Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams

The fourth installment of the popular Onimusha series is about to hit stores and looks set to impress. Dawn of Dreams picks up around 15 years after its predecessor, following the annihilation of the infamous Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga. Another dark shadow now looms over Japan as Nobunaga's successor, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, has decided to align himself with the evil and vicious Genma forces. Assume the role of Soki, a young warrior who possesses incredible power, along with several other cohorts to try and thwart Hideyoshi's pursuit for power.

With detailed graphics and expansive environments that exceeds its predecessor, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams includes major enhancements to the franchise such as new character interactions and evolved cooperative gameplay elements. With a brand new game system, players can choose a fellow warrior to assist Soki in battle at any given time. Watch as the pair combines their power to perform ultimate attack moves to eliminate enemies. Furthermore, gamers can order his or her ally to wait, attack or act on the defensive. Players can also rapidly change between the two onscreen characters, allowing them to control the partner he or she had escorted into battle and relegating the main hero to ally status. This new system takes advantage of each character's skill and adds a new dimension to the gameplay.

"The Onimusha series has been praised by consumers and the press for its addictive gameplay and immersive experience, this new Onimusha is no exception," said Todd Thorson, director of marketing, Capcom Entertainment. "Even with the success of the first three titles, we went back to the drawing board, reevaluated the series and retooled the gameplay and made something that is fresh, exciting and distinctly Onimusha."

Features:

• An all new Onimusha experience – An epic action RPG that includes major enhancements to the franchise such as new characters, character interactions and evolved cooperative gameplay elements.
• New gameplay system – Implementation of a new fighting system allows for the control of various characters throughout the game. Each playable character has unique abilities and storyline.
• New 'Allies System' - Players can switch between the main character and partner in real-time, anytime. Give commands to your ally: tell them to wait, follow, attack, defend, etc.
• All new compelling storyline – Players new to the series need not have played the previous installments in order to enjoy the story. The story picks up with Nobunaga's successor, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, as he aligns himself with the insidious Genma forces.
• Most expansive environments in the series – The scale of environments has been multiplied in order to accommodate a more open ended gameplay experience.
• Continued Artistic Excellence in the Onimusha Series – Building upon the series tradition of delivering an amazing visual experience, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams realizes unbelievably meticulous graphics that span over a multitude of diverse stages. Traditional Japanese landscape and architecture are recreated in rich detail.

Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams is set to be released in March exclusively for the PS2.