AbstractA third-person 3D action/adventure that blends hand-to-hand combat and gunplay into a single futuristic experience.
ESRB rating
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Animated Violence |
Full descriptionInspired by Japanese anime as well as dystopian sci-fi films like Blade Runner, Oni for PlayStation 2 stars a spunky female operative named Konoko as she prepares to battle the Syndicate, a totalitarian regime bent on world conquest. Played from a third-person perspective, Oni features a blend of shooting, hand-to-hand combat, and the nimble movement typically associated with traditional platform games. As players explore the dark cityscapes, warehouses, research labs, and other dwellings of the Syndicate, they will confront numerous armed guards loyal to Boss Muro, the sole leader of the oppressive establishment. To help Konoko in her mission to dismantle the Syndicate piece by piece, players will need to master moves such as jump flips, dodges, disarming techniques, slides, and throws, to name but a few.
Weapons are also available, but only one armament can be carried at any given time. Instruments of destruction include automatic pistols, plasma rifles, grenade launchers, cannons, and more. After first honing her skills in a training mission, Konoko will receive situational updates and mission objectives from her assistant Shinatama, a simulated living doll. Indicators at the bottom of the screen include a compass used to locate targets and a health meter. Scattered somewhere within the 3D levels are items such as ammo, energy cells, hypo spray to boost attributes, phase cloaks for temporary invisibility, and force shields for added protection. Konoko must advance through a total of 14 levels in her attempt to wrest the Syndicate from the iron grip of Boss Muro.
Editorial reviewSource:
AmazonAlthough it's somewhat rough around the edges,
Oni is an innovative third-person action-adventure title that won't disappoint hard-core gamers. Set in the cyberpunk future of 2032, the Japanese anime-influenced
Oni casts players as Konoko, a spunky government agent on a mission to bust up a criminal organization known as the Syndicate.
While the game's free-roaming 3-D environments may not be much to look at--they're understated to the point of seeming bland or unfinished--Oni's real beauty is in its mix of hand-to-hand and weapons-based combat. The game's characters have their own distinct fighting moves and can disarm their opponents, making the arsenal of available weapons fair game. Admittedly, the controls (which utilize everything but the L3 button) are quite a handful and take a lot of getting used to, but the payoff is quite a kick.
Those who are easily frustrated should be warned that the action in Oni is fast and furious, and it's easy to get killed again and again at times--with each death followed by an annoyingly slow reload time. This is especially true when fighting multiple opponents who have the advantage of not being distracted by disorienting camera angles. --Joe Hon
Pros:
- Fast-and-furious mix of hand-to-hand and weapons-based combat
- Silky smooth character animations; stylized, effective onscreen displays
- New special moves are "learned" as the game progresses
- Japanese anime-influenced cyberpunk story line
Cons: - Understated 3-D environments
- Not for those easily frustrated by complex controls
Run, jump, slide, and flip across environments to avoid attacks from groups of enemies
Master an assortment of hand-to-hand combat moves for close-quarters fighting
- Portions of content provided by Rovi Data Solutions, Inc. and IGN Entertainment, Inc.