The 2001 hack-and-slash game Onimusha: Warlords isn’t just a game where you run around swinging your sword at everything. The action-adventure genre within this game also gives you a lot of other aspects to think about, such as the Onimusha Warlords puzzles. The many brain-teasers the game offers will make you search for some answers.
Luckily, our Onimusha Warlords walkthrough will ensure you have no trouble opening any puzzle boxes in the game. Take a look below to get all the answers you need for your Onimusha Warlords puzzle boxes!
Onimusha: Warlords – Walkthrough and Quick Guide (spoiler alert)
But first, a quick walkthrough! Onimusha: Warlords will give you a great experience while playing it. While it may not have a lot of playtime as newer games at about 5 hours, the gameplay is engaging and there are lots of secrets to find. Additionally, completionists can expect to have a least ten hours of playtime to clear the game fully.
From how many Dark Realms you can encounter to how combat works, we’ll give you the full scoop on how to get through the game as painlessly as possible!
How Many Dark Realms are in Onimusha Warlords?
There is only one Dark Realm in Onimusha: Warlords. This installment of Onimusha actually introduced the concept of Dark Realms. That’s why it makes sense that the Dark Realm in this game isn’t exactly the way we remember it from later games.
Essentially, the Dark Realm is a sort of combat challenge. There are several stages that you must clear by fighting the Genma, who are the series’ primary antagonists. It’s quite difficult by nature, so you should make sure to know the combat already before you go in.
To enter the Dark Realm, you need the Evil Plate. You shouldn’t worry too much about this part because you also need the Evil Plate to progress the story. After you find this item, there are two ways to gain access to the Dark Realm, and neither of them is too hard to reach.
One way to do so is to talk to the old man located in the room with the Magic Mirror in the Keep, as pictured below.
The other way to reach the Dark Realm is to talk to the old man in the well located in the West Area.
After you do this, you can expect to find yourself in the Dark Realm, with 20 rounds of battles that will end up earning you the Bishamon Ocarina. You can use this item later to obtain the Bishamon Sword, the best weapon in the game.
What should you enhance in Onimusha?
There are many weapons you can enhance in the game. To do this, you only need to find a Magic Mirror. However, you should focus on upgrading your magic through the elemental orbs.
In Onimusha: Warlords, magic is one of the strongest weapons you will have against enemies. It’s especially effective against large groups of enemies as well as bosses.
However, there’s an additional plus to upgrading your magic first. With magic, you can unlock certain doors. This is great if the sight of a locked door makes your blood boil as it does for us!
How many Fluorites can be collected in Onimusha?
There are 20 Fluorites scattered throughout the game that you can collect. All your hard work and effort will be rewarded, as when you collect all 20 you get the All for One, One for Fluorite achievement.
If you’re going to shoot for the stars and try to collect all 20 Fluorites, be sure to follow a guide. This is because the map changes once you use the Evil Plate and you may miss the Fluorites forever.
You can find one Fluorite in the Underground Temple map and one in the South Area map. There are three Fluorites in the Keep and two in the Keep Underground map. Five Fluorites are located in the West Area map, and five are in the East Area map. You can collect the remaining three Fluorites from the treasure chests in the Dark Realm.
How do you unlock Ultimate Mode?
When you hear the words Ultimate Mode, you may already be quaking in fear. But there’s no reason to shy away from Ultimate Mode because it actually makes everything easier. We know, it doesn’t really make sense. Just trust the process.
To access Ultimate Mode, you must first clear all 12 stages of the Oni-Spirits mini-game. Yet again, there’s a certain way to unlock this mini-game as well!
Ultimate Mode allows you to restart the game with the Bishamon Sword. We’ve already said that this is the strongest weapon in the game, so it’ll one-shot nearly every enemy in Onimusha: Warlords.
What’s the combat system like?
The combat system in Onimusha: Warlords isn’t too different from many of the games we play nowadays. Since the game’s remaster and re-release on the PS4, it’s gotten easier to compare it to modern games like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Souls-like games.
Different button combinations on your PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch controllers, or regular computer keyboard lead to different attacks. For example, using the left analog stick in combination with the R1 and the square buttons lets you carry out a forward thrust attack.
You can also use attacks such as Upward Slash, Kick, and Ground Stab. The official web manual shows you the different kinds of combinations you can use to attack. If you’re confused about how to make the most of your combat, be sure to check it out!
Onimusha: Warlords – Puzzle System
Finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for! Now, we get to find out all about the Onimusha Warlords puzzles and how they work in the game.
To start, we’ll state that there are two types of puzzles in the game. The guide below details the answers to the decoder boxes, but there are also number boxes. In other guides they may be referred to as Onimusha Warlords Trick Treasure Boxes. They’re not too hard to solve, though, so you shouldn’t worry that we haven’t included them in our Onimusha Puzzle Boxes guide.
All Decoder Boxes and Answers
Finally, we get to find out the Onimusha Warlords Puzzle Box answers. There are four decoder boxes to solve in the game. The boxes all carry the names of the Four Symbols, the mythological creatures that are the guardians of four cardinal directions.
Opening all four decoder boxes nets you yet another achievement, this time the Decrypter, Table for One.
Decoder Box Seiryu
You can find the Seiryu box in the South Area. As soon as you get out of the Underground Temple, right under the Magic Mirror.
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However, make sure you’ve collected all of the Seiryu files, as you will need those to be able to answer the question. If you haven’t collected the files, you can look at the image below for the answer.
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Basically, the question is: “What clan has been subverted by the demons?”. To get the answer, simply choose the first, third, and sixth options, then select OK. If you’re curious about the actual answer, it’s The Clan of Ogres.
After answering the question, the box should open and reward you with the Power Jewel. Power Jewels are super useful because they permanently upgrade your health. However, decoder boxes aren’t the only way to find these jewels. Hence, you should make sure to look for the others, as well.
Decoder Box Suzaku
The Suzaku box is in the South Area as well, under the Magic Mirror in the dried moat. Again, make sure you’ve collected all the Suzaku files if you want to solve this puzzle yourself.
If you don’t feel like collecting, though, have a look at the image below for an answer.
The second of the Onimusha Warlords puzzles asks you to name the relic created by the clan of Ogres to destroy the demons. To answer it, choose the sixth, first, and fourth options. Make sure to choose them in this order, otherwise, your answer won’t be correct! The relic in question is The Gauntlet of Ogres.
Upon opening the decoder, you will be rewarded with a… you guessed it, Power Jewel! Don’t worry, if you were getting sick of the Power Jewels (although we don’t see how you could ever), we’re done with them for now.
Decoder Box Byakko
The third box can be found in the West Area under the Magic Mirror before using the gold and silver plates on the door. Also, you should make sure to open it while playing as Kaede. You won’t be able to access this area after regaining control of Samanosuke.
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The Byakko files will help you open the door. If you didn’t manage to get them, just use the screenshot below.
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To name the mysterious location where the Ogres gather you must choose the fifth, seventh, and second options in that order. Basically, they gather at the Chasm of Dimensions.
This time, however, you’ll get a Magic Jewel, which increases your Magic Power. Just like the Power Jewels, there are others to find throughout the game, so keep an eye out for them! Seems like these Onimusha Warlords puzzles aren’t hard at all.
Decoder Box Genbu
Finally, we get to the last of the Onimusha Warlords puzzles. You may know it as the Onimusha Water Puzzle. This is because the Genbu box is in the East Area, under the Magic Mirror in the room just past the waterfall.
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You’ll need the Genbu files or the screenshot below. To answer what can be enhanced with souls from the gauntlet, choose the third and sixth options.
As a reward, you’ll get another Magic Jewel… Sorry! But there are lots of other great rewards you can get from number boxes such as the Sacred Knife, the Decorated Arrow, the Great Armour, and many more.
In the end, it seems like these Onimusha Warlords puzzles aren’t too hard to figure out after all!
