TL;DR

• Flow State is a combat trophy that requires defeating 50 enemies using Chain Issen attacks.
• Chain Issen triggers after a successful Issen — press attack again the instant the first Issen connects to carry the cut into a second nearby enemy.
• The game slows down after each Issen kill, giving you a window to pick your next target before pressing attack again.
• The timing window tightens with each link in the chain — and resets when the chain ends.
• Best farmed in grouped enemy encounters where 3+ Genma attack at the same time in corridors or tight spaces.
• This trophy is not missable — you can grind it at any point, including post-game via Boss Rematch or area revisits.
• Brutalist (50 Issen) and Flow State (50 Chain Issen) are separate trophies — work toward both in parallel.

Onimusha Way of the Sword Flow State Trophy Guide (Chain Issen)

The Onimusha Way of the Sword Flow State trophy is one of the more satisfying combat achievements in the game — and one that actually teaches you something useful about how the combat system works at its best. The requirement is to defeat 50 enemies with Chain Issen attacks. This is not the same as landing 50 regular Issen kills — that is the separate Brutalist trophy. Flow State specifically tracks enemies killed through the Chain Issen system, where you carry one counter into the next in a slow-motion sequence. Before you start farming it, make sure your setup is dialled in by checking the Onimusha Way of the Sword PC requirements so performance issues do not interrupt your timing.

Understanding how Chain Issen actually works is the first step. Most players who struggle with this trophy are trying to chain in the wrong moment or against the wrong enemies. This guide covers the exact mechanic, the best enemy types and locations to farm it, how to set up groups for maximum chain length, and how to combine it with the Brutalist trophy grind efficiently. For a full breakdown of every Issen variant and the broader combat system, our Onimusha Way of the Sword mastering combat guide has all the depth you need alongside this guide. And if you are still learning the basics, start with our tips and tricks for beginners before diving into trophy grinding.

What Is the Flow State Trophy in Onimusha Way of the Sword

The Flow State trophy has a clean requirement: defeat 50 enemies with Chain Issen attacks. The name fits the mechanic — Chain Issen at its best feels like a choreographed sequence where Musashi cuts from one Genma to the next in a single fluid motion, the whole world slowing down between each kill.

It sits alongside several other combat trophies in the full list of 52 achievements. For reference, here are the combat trophies most relevant to the Issen system:

• Brutalist — Land 50 Issen attacks (standard Issen, any type)
• Flow State — Defeat 50 enemies with Chain Issen attacks
• Berserker — Defeat 3 enemies with continuous Break Issen attacks
• Burning Blade — Defeat 50 foes while in the Blazing State

Flow State and Brutalist are related but track separately. Every Chain Issen kill also counts as an Issen kill, so farming grouped encounters for Flow State simultaneously progresses Brutalist. Plan your grind to knock out both at the same time.

How Chain Issen Works in Onimusha Way of the Sword

Chain Issen is the extension of a successful standard Issen. Here is the exact sequence:

• Land a True Issen — attack in the precise window just before an enemy’s blow connects.
• The first enemy dies in a single strike and the game drops briefly into slow motion.
• During that slow-motion window, a second enemy nearby must also be in the middle of attacking.
• Press the attack button again the instant the first Issen connects — Musashi carries the slash into the second target.
• If timed correctly, a second Chain Issen triggers, another slow-motion window opens, and you can chain into a third target.
• The timing window tightens with each successful link. The chain resets when it ends or you miss the window.

The slow-motion effect is not just visual flair. It is a mechanical tool. During that window you have more time than normal to read the arena, identify which enemy is actively attacking, and position your next input. Advanced players learn to pause briefly in the slow-motion phase to scan rather than rushing the next press. That brief pause is often the difference between a two-kill chain and a four-kill chain.

Each kill in a Chain Issen sequence also drops more souls than a regular kill. Blue souls in particular come out in larger amounts, which directly charges your Oni Armament gauge. Consistent Chain Issen play makes you richer in resources than any other combat approach — which is why the game named this trophy Flow State. When it works, everything compounds.

Chain Issen vs Standard Issen vs Break Issen

It helps to be clear on what counts for this trophy and what does not before you start grinding.

• True Issen: A single counter landing just before an enemy hits. Counts for Brutalist. Does not count for Flow State unless you chain it.
• Deflect Issen: The safer version triggered off a guard flash. Counts for Brutalist. Only counts for Flow State if you chain from it into another kill.
• Chain Issen: Any kill that is the second, third, or further link in an Issen sequence. Every enemy killed this way counts toward Flow State.
• Break Issen: Execution triggered by draining the enemy’s Stamina Gauge. Does not count toward Flow State. Has its own Berserker trophy.

A chain of three Issen kills in one sequence counts as one Issen (for Brutalist) plus two Chain Issen kills (for Flow State). A chain of four kills gives one Issen plus three Chain Issen. So longer chains are significantly more efficient for the Flow State grind than short two-enemy chains.

Requirements for Chain Issen to Trigger

Chain Issen does not work on isolated enemies. You need specific conditions in place before the mechanic is available to you:

• Multiple enemies present. You need at least one more enemy nearby and ready to attack after the first Issen kills.
• The next target must be actively attacking. Chain Issen requires an enemy in their own attack animation, not one standing idle or at a distance. If the second enemy is not mid-swing, the chain window closes without triggering.
• You must press attack in the slow-motion window. Pressing too late misses the window entirely. Pressing too early can misfire. The window is shorter than it looks — treat the slow-motion as your aiming time, then commit cleanly.
• Enemies must be within range. The chain slash has reach but it is not unlimited. A target standing far back will not be reached even if the timing is correct.

The most common reason Chain Issen fails is the second enemy not being in an active attack at the moment the first Issen lands. This is entirely manageable with the right enemy types and positioning.

Onimusha Way of the Sword Flow State Trophy Guide

Best Enemy Types for Farming Chain Issen

Not every Genma is equally useful for this grind. You want enemies that are aggressive, attack frequently, have clear and readable wind-ups, and spawn in groups of three or more. Avoid enemy types that use ranged attacks as their primary — those require Deflect rather than Issen and do not set up chain sequences easily.

Genma Foot Soldiers (Standard Swordsmen)

These are the best farming targets in the game for Issen chains. Their attack wind-up is one of the most telegraphed in the entire roster. They group naturally in most standard encounters, they are aggressive and rarely wait for you to act first, and their attacks line up well for multi-enemy chains. They also appear in nearly every area of the game, making them available for the entire campaign rather than just specific zones.

In corridor areas where foot soldiers approach from both directions, position yourself with enemies on two sides. Let one approach, Issen it, and the slow-motion window will usually reveal the second one already mid-swing. This two-kill chain is the most reliable pattern in the game and something you can repeat consistently once the timing is locked in.

Twin Blade Genma

Players report the mid-game area with Twin Blade Genma as one of the strongest farming spots specifically for Issen chains. These enemies spawn in groups of three, have predictable attack patterns with fast recovery into new attacks, and stay aggressive enough that multiple targets are often mid-swing at the same time. Their speed makes the chain window a little tighter, but the grouped spawn and consistent aggression makes them worth the extra precision required.

A single run through a Twin Blade Genma spawn area can yield five to seven Chain Issen kills if you set up the engagement correctly. At that rate, you can complete the 50-kill requirement in around ten focused runs.

Genma Spearmen

Spearmen have a long and very readable wind-up before their thrust attack lands. This makes them slightly easier to time Issen on than faster Genma types. They appear regularly through the mid-game and often group with foot soldiers. Use them as Issen entry points and ride the chain into the faster enemies nearby.

Best Locations for Flow State Trophy Farming

Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Early Game / Demo Area)

The opening temple area is the best place to start practicing the chain mechanic before you worry about trophy counts. The Genma foot soldiers here are slow, telegraphed, and appear in groups in the main corridor sections. If you are in the free demo, use this area to get your chain timing locked before the full game. The demo’s Kiyomizu-dera stage is specifically structured to teach Issen mechanics — the foot soldier groupings in the main approach are nearly ideal for two and three-kill chains.

Corridor and Narrow Passage Encounters

Across the full campaign, narrow corridor encounters are consistently the best environments for Chain Issen farming. Enemies line up naturally in these spaces. A chain from front to back — first enemy Issen, carry to second, carry to third — flows cleanly because the layout forces the targets into a line. In open arenas you need to actively herd enemies, but in corridors the geography does that work for you.

Prioritise these encounter types whenever you see them appearing on the map. Corridor fights are frequently part of mandatory progression rather than optional side areas, so you will encounter them naturally through a normal playthrough. Make every corridor group a deliberate chain attempt rather than clearing them with normal attacks.

Open Arena Encounters — Group and Converge

Open arenas give you more space but require active positioning to set up chains. The technique is to run along the perimeter of the enemy group, pulling two or three Genma into a tight cluster, then let one attack and Issen into it with the others nearby. The key is that the surrounding enemies need to be in aggressive mode — if they are too far back or still walking toward you, the chain window will open but close without triggering.

In open arenas, target the outermost enemy first. Issen it, slow-motion opens, and the enemies that were walking up behind it are now arriving at attack range. That arrival timing often aligns with the chain window naturally. This is why open arenas are not as fast as corridors but still workable with the right approach.

Boss Rematch Mode (Post-Game)

Once you finish the story, Boss Rematch mode lets you replay every boss encounter. While bosses cannot be chain Issen killed in the same way as normal enemies, the encounters often include Genma groups in the lead-up sections. Use these grouped sections for chain attempts rather than rushing to the boss itself. Boss Rematch is also the path to the Glutton for Punishment trophy (beating all rematches on all difficulties), so combining those runs with Flow State farming is an efficient use of post-game time.

How to Set Up Multi-Kill Chains (3+ Enemies)

Two-enemy chains are reliable and consistent. Three and four-enemy chains are more efficient for the trophy count but require deliberate setup. Here is the positioning and mindset for longer chains:

Read the Arena Before Engaging

Before swinging at anything, spend two seconds identifying where every enemy is standing and whether any of them are already mid-attack cycle. The slow-motion window during a chain gives you time to redirect, but you need to have already mentally mapped the arena. Players who run in immediately tend to chain only once or twice because they do not know where the third target is when the window opens.

Use the Slow-Motion Window as Aim Time, Not Reaction Time

This is the biggest difference between players getting two-kill chains and players getting four-kill chains. The slow-motion window feels generous but it is not unlimited. Players who wait until slow-motion starts and then scan for the next target are already behind. Players who have already decided their next target before the first Issen lands use the slow-motion window to confirm that target and commit the input cleanly. Make decisions ahead of the kill, not during the window.

Steer Enemies with Extended Parry

A prolonged parry lets Musashi steer the enemy in a chosen direction. Use this before engaging a group to bunch enemies closer together or line them up in the order you want to chain through. Steering two enemies into the same narrow space before triggering the first Issen makes the subsequent chain targets easier to reach and more likely to be in their attack animation when the slow-motion window opens.

Do Not Chase Isolated Targets

If one enemy separates from the group, do not Issen it first. Use normal attacks or a parry to kill or reposition it, then turn your Issen attempts on the remaining cluster. A lone Issen kill is an Issen for Brutalist but nothing for Flow State — spending the best opportunities on isolated kills slows the grind significantly.

Combining Flow State with Other Trophy Grinds

The most efficient approach to the Issen trophy cluster is to work on all of them simultaneously rather than one at a time. Here is how to layer them:

• Flow State (50 Chain Issen kills) + Brutalist (50 Issen): Every chain sequence gives you one Brutalist count and one or more Flow State counts. Always attempt to chain rather than treating Issen kills as isolated. Even in a two-enemy encounter, going for the chain doubles your trophy progress per engagement.
• Burning Blade (50 kills in Blazing State): The Blaze Gauge fills through parries. Build the gauge before entering a grouped encounter, enter Blazing State, then Chain Issen through the group. The kills count for both Flow State and Burning Blade simultaneously.
• Berserker (3 Break Issen on separate enemies): This needs its own separate setup and does not combine naturally with chain grinding. Handle Berserker in boss encounters or against tough Genma with high stamina. Do not dilute your chain grind by chasing Break Issen on the same enemies.
• Wielder of Oni Armaments (100 kills with Oni Armament): Chain Issen drops more blue souls than any other kill method, which directly charges your Oni Armament gauge. Farming chains effectively funds Armament kills as a side effect.

Is Flow State Missable?

No. Flow State is not missable. There are no time-limited events or enemy types that permanently disappear tied to this trophy. Grouped Genma enemies respawn in revisited areas, Boss Rematch mode is available after completing the story, and the trophy can be earned on any difficulty setting.

That said, the fastest route is to farm it naturally during the main campaign by treating every grouped encounter as a deliberate chain attempt rather than leaving it as a post-game cleanup task. Players who play through the whole game using normal attacks on groups and then try to grind 50 Chain Issen kills afterward will spend considerably more time on it than those who build the habit early.

On higher difficulties like Carnage, enemy attack windows are tighter, which narrows the Issen input window. If you are planning a Carnage run for the True Onimusha trophy, consider completing Flow State on a lower difficulty first unless you are already comfortable landing Issen consistently on that difficulty.

Step-by-Step Farming Routine for Flow State

• Step 1: Identify a corridor encounter with three or more foot soldiers or Twin Blade Genma. Early and mid-game areas have the best density.
• Step 2: Enter the encounter and immediately build your Blaze Gauge with two to three parries before going for Issen. Blazing State makes kills more valuable and charges your Armament at the same time.
• Step 3: Let one enemy commit to an attack. Issen it cleanly. Do not rush — wait for the full wind-up before pressing the attack button.
• Step 4: The instant the first Issen connects and slow-motion starts, identify the nearest enemy that is mid-swing. Press attack immediately and cleanly into them.
• Step 5: If a third enemy is attacking, repeat the press. If the chain ends, reset and let the surviving enemies attack again before starting a new Issen attempt.
• Step 6: Absorb all souls between attempts. Yellow souls keep your health topped up, blue souls fund your Armament for the next chain sequence.
• Step 7: After clearing the encounter, checkpoint or revisit the area to reset enemy spawns and repeat.

Where to Buy or Play Onimusha Way of the Sword

The game is available on Steam, on the PlayStation Store, on Xbox, and directly from the official Capcom site. A free playable demo is also available on Steam for players who want to practice Chain Issen before committing to the full game — the Kiyomizu-dera Temple stage in the demo is ideal for locking in the timing.

Frequently Asked Questions