“Everything is okay.” Although really it’s not, for titular protagonist Omori/Sunny, as he alternates between his bright, fun friends in his dreams with the lonely and terrifying reality of a dark house and repressed memories. Emotions are important, and it’s ok to be scared, or sad, angry, or happy. Released just a couple months ago, Omori has bloomed into a fully formed game from its humble Kickstarter origins. Given its continued comparisons to Undertale, and my love for that game, I had to check it out, and what I found looks promising.

Originally planned as a graphic novel or a web series, Omori is an indie RPG that was released on December 25, 2020 after nearly six and a half years of development. Funded by a Kickstarter campaign in 2014, Omori reached its funding in a single day, although the project was ultimately delayed until more recently, likely due to the small team size. Given the hand drawn animation and art style of the game, this was likely a necessary choice in order to release the game at the quality that it is today, which looks phenomenal. With the RPG Maker-like overworld, and the charming NPCs, it’s no wonder people compare it to the hit that Undertale was, given their similar origins. In addition to Undertale, Omori also pays heavy homage to EarthBound, and personally reminds me of OFF in its style and themes.

While the game is incredibly cute and charming, there are some very serious topics and themes that are core to the gameplay. Here is what the developers have chosen to put as an advisory on the Steam Store page for the game: 

“This game contains depictions of depression, anxiety, and suicide, and may not be suitable for all audiences. It also contains bright flashing imagery that may cause discomfort and/or seizures for those with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.“

With an Overwhelmingly Positive rating, and the highest user generated tag being ‘psychological horror’, Omori cements itself solidly within the top ratings for its genre on Steam, among both Doki Doki Literature Club and Phasmaphobia. And with an equally unsettling website, Omori reminds me of so much interactive fiction from the early internet, loosely connected codes and ideas making a feeling more than a word. To see the site itself, click here: www.omori-game.com

With an unconventional battle system centered on emotions, and an entire cast of cute, memorable characters waiting in the wings, Omori is facing the test of its first few months with pride, after a long battle of development and publishing. At just under $20 for upwards of 20+ hours of gameplay for just the main story, Omori is absolutely worth checking out for fans of horror and RPGs alike. Until then, keep your friends close at hand and everything will be ok.

Originally written and published April 12th, 2021