PC Gamer recommends five samurai-film entries as preparation for Capcom’s Onimusha: Way of the Sword, due for release on 3 September. The selections are intended to familiarise players with the game’s swordplay, historical inspirations and mixture of samurai drama with supernatural fantasy.

– Sword of the Stranger (2007): recommended for its exceptionally fast, detailed animated sword fights and its ronin-led story.
– Yojimbo: highlighted for Toshiro Mifune’s expressive performance as a calculating ronin, whose mannerisms reportedly inform the new game’s portrayal of Miyamoto Musashi.
– The Sword of Doom (1966): offers a dark, nihilistic counterpoint through its violent protagonist, with parallels to Onimusha’s depiction of Sasaki Ganryu.
– Ninja Scroll: chosen for its graphic fantasy action and increasingly unusual villains, resembling videogame boss encounters; a 4K restoration arrives in cinemas in October.
– Samurai trilogy — Musashi Miyamoto, Duel at Ichijoji Temple and Duel at Ganryu Island: follows Mifune’s Musashi and his rivalry with Ganryu, providing the clearest historical context for the game’s central characters.