Bungie Studios' Oni is a gloriously entertaining mish-mash of anime, martial arts, modern violence and dystopian science fiction. It is a game that is bathed in atmospheric tension, taking the form of dazzling settings and fascinating soundtracks. Great emphasis is placed on technology, and the game approaches this theme in an interesting way. Think Equilibrium, where the state uses technology to control its citizens.
Oni zooms right into the basic training of our main character Konoko and instructs us how to do basic acrobatics, punches, kicks, combos and how to wield standard weapons before we begin. Konoko is a female agent for the TCTF -- a kind of secret police operating for the totalitarian government, serving to rid the world of opposition. What is so endlessly refreshing about Konoko is that she does not rely on huge breasts Lara Croft-style to kick some ass, but she is a very real character. Except, she has purple hair.
The story of Konoko and the secrets of the government gradually unfold the more missions you complete and it spirals into a complex conspiracy, adding a surprising amount of depth. Constantly on the edge of startling new revelations, I remember being thoroughly engrossed in the storyline and the wide variety of enigmatic character that Konoko encounters as a secret agent.
I can't say I know an awful lot about PC animation and suchlike, but the graphics of Oni never struck me as mind-blowing, even for 2001. That said, they are completely satisfactory and I appreciate the fact that this game does not solely rely on special effects to be entertaining. Oni has a story to tell and offers dimensional characters to facilitate its storytelling.
But the single greatest aspect to Oni is not its story, but its fighting style. The technique is dizzyingly good and there are so many combos you can learn to use to fight your opponents. It truly offers the best set of fighting skills I have ever seen in a game--fluent, creative, professional. The guns are creative too, but Oni is primarily fighting mode-driven, and I have endless affection for that.
8/10
