Sticking with the trend of indie games from the last few posts, we have the brainchild of developer OMOCAT, OMORI.
As far as “quirky indie RPGs with themes of dark psychology” go, I’d say OMORI is a masterclass in that field. On the surface, it’s a relatively standard RPG with some unique elements in the emotion system (enemies can spawn angry, happy, or sad), but that basically boils down to your typical “rock, paper, scissors” type of deal. Where the game really shines though, is in its narrative.
I mean, hell, I wrote a whole research paper on the game a few years back (more accurately the influence of games in psychological storytelling, but OMORI was the main reference point). Also, from here on out, probably spoilers.
OMORI starts out rather innocuous, just a group of kids (the titular OMORI and his friends Kel, Aubrey, Hero, and OMORI’s sister Mari) having some whimsical fun in a cute little fantasy world. You run around, fight some equally cute monsters while some cute music plays, water flowers, play hide and seek, etc. The whole time though, something feels ever so slightly off. It feels almost too nice. That thought gets pushed to the back of your mind though (if you’re playing through blind) and you tend to continue on as if nothing was wrong. After a bit more walking about, the titular OMORI’s sister tells him and his friends to go to their friend Basil’s house to look at some photos he took of the group having fun. More innocuous and cute whimsy, I’ll gladly take part, thanks…
Basil drops the photo album, scattering all of the photos about his floor. You help him put them back in their proper spots and all is well… hey, hold on- there’s an extra photo… Where does this one go? Basil recognizes the photo and his face contorts in horror. He locks eyes with OMORI and everything cuts to black. A bedroom fades into view and we’re placed into the control of the game’s true main character, Sunny.
Still reeling from the nightmare, Sunny walks downstairs as someone pounds away at the front door. Arriving at the door, a cheerful voice comes from the other side that identifies itself as Sunny’s older sister, Mari. Oh, we know her! She was in Sunny’s dream, being our helpful guide. Of course we’ll let her in-
Oh.
That’s a horrific apparition.
A horrific apparition masquerading as his sister.
If you hadn’t figured it out by now, the game bashes the fact over your head: Mari is dead.
I probably haven’t done the game justice in my brief intro summary, but I sure as hell did spoil a cool twist. I’m not about to spoil more of this game, so I’ll touch on some other aspects of the game that make it excellent. First up, art.
OMOCAT is an artist/fashion designer by trade, so it’s no surprise that her art is a massively praised part of this game’s experience. The art of each area manages to evoke some unique sense of nostalgia, whimsy, fear, etc. That combined with the fantastic enemy designs creates a very immersive and enjoyable experience (I may or may not have played through the whole game in a single day…). For as much as the art does provide, it by no means carries the whole game. The music of the game adds significantly to each area’s atmosphere as well.
The music of OMORI was crafted by Pedro Silva, Jami Lynne, and bo en. I could gush about how amazing this music is in context (and outside of context), but without giving immense spoilers I could not do it justice. My favorite example of the music’s impact on the emotional storytelling in this game comes quite late in the story, so I don’t really want to put that out there if any readers want to experience the game blind.
Actually, I talk about that moment and the music in general in that old research paper I mentioned, so I’ll actually link it here (please excuse the less than stellar writing, it is pushing three years old at this point and I’ve improved considerably in my writing since then shockingly).
General opinions on this game? It is honestly one of the most influential games I have ever played. I always felt that games were good ways to tell stories, but this game pushed my understanding of games as storytelling media further than it had ever been before. A person who explains why this better than I ever could here is the YouTuber Daryl Talks Games, namely his video “OMORI and Dissociative Amnesia” (also spoilers again). While this focuses mainly on the psychological side of the game’s story, it still makes a good many points on the game’s story. Now, would I recommend OMORI? Hmm…
Is that even a question at this point?
I’ll leave you my Steam review of the game:
Wow. This game has hit me harder than any other game in a LONG time. This is such a beautifully written story with wonderful visuals, music, and gameplay to boot. I’d love to go on about this game for hours, but I’d definitely spoil way too much. I CAN say that it had me glued to my seat for nearly 12 hours straight yesterday, and then a few more today. I remember back when I first played UNDERTALE when it released. I was 15 and played it the whole way through in one day. It did exactly the same thing that this game did. It provided a fantastical emotional tale with bits of humor wound in. No subsequent playthrough of UNDERTALE ever felt as magical as the first. That goes for this game as well. It’s an experience. And frankly, as far as I’m concerned, this game blows UNDERTALE out of the water in all aspects. Now, I’m sure most readers are seeing the UNDERTALE comparison and groaning, but that’s more of a personal comparison. The first thing that came to mind, I guess. Anyway, this review is straying away from review territory and more into rant-y territory. If you’re looking for a story that tugs the heartstrings, keeps you enthralled, and makes you feel a whole range of emotions, I seriously implore you to pick up this game. It is MORE than worth its price tag. Be warned though, this game touches on some sensitive issues involving self-harm/mental health. If you don’t think you can handle that, give it some time and come back when you think you’re ready.
I wrote that review in February of 2021 and my opinion hasn’t changed. Game is a solid 10/10. Go buy it and play it… NOW!