Oni
beat-em-up : 1players : PS2 Memory Card : Analogue Dual Shock : Bungie/Rockstar
Result : 5 - beat-em-up.
 | Graphics: 6 - Lush to bland |
| FMV : 8 - Manga madness! |
| Sound : 6 - Some nice quotes |
| Music : 4 - Mostly silent |
| A.I. : 8 - Vicious enemies |
| Lifespan : 6 - A weeks hard gaming |
| Gameplay : 6 - Fun and frustrating |
| Adrenaline : 6 - see above |
The
time is the future, the World Coalition Government is your friend and the Technology
Crimes Task Force ensures the peace. In Oni you play Konoko, a seemingly normal
member of the TCTF. This being a heavily Manga inspired game, things are not what
the seem, and the journey will have lots of death and destruction in between the start and
the finish. This being an action beat-em-up, Konoko has lots of different ways to
dispatch her opponents, mainly with her fists, but also with some unfeasibly powerful
portable weapons. The game is heavily mission based, with some exploration and a
little platforming to boot.
Graphically Oni has some schizophrenia. The draw distance can be huge, but at other times you get fogging, the textures are generally rather bland, but the lighting effects can well done, and things like weapon explosions and the phase cloak animations are rather good. You get slight millisecond pauses at times, mainly when turning or running for some reason. A mixed bag.
Sound is rather average, guns have some nice effects - the Screaming Cannon for example. Most of the game is silent, that's right no music, it normally starts up when you are in a dangerous area or about to fight a boss. I liked Konoko's poses, she normally adds a little quip, but much of the other sounds were forgettable. The FMV sequences are quite good, better than some actual animae.
There's no way around saying it, but Oni is flawed. The preview demos had some amazing stuff, but most got dropped, probably due to system requirements or time limitations (it still shipped late). The nature of the game is epic, and it is fun to play. But it is lacking in many areas, visuals and audio, the level design - touted as being realistic, which is less fun when you have to spend 5 minutes running across a airport runway... and the difficult and frustrating way the save system works. This all detracts from what could have been an amazing experience. We like Konoko, but Oni needs some work still...
Cheats/Hints:
Current Stage
While playing, press SELECT then highlight HELP and press L2, L1, L2, Square, Circle,
Square, L3, R3, L2, L1. If entered correctly then you will hear a sound.
Phase Cloak
While playing, press SELECT then highlight HELP and press L2, L1, L2, Square, Circle,
Square, L1, R3, L2, L3. If entered correctly then you will hear a sound.
Big Head
While playing, press SELECT then highlight HELP and press L2, L1, L2, Square, Circle,
Square, START, Square, Circle, START. If entered correctly then you will hear a
sound.
Tiny Body
While playing, press SELECT then highlight HELP and press L2, L1, L2, Square, Circle,
Square, L3, R3 Square, Circle. If entered correctly then you will hear a sound.
Giant Body
While playing, press SELECT then highlight HELP and press L2, L1, L2, Square, Circle,
Square, R3, Square, Circle, R3. If entered correctly then you will
hear a sound.
Transform into Different Caricatures
While playing, press SELECT then highlight HELP and press L2, L1, L2, Square, Circle,
Square, L2, L2, L2, L2.... Continue to press L2 to change the character.
- One-hit kills
While playing a game, press Select. Highlight "Help", then press L2, L1, L2, Square, Circle, Square, L3, R3, Circle, Square. If you entered the code correctly, you will hear a sound. Konoko can now kill enemies with one hit. Enter the code again to disable its effects.
Infinite health
While playing a game, press Select. Highlight "Help", then press L2, L1, L2,
Square, Circle, Square, R3, L3, R3, Circle. If you entered the code correctly, you will
hear a sound. Enter the code again to disable its effects.
Hard mode
While playing a game, press Select. Highlight "Help", then press L2, L1, L2,
Square, Circle, Square, R3, L3, Circle, Square. If you entered the code correctly, you
will hear a sound. Enter the code again to disable its effects.
Dont get hurt on long falls
If you need to take a BIG jump from a high place when you land it usually hurts. All you
have to do is press L2 to flip but you must flip while near the ground just close enough
so you only have time to flip and land.
Pass the first part of Level 3
Always try to talk with the TCTF agents first (the two in the lobby). The third comes out
sometime later. One will give you a hypo, you'll need it!! Run over to the stairs and sit
there for a second and wait until the fighting starts. Then run up the stairs and like a
chicken with its head cut off. There should be a guy to the right of the stairs (at the
top). Kick and Punch him like crazy. Now if you can save the TCTF agents below by going to
the left of the stairs and on the bridge thing, take them down. (Maybe at least one TCTF
agent has come up). Look out cause the agents below will shoot you, not on purpose, it
just happens. If you are able to do that you are in good shape.
If you have any TCTF agents left over, then they will help by securing the area!! Go back down the stairs... Ok now go and talk with the third TCTF agent (I think he gives you something). After that, Go left in to the room past the door (i think). If you keep on going straight (past the computers) to the door way, there will be two guys on the far side (One has a bomb on him so when you kill him, run away). Run back into the lobby (after they see you). And your TCTF agents will kill them, remember help them out!!!
You get this all done, it should be elementary from their on. Go around on all levels and rooms looking for the computers to get that door open on the top floor. There will be some guys in some rooms, It isnt like they are hard. Just remember to get the guns out of their hands and have some fun with hand-to-hand combat!
