CAPCOM RELEASES ONIMUSHA 3 DEMON SIEGE™ 

INTERNATIONAL CAST OF TALENT DELIVERS DRAMATIC CONCLUSION TO FINAL CHAPTER OF CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED NOBUNAGA TRILOGY

SUNNYVALE, Calif.  April 27, 2004  Capcom Entertainment, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today released the concluding chapter of the critically acclaimed Onimusha epic saga, Onimusha 3 Demon Siege^™ for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.  Onimusha 3 Demon Siege introduces newly designed 3D polygonal environments, more expansive settings to explore, a new dual hero fighting system, enhanced gameplay and motion picture quality cinematics that the series is known to deliver. Onimusha 3 Demon Siege intertwines two different stories that transcend four centuries from ancient feudal Japan to modern day France.  Set to star in the last chapter of the award-winning series is Takeshi Kaneshiro, who reprises his role as Samanosuke Akechi from the original title in the series.  Joining him is Jean Reno the world-renowned movie star who is best known for his roles in ‘The Professional’, ‘Mission Impossible’, ‘Big Blue’ and ‘La Femme Nikita’, starring as French military officer Jacques Blanc. Onimusha 3 Demon Siege is rated “M” for mature audiences by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) and is now available at retail outlets throughout North America.

Onimusha 3 Demon Siege employs a ‘dual hero system’ that offers two very different kinds of action, delivering both a deeper story but a unique experience that offers the player a diversity of gameplay elements.  Not only can gamers experience the exhilaration of slashing enemies with powerful swords but new weapons have been incorporated to add challenge and depth.  A whip weapon, especially equipped for Jacques Blanc (Reno), lends itself to combat situations and to perform combos and also helps access new areas for further exploration by latching onto objects and swinging across various platforms. This extra functionality broadens the game’s adventure appeal and adds variety to gameplay.   

“Onimusha 3 Demon Siege will surpass its predecessors in all areas: gameplay, art, cinematics and technology to become the ultimate installment to complete this epic trilogy,” said Todd Thorson, director of marketing, Capcom USA.  “Onimusha: Warlords and Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny set an unprecedented standard for the PlayStation 2. The team behind Onimusha 3 Demon Siege realized those standards and has stepped forward to surpass them.  By evolving the technology to create highly detailed 3D environments and enlisting the talents of Jean Reno and martial arts choreographer Donnie Yen, Onimusha 3 Demon Siege is the most epic game of the amazing trilogy. A game that can’t be missed.”

Onimusha 3 Demon Siege further boosts its CG movie production quality to motion picture standards by enlisting the talents of acclaimed movie director Takashi Yamazaki, and Donnie Yen whose recent work can be seen in such movies as ‘Blade 2’, ‘Shanghai Nights’, the Oscar nominated film ‘Hero’ and is currently the action supervisor for several popular Japanese films. The dramatic six minute opening cinematic is epic in scope and garners.

Onimusha 3 Demon Siege boasts the following features:

·       As a first for the series, Onimusha 3 Demon Siege utilizes full polygonal backgrounds as Capcom strives to realize the title’s real and dramatic camera work. Gamers will exalt the battle scenes, as they are full of depth and with even more sword slashing action.

·       Explore new and diverse environments – Onimusha 3 Demon Siege not only includes familiar feudal Japan backdrops such as Anshi Castle, Sakai Town or Honnoji Temple, but also showcases world renowned Paris landmarks, such as Notre Dame and the Arc de Triumph, all of which have been painstakingly recreated with such rich detail that it exceeds the scale of the previous incarnations of the series.

·       The opening CG movies have been pushed to a new level.  Returning to the Onimusha project is Robot, the company responsible for making all of the Onimusha opening movies and Yamazaki Takeshi, the CG movie director. Capcom has enlisted the talents of Hong Kong action star and director Donnie Yen as the CG action director.   Onimusha 3 is a collaboration of several talented staff members as they focus on bringing a masterpiece that rivals even the biggest blockbuster movies.

·       Flagship, the company responsible for scripting the stories for Onimusha: Warlords and Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny increase the level and depth of the story for Onimusha 3 Demon Siege. With more drama and thrills than before, Onimusha 3 Demon Siege weaves an epic tale bringing the series to a whole new level in this final battle against Oda Nobunaga.

·       Master devastating one-hit moves – Now enemies can effectively be defeated with an unprecedented one-time dramatic slash. 

In Onimusha 3 Demon Siege the year is 1582 and 10 years have passed since the events that unfolded in Onimusha 2 Samurai’s Destiny.  The stage is set at the burning Honnoji Temple, as the famous Onimusha warrior Samanosuke Akechi (Takeshi Kaneshiro) continues to fight the demons in his path. The moment has finally arrived for Samanosuke to confront the true enemy that has eluded him until now, the undying Nobunaga Oda.  Unfortunately before the long-awaited final battle begins, Samanosuke is suddenly engulfed in a whirlpool of light and disappears.
 
The year is 2004. A peaceful French metropolis is suddenly attacked by demons. In the blink of an eye, the city is transformed into a hellish sea of blood as Genma demons slaughter civilians and soldiers one by one. Within this pit of darkness appears one man who stands up against the Genma demons, Jacques Blanc (Jean Reno). As a member of the French army, Jacques is deployed to the nightmarish scene only to discover himself amid a plague of horrific enemies that are beyond anyone’s imagination. An ancient samurai warrior unexpectedly appears to help him defend the helpless city.  As they cooperatively fight off the demons, Jacques is caught in a mysterious vortex and vanishes to feudal Japan, leaving the warrior behind in modern day France.

Why has Samanosuke appeared in present Paris and Jacques in feudal Japan? What fate awaits these two men?  The fierce and bloody battle is unfurled as the beginning of the final Onimusha chapter unfolds. 

Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment.  Founded in 1983, the company has created world renowned franchises including Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Mega Man, Breath of Fire, Devil May Cry and the Onimusha series. Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, the company maintains operations in the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, Tokyo and Hong Kong.  More information about Capcom and its products can be found on the company’s web site at www.capcom.com.

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Capcom, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil are registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd.  Onimusha, Devil May Cry and Breath of Fire are trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd.  “PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. All other marks are the property of their respective holders.

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