OMNIS may be the single best RM game I've ever played, and it's only just a demo. It is one of those projects where everything comes together so nicely that it's difficult to pick apart into individual aspects. All of the individual elements of music, graphics, gameplay, and story are solid in and of themselves, but there is something truly incredible and immersive about how they are blended together.




Both the graphics and the soundtrack for OMNIS are highly original and effective. Every area of the game has its own distinct and immersive atmosphere. If I understand correctly, these songs and graphics are original works, as well. As for mapping, almost every map feels like it has something that stands out, rather than just the repeat usage of the same graphics as the previous map.

That being said, the graphics do take some getting used to. They are so wildly different than any other RM game that it may take a few minutes for most RPG fans to adjust to them.

One *very* important element of the mapping/gameplay is the mini-map. If any game ever needed a mini-map in the history of gaming (excluding NES--I'm looking at you Faria, you bastard!), it's this one. Fortunately, the game has a mini-map, and it fits nicely with the presentation.




OMNIS has a good story that is made better by how strongly it is interwoven with the game's atmosphere. I do have a couple of suggestions about how the presentation could be made stronger (see my notes below), but even so, it's pretty good and *very* consistent. I found myself talking to NPCs at one point and marveling at how nicely everything they said fit the game world. It is also refreshing how unpredictable the story is. It isn't that the game tries to throw curve balls at you; you just get the feeling that anything could happen and the story could go any number of directions.

It should probably be noted, however, that the introduction is pretty slow and offers very little back-story as to what is going on or why. I honestly didn't develop such a high opinion of the game until it started delivering more in later scenes.

As a minor note, the scene late in the game where one of the characters meets their aunt feels a little rushed and campy in comparison to the rest of the game.




The gameplay for OMNIS is nothing earth-shattering, but it is very solid. Random encounters are well spaced; an art that very few game-designers have the knack for. Battles are simple in concept, but there are enough useful skills to keep things interesting. What is really a marvel is the pacing of the game. Once you get past the slow intro, the story unfolds at a very nice pace that is neither rushed nor drags on and on.

To critique, there are a couple of superfluous skills (like "Steal" and "Cover"), but perhaps some players could find some occasion for them. Also, some gamers will find some of the puzzles frustrating (fuses and secret codes), but they fit their settings well. Lastly, Orphan's Knife Skills could use a tutorial.




OMNIS is a hard game. It's not stupid hard, but it is hard. And it should be. You play as a team that's basically on a suicide mission with the odds highly against them. Resources are scarce, and it keeps the player a little on edge. There was one battle sequence in particular where I was like, "Holy flying expletives, Batman!" but it was so well placed that it made the story that much better. So there's your word of caution when you go to play it; hard games are not everyone's cup of tea.




The main con is that all the weak points are present right at the start of the game. It starts out slow, you have no idea what's going on and little reason to care. Your objective is vague. You just sorta have to feel your way through the battle system. It makes you wonder if the game is going to deliver or not. But rest assured that the game does deliver very nicely only a short ways in. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if the comparatively weak opening turns people away before they get to the good stuff.




OMNIS seems to be a game mostly concerned with telling a story. It uses the mediums of music, graphics, and dialogue to successfully achieve that goal. It is not, however, a game packed full of customization and sidequests. There is no emphasis on grinding or dominating the battle system. It's more of an artfully told story with just the right amount of character control.




Remember how I said this was a tough game to pick apart? Well, that works in reverse too. An average of my individual scorings would yield 4 stars. But taken together, as a completed work, this game produces an experience that is greater than the sum of its parts. My ranking is 4.5, and that even surprises me.