Oni (computer game)
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| ONI {{#if:{{{image|}}}|<tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">{{{image|}}} | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Bungie Studios {{#if:{{{publisher|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Publisher(s)<td>{{{publisher|}}} |
| Release date(s) | 2001 |
| Genre(s) | Third-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player {{#if:{{{ratings|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Rating(s)<td>{{{ratings|}}} |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, PS2, Mac OS 9, Mac OS X {{#if:{{{media|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Media<td>{{{media|}}} |
Image:Oni icon.png 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 innovative 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 disappointed players and affected the game's longevity.
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Storyline
Oni is inspired by Masamune Shirow's manga and anime, Ghost in the Shell. The game's animé-like design and female protagonist reflect Shirow's work.
The game takes place in the year 20321 2 3. The player assumes the role of Konoko, an officer of the Technology Crimes Task Force (TCTF). Konoko has been brought up by the state and has an unknown past.
Konoko encounters different classes of enemies throughout the game, engaging them in hand-to-hand combat. She also gradually discovers her past, and eventually uncovers a plot by the Syndicate for world domination.
Gameplay and features
In Oni, there are several ballistic and energy cell weapons, including handguns, rifles, and rocket launchers.
Image:Oni PC screenshot.jpg Oni features 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 ammunition can be scarce, hand-to-hand combat eventually turns out to be more common than the use of weapons. The heroine has punches, kicks, throws, and flips at her disposal, as well special combos and "super moves" that unlock as she progresses through levels. Each enemy class also has its own set of moves.
The main character, Konoko, can use the entire level as her combat arena. She can explore and move about freely, instead of being confined to a small arena and fighting a small group of enemies (as in the case in many console games of that era).
The game allows Konoko to explore 14 levels of varied sizes, ranging from medium-sized to large, entire-building levels. Bungie hired a professional architect to design the buildings for authenticity. When released, one criticism often leveled at the game was that of the sparse, bauhaus nature of the levels, citing a lack of malleable in-game objects and an overall sterile feel. For the game's enthusiasts, however, the size and explorability of the levels more than compensates for this perceived weakness.
The animation engine implements a method of interpolation which tweens key frames, enabling the characters to execute combat moves smoothly.
Footnotes
- 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.
- 2 According to Konoko's in-game diary, November 22 was a Monday. This is true for the years 2032, 2038, 2049, et cetera.
- 3 Officially confirmed to be set in 2032 by Bungie.net's Oni FAQ, although this is still debated due to how tightly the events of Oni would have been packed together, and that the FAQ went up during the Bungie/Microsoft take over.