I just finished Omori. By 'just' I mean I'm literally sitting on the 'thanks for playing' screen as I write this post introduction, unwilling to move on.
God. How do I talk about this game?
Okay, let's start with a basic overview. Omori is an interesting game! It's a retro pixel-art RPG that blends charm and horror, which naturally invites comparisons to Earthbound and Undertale, although Omori puts greater emphasis on the horror. But, while it clearly draws inspiration from Earthbound, Omori very much feels like its own thing, with its own style. I love the hand-drawn character portraits and battle visuals.
Beyond that, I'm going to get both spoilery and personal. This entry contains discussion of bereavement by suicide, both in fiction and in real life.
( Thoughts on Omori. )
Omori is a game about escapism, and about being unable to escape. It's often charming and funny; it is also disturbing and upsetting. It troubled my sleep at points. It's a game I found myself thinking about when I wasn't playing it: not in a fannish way, but in a haunted way.
At one point I felt physically ill when I realised I couldn't stall any longer; I was going to have to progress the plot, and I was terrified of what I might discover. In fact, there were multiple points where I wanted to do anything but advance.
I don't know if 'I loved it' or 'I enjoyed it' is the right phrase. At times, the best word for the experience is 'horrible'. I enjoyed it at times, and, at the times the experience was unpleasant, it was unpleasant for the right reasons. I really liked this game. I hated this game. I found it fascinating. I'd recommend it, but I don't know who I should recommend it to.
I suppose my recommendation would be 'take the content warnings seriously, but I recommend Omori if you enjoy a) retro-style pixel-art JRPGs that blend charm with a heavy dose of horror, and b) getting kicked in the gut'.
I'm glad I played Omori. Maybe that's all I can say. I think it's a very impactful, very well-made game, and it resonated with me in ways I wish it didn't.
I'm going to be thinking about this one for a while.
God. How do I talk about this game?
Okay, let's start with a basic overview. Omori is an interesting game! It's a retro pixel-art RPG that blends charm and horror, which naturally invites comparisons to Earthbound and Undertale, although Omori puts greater emphasis on the horror. But, while it clearly draws inspiration from Earthbound, Omori very much feels like its own thing, with its own style. I love the hand-drawn character portraits and battle visuals.
Beyond that, I'm going to get both spoilery and personal. This entry contains discussion of bereavement by suicide, both in fiction and in real life.
( Thoughts on Omori. )
Omori is a game about escapism, and about being unable to escape. It's often charming and funny; it is also disturbing and upsetting. It troubled my sleep at points. It's a game I found myself thinking about when I wasn't playing it: not in a fannish way, but in a haunted way.
At one point I felt physically ill when I realised I couldn't stall any longer; I was going to have to progress the plot, and I was terrified of what I might discover. In fact, there were multiple points where I wanted to do anything but advance.
I don't know if 'I loved it' or 'I enjoyed it' is the right phrase. At times, the best word for the experience is 'horrible'. I enjoyed it at times, and, at the times the experience was unpleasant, it was unpleasant for the right reasons. I really liked this game. I hated this game. I found it fascinating. I'd recommend it, but I don't know who I should recommend it to.
I suppose my recommendation would be 'take the content warnings seriously, but I recommend Omori if you enjoy a) retro-style pixel-art JRPGs that blend charm with a heavy dose of horror, and b) getting kicked in the gut'.
I'm glad I played Omori. Maybe that's all I can say. I think it's a very impactful, very well-made game, and it resonated with me in ways I wish it didn't.
I'm going to be thinking about this one for a while.
