sequel full of minor improvements, a gameplay tweak here, a gorgeous opening FMV there. All welcome, of course, but when looking at the ideas and mentality behind the new Biohazard, you can’t help but wish Onimusha 3 had been given similar treatment.

Arguably, the only area of the game which shows any hint of Capcom’s unpredictable and exciting new direction comes in form of the story. Both daft yet compelling, the time travelling tale opens up a few new possibilities for the series. Most importantly is the inclusion of Jaques Blanc, played convincingly by French actor Jean Reno. The opening acts of Onimusha 3 see Jaques and returning hero Samanosuke being swept about through time in a most confusing way. At plot-specific locations the player is forced to switch between the two. Thankfully however, Jaques has been implanted well into the game, and his whip-like weapon allows him to get about the environment in ways Samanosuke isn’t even given a chance a try. His ability to throw enemies and small objects about with the whip is a welcome feature, too.

For two large portions of the adventure both characters find themselves in the same location, except several thousand years apart. Puzzle potential opens up to the time travelling shenanigans, as for example the character in the future must send items into the past in order for certain doors to be opened, or a tree planted in the past can be climbed upon in the future. It’s a satisfying gameplay mechanic to have, especially as the player can switch between characters whenever they wish at these points. Health potions and other objects can also be sent, empowering the player with a hint of character management.

It is disappointing then to see that the idea is used so sparsely, with just a handful of time-bending puzzles throughout. Also unfortunate is that the locations look remarkably similar despite being thousands of years apart, which is something of a missed opportunity for upping the presentation even further. A number of obvious time-related plot holes, which should have been avoided by a company as talented as Capcom, are also irritatingly present.

Indeed, other than these minor faults, the graphical recreation of Paris, Japan and a few other locations is something of a technical marvel. The detail in some of the locations is exquisite and bursting with character. The acting, animation and vocally, is superb, the cutscenes are well directed and the music soars with perfect timing. It also must be said that the character models are among the best seen on the PS2, right up there with Silent Hill 3. The production values in Onimusha 3 are quite remarkable, and it is clear that Capcom have put a lot of effort into creating the game.

It has been said that this will be the last Onimusha game, so it would make sense to give the game everything to let the series go out with a bang rather than whimper. Yet, despite being a thoroughly playable title, it feels strangely tired and behind the times. Another important event between late February and early April is the release of Ninja Gaiden. Though Onimusha 3 is superior in many ways (more consistency, better characters and a far better adventuring side to the game, for instance), the action mechanics are far too restrictive next to Gaiden’s. Most gamers will be able to happily hammer the attack button and find little resistance throughout the experience, and although depth can be found through counter-attacks, this isn’t enough to keep up with the competition. After bouncing around the environments so freely with Ryu, Samanosuke feels extremely limited with his skills. The introduction may spectacularly show off his skills, but it does highlight how limited the controls are in-game.

If this had been released a year or two ago it would have been a great achievement and no doubt something of a benchmark for the genre. As it stands, Capcom have succeeded in taking the series to a natural end without making any significant changes. If Onimusha 4 is to be developed, the brave Capcom behind Biohazard 4, Viewtiful Joe and Killer 7 need to be in charge, not the safe, refining, Capcom that controlled this adventure. A crowd pleasing adventure, but not an essential one.