Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams

Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as Shin Onimusha Dawn of Dreams (新 鬼武者 DAWN OF DREAMS, Shin Onimusha Dawn of Dreams?), is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki, The Oni of Ash (灰燼の蒼鬼 "The Blue Demon of the Ashes), the second son of Ieyasu Tokugawa.

Gameplay

Like Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, Dawn of Dreams utilizes a complete 3D rendition of its environment rather than pre-rendered backdrops. However, the player is now able to control the camera for most of the game, as opposed to the static camera angles employed within its predecessors. A shop system allows the player to purchase weapons that they can also upgrade along with valuable supplies such as medicine and accessories that convey a variety of benefits. Finally, a second party member now accompanies the player which they can also switch to and control. During gameplay, the second character that is not under the control of the player can be issued commands via the directional buttons (for tactics) with the AI performing them to the best of its abilities. This was also the second canonical game in the series to allow the players to hear either English and Japanese voice-overs, a feature that was omitted in both the second and third games.

Story

The game takes place some fifteen years after the defeat of Nobunaga Oda at the end of Onimusha 3: Demon Siege. Nobunaga's vassal, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, takes control of the country, unifying it under one banner and essentially ending the wars that had torn the land apart under his former lord's banner. However, this period of peace ends with several natural disasters acting as an omen of things to come including the appearance of an "Omen Star" in the sky. Rumors soon fill the land of the Genma returning and that Hideyoshi may have something to do with them.

Characters

Party and Allies

• Hideyasu 'Sōki' Yūki
• Akane Yagyū‎
• Ohatsu
• Roberto Frois
• Tenkai Nankobo (Samanosuke Akechi)
• Arin (Ako)
• Minokichi

Genma Bosses

• Ban Danemon
• Sakon Shima
• Munenori Yagyū
• Luis Frois / Rosencrantz
• Lady Yodo / Ophelia
• Mitsunari Ishida / Claudius
• Hideyoshi Toyotomi
• Fortinbras

Cast

English voice actors

• Jonathan Tyrell — Hideyasu 'Sōki' Yūki
• Jenna D.A Ronzzio — Akane Yagyu
• Josh Keaton — Munenori Yagyū, Tenkai Nankobo (Samanosuke Akechi)
• Archie Rodriguez — Roberto Frois
• Nika Futterman — Ohatsu
• Tara Strong — Arin (Ako)
• Brianne Mendenhall — Minokichi
• Alastair Duncan — Mitsunari Ishida
• Cricket Leigh
• James Conroy
• Catherine Peters
• Andre Soliguzzo
• Phillip Proctor
• Janice DeMichael Rogers
• J. Grant Albrecht
• Dave Fennoy

Japanese voice actors

• Toshiyuki Kusuda — Hideyasu 'Sōki' Yūki
• Yukana Nogami — Akane Yagyu
• Sanae Kobayashi —[Ohatsu
• Wataru Hatano — Roberto Frois
• Tōru Ōkawa — Hideyoshi Toyotomi
• Norio Wakamoto — Mitsunari Ishida
• Keiji Fujiwara — Munenori Yagyū
• Hideo Ishikawa — Tenkai Nankobo (Samanosuke Akechi)
• Kenta Miyake — Sakon Shima
• Masaharu Satō — Luis Frois
• Yasunori Masutani — The Man in White (Fortinbras)
• Sakiko Tamagawa — Minokichi
• Mari Yokô — Lady Yodo
• Iho Hayakawa — Arin (Ako)
• Shōzō Iizuka — Ban Danemon
• Hisako Kyôda — Narrator

Music

The game's music and soundtrack is composed by Hideyuki Fukasawa and Jamie Christopherson. Fukasawa who first came onto the video gaming music scene with his work on Chaos Legion, is responsible for most of Shin Onimusha's in-game music and soundtrack (most gamers who are familiar with his work on Chaos Legion will notice his style of composing) while Christopherson was in charge of the game's CG cut scenes and FMV's Hollywood-style orchestral scores. The soundtrack of Dawn of Dreams has a different tone from other entries in the series, with more electronic tones.

Two songs by Ayumi Hamasaki, one titled "Startin'" and the other "Rainy Day", are featured as the opening and ending themes for the game respectively in the Japanese version. The opening theme has been removed from the western versions.

There is a Dark Realm that the player can freely choose to enter at the Hideout after a certain point in the game. If the active character is wearing one of the secret Street Fighter II costumes in the Dark Realm, the associated character's theme will play from the Panasonic 3DO port of Super Street Fighter II Turbo.

Gallery

Japan

U.S.

Europe

Strategy Guide

Novel

Manga Vol. 1

Manga Vol. 2