How to solve the mask puzzle in Onimusha Way of the Sword
Polygon has published a guide explaining how to solve the mask puzzle in "Onimusha: Way of the Sword," a step required to progress the "What Lurks in the Shadows" quest at Nijo-jo Castle. Players must fire arrows at four hanging masks in the correct order to open a locked door, but shooting them incorrectly resets the puzzle, making the solution useful for anyone stuck during this section of the game.
The puzzle room contains four hanging masks and matching replicas on windows near the entrance; the trick is to view the window masks from outside and count the number of orifices each one's shadow displays, which reveals the firing order from first to fourth. Hitting the masks correctly opens a cage to release the Unsettling Mask, which must then be placed in the door mechanism near the Underground Level Three Spirit Mirror to continue the quest and learn Hinagiku's fate.
- Guide explains the mask puzzle in Onimusha: Way of the Sword
- Count shadow orifices on window masks to find shooting order
- Correct order unlocks the Unsettling Mask needed to open the door
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Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a video game in the long-running Onimusha series, known for combining samurai-era combat with puzzle-solving and exploration. The story mentioned here relates to a specific in-game obstacle at a location called Nijo-jo Castle, where players must complete a mask puzzle to advance a quest and uncover a character's fate.
Puzzles like this are a regular feature of the genre, requiring players to observe clues in their surroundings, such as shadows or object details, to work out a correct sequence of actions. Games media outlets, including Polygon in this case, commonly publish guides to help players who get stuck at such points, since incorrect attempts can force the puzzle to reset.
This matters mainly to players currently working through the game, who may otherwise be unable to progress past this section without outside help.