Oni (computer game)

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ONI
Missing image Oni_PC_cover.jpg Box art for European PC version of Oni
Developer(s)	Bungie Studios
Publisher(s)	Gathering (PC, Mac); Rockstar Games (PS2)
Release date(s)	2001
Genre	Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Teen (T), ELSPA: 15+
Platform(s)	PC, PS2, Mac

Oni is a third-person action game developed by Bungie West, a division of Bungie Studios (now part of Microsoft), and released in 2000. It was Bungie West's first and only game. It was considered an innovation and broke new grounds by blending weaponry with hand-to-hand combat, resulting in a unique, yet familiar game for third-person shooter enthusiasts. Due to technical issues, multiplayer was omitted from the released version, which has seriously disappointed players and affected the game's longevity.

Main storyline (general description)

Oni is inspired by Ghost in the Shell, which explains the game's animé feel and the female protagonist. Its actual storyline follows a general formula: Good guy(s) versus bad guy(s), of which the latter is/are bent on world-domination, but the storyline is nevertheless engaging.

It is the year 2032¹, and you play Konoko, an officer of the Technology Crimes Task Force (TCTF). She was brought up by the state and has an unknown past, a past that was never dug up until the game's story commences.

In the game, Konoko/players will get to vast and varied locations. In these levels, Konoko would encounter different classes of enemies, with each class having its own set of lethal moves. As she advances further, she will encounter enemies that put her hand-to-hand combat skills to test. She will also gradually discover her past, and eventually uncover a plot by the Syndicate that causes the world's fate to hang in the balance.

¹ There have been debates as to whether 2032 is the actual year of the game's setting as the manual has never clearly stated this to be so. It is only given that the World Coalition Government was formed in January 12th 2032, and as the game progresses, the possibility of the in-game storyline actually being set in 2032 gets lesser.

Gameplay and features

Players of third-person shooters would find Oni's weapon-system familiar and would feel at home using the varied arsenal in the game. Although there are only two kinds of ammo (ballistic and energy cell), there are several weapons, ranging from handgunds to rocket launchers:

• Ballistic weapons

Campbell Equaliser Mk4, The TCTF's standard issue sidearm, a ten round pistol with high recoil. High accuracy, low damage.

Hughes Black Adder SMG, a Syndicate 30 round suppression gun, similar to the Uzi. It is less accurate than the Campbell Equaliser, although its firing-rate is higher.

SBG Man-Portable Mortar, a grenade launcher referred simply as Superball Gun. Extremely powerful, and when fired correctly or a direct-hit occurs, it is almost always a one-shot kill even for Bosses(!).

Scram Cannon, The Syndicate's weapon of terror, a rocket launcher capable of firing several rockets at the same time which home in at the desired target. The homing sensors work only at a certain distance. Use it to your advantage when used against you.

Mercury Bow, a long-range gun that usually requires only one shot to kill, with deadly accuracy and speed, hence, it can be considered a sniper rifle, despite the lack of a usable scope.

• Energy Cell weapons

SML3 Plasma Rifle, a medium-range rifle that fires a yellow fireball-like projectile. The projectile moves slowly so you should compensate for the speed by leading a laterally moving target.

Phase Stream Projector, a handgun capable of firing a continuous stream of energy which staggers or topples an enemy on contact. Good for suppression but difficult to use as a lethal weapon.

Van de Graaff Pistol, the game's stun gun capable of disabling more than one enemy at close range. However, it does little damage, and its effect is worn off once the victim is hit.

Screaming Cannon, a strange weapon that unleashes a Screaming Cell, an "out of this world" entity that feeds on life force. This weapon can find its way to a living being, although it does so slowly. Running fast away from it will keep you safe, since the energy of the projectile will run out quite quickly.

• Unknown

Wave Motion Cannon, a vehicle weapon converted to (super)human use, is a much more powerful mix of the Phase Stream Projector and the Superball Gun. It can be used only twice, both when meeting Barabas. While it's being used by Konoko, she cannot jump or dodge, and can only walk very slowly. This is the only weapon with secondary mode of fire. Secondary mode fires a red projectile that causes some damage.

"Fireworks" , a mini-weapon not immediately available in-game that is used by Mukade to fire orange firework-like projectiles that track the target's movements and cause considerable damage. As a tracking weapon, it is faster than the Screaming Cannon, although damage is lower.

However, what makes Oni truly unique is the choice of using hand-to-hand combat, a genre of gameplay previously found only in console games. Since the player is only allowed to carry one gun at a time and if the player picks up a weapon where the corresponding ammo is scarcer it can remain empty for large parts of the level, hand-to-hand combat eventually turns out to be more common than the use of weapons. Advertised as the key feature, the combat system lived up to expectations. The heroine has punches, kicks, throws, flips - basically anything that would turn enemies to a pulp - at her disposal. There are also 'special moves' that unlock as she progresses. Enemy classes has their own set of moves.

Unlike console games, the main character (Konoko) has an entire level to be her combat arena where she can explore and move about freely, instead of being confined to a small arena and fighting a small group of enemies as is the case of most, if not all, console games, although recent such games has started to develop on this aspect.

The game allows Konoko to explore 14 levels of varied sizes, ranging from medium sized to huge, entire-building levels. These levels include research facilities and a truly massive atmosphere processor. Most of these levels in Oni have a futuristic feel to them, with heavy use of metallic and bland, grey textures to highlight them. Bungie had gone to the extent of hiring real architects to design the buildings in the levels, resulting in levels that are 'architecturally sound', meaning the levels would be logical and has the look and feel of real buildings.

The animation system implements something called 'interpolation' that has the animation engine fill in 'in-between' animations that makes the animation smooth which means Konoko can switch from one animation to another smoothly. It also enables the characters to execute combat moves with surprising fluidity.

External links

Bungie Studios Oni section (http://bungie.net/Games/Oni/)
ONI Central (http://oni.bungie.org/)
ONI Online (http://www.3dactionplanet.com/oni/)
GOD Games official site (http://oni.godgames.com/)

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