Pallor posted a message in the Community forum informing us that Tycho and Gabe of Penny Arcade fame have created a new Oni desktop image.
It's available in 640x480, 800x600, and 1024x768 and can be grabbed from GameSpy.
Another mixed but mostly positive review comes to us from Computer Games Online, citing the same limitations. However, in this one the author recognizes that there is at least some capability to alter Oni's interface, even if he feels this should have been an in-game option.
As it swings between being the best combat PC fighting game in existence and a frustratingly limited one, Oni feels somewhat like a sketch for a much bigger, and better, game. It feels a little like the contractual obligation game—the one Bungie had to finish before moving on to bigger and better things like Halo. Somehow all of the missing pieces can't completely dilute the impact of what is a terrific, if somewhat slight, combat experience. It's so close to being a masterpiece that you'll inevitably be disappointed, but when you step back and look at the whole instead of focusing on the parts, the one thing that stands out more than save limitations or the lack of configuration is the spectacular action. And that's ultimately what matters most.
This paragraph sums up the reviewer's feelings, but the article is still worth a look. I've personally found CGO to be my favored online review site since PC Gamer became a part of Daily Radar, OGR became a part of Computer Games Online and Adrenaline Vault started slowing down.
Kudos to Majic, who attained a copy of the in-store footage that is being supplied for Oni advertisers. Ever step into Electronics Boutique and see the latest games shown on television? This is what we're talking about, but for Oni!
Majic borrowed the VHS from his work, Harvey Norman, in Auckland, New Zealand. It was then converted to digital format and compressed with Apple's QuickTime software. The file is approximately 14.4 MB in ZIP format and the movie is 15:40 with sound, although it's not the highest quality. This is still a must-see if you're interested in seeing killer Oni footage!
Download from these locations:
Harvey Norman is a department store that stocks computers, furniture, and electrical items. We've never heard of 'em, but we're grateful about its existence right about now. ;-)
The NYT published a mostly glowing Oni review (free login required), titled A Feel of Hand-to-Hand Combat , today in section G, page 9. Major thanks to Cataclysm for giving us the heads-up on that. Take a look at a couple of quotes:
...Weapons have become so generic in action games that I can't recall the last time I felt threatened by one. In Oni, the intimidating effect of a good weapon has been rediscovered. A shot from the Mercury Bow leaves a jagged, icy line in its wake that surprises its victim and terrifies its survivor. The projectile fired by the Screaming Cannon shines with a horrid light and bellows like a living thing. I fled it in delicious terror. It reminded me of an energy creature in an Outer Limits episode that had spooked me as a child, and I took great delight in capturing the weapon and turning it on my enemies......And I suspect this would be an even better game were the action and the settings better integrated. To be sure, you can rescue noncombatants from their Syndicate tormenters, and they'll approach you afterward with hypos that restore Konoko's health or extra ammunition. Explosions scorch floors and shatter windows. As in Bungie's Marathon action games for the Macintosh, consoles add wrinkles to the story (there is more to Konoko than meets the eye) as well as unlock doors and deactivate security systems...
Otherwise, things seem to be relatively quiet today. There's a new, mixed-feelings review up at Gaming Age, and OBO also makes note of some interesting information in an update to Alex Okita's website.
To date, the moves displayed up at the official GoD Games Oni site include the following:
If you haven't had the opportunity to get over there, you should. Any game is a lot more fun when you're playing instead of flailing. ;-)
We've got quite a few Oni items for you today, including a couple of interviews!
Interviews:
One additional newsworthy item is that OBO officially verified that the Iron Demon was removed from the game. We had reported rumors on the matter earlier this month. Much appreciation to Matt and Harry for the information, even though it's a bummer. Maybe some ambitious modder will bring the ID back to Oni?
I just grabbed the newest copy of Maximum PC magazine today, and was pleasantly surprised to find an Oni review towards the back! Maximum PC reviews very few games, mainly because it focuses upon hardware... so those games tend to be at either extreme of the suck/kick-ass spectrum. Maximum PC gives Oni doubled nines for technology and gameplay scores. Here are some quotes:
Of course, flinty-eyed shooter fanatics (like most of our staff) may bristle at the thought of not having a rocket launcher to gun down opponents, but answer this question: Which is more fun, (a) shooting an unwitting opponent dead from 20 feet away, or (b) jumping over him while catching his neck between your ankles and slamming him onto the ground as you snap his spine like a twig?This game isn't a Tekken ripoff; it's an elaborate, story-driven adventure that's truly awe-inspiring in scope and design.
Another twist is that you are unable to save your game. Instead, the game auto-saves at predetermined intervals, which is frustrating, yet forces you to rely on skill to advance.
Although Oni isn't as pretty to look at as games based on the Quake III engine, the lack of visual grandeur is made up for with levels that are absolutely gigantic and increadibly realistic.
Enemy AI is also sublimely lifelike.
Oni is the sleeper hit of the year. If the gripping story doesn't suck you in, pile-driving a baddie's head into the ground with your thighs surely will.
Any score of 9 means that MaxPC is handing the product a Kick Ass! award, and kicking two at once seems to just be Konoko's style. Good job, Bungie... you just sold your product to one of the most demanding, critical computer magazines in the industry!
Some of you may not yet have been exposed to OniRes, a site devoted to hacking into Oni. (It's just amazing to see this sort of thing in full-swing weeks before the game even hits store shelves) Acrappa began OniRes only a short while ago, and then it was quickly snapped up by OBO for hosting.
One of the most important features at OniRes is is the downloadable OniTools package. If you have any desire to create an Oni mod at some time in the future, or just to root around and see how Bungie did things, then this is the place to get on the boat.