The premise you need before playing
Capcom presents Way of the Sword as a new series entry, not a remake. Its final preview begins with a young Miyamoto Musashi who wants to remove the Oni Gauntlet and prove his skill without its power. The conflict gradually challenges that position.
That gives a newcomer a useful starting question: why would a swordsman reject the very power that helps him survive? You can follow that personal conflict without memorizing a chronology from earlier releases.
Keep three ideas distinct
Musashi is the protagonist. The Oni Gauntlet is the supernatural artifact bound to him. The Genma are the demonic threat confronting the city. Confusing the gauntlet’s power with the enemy faction makes early dialogue harder to follow.
Kyoto’s recognizable places provide a setting, but this is dark fantasy rather than a documentary reconstruction. Treat supernatural events and the game’s character motivations as fiction, not factual claims about the historical Musashi.
A spoiler-light way to read further
If you only need background, stop at the opening premise and character identities. Walkthroughs that explain why an area opens often reveal the boss and the outcome needed to unlock it.
For a first playthrough, make your own short list of unanswered character questions. Revisit it after a major encounter rather than searching a character’s ending immediately. That preserves the discovery while giving you a way to keep track of the story’s evolving stakes.