Oni (video game)

The events of Oni take place in or after the year 2032. In the game, Earth is so polluted that little of it remains habitable. To solve international economic crises, all nations have combined into a single entity, the World Coalition Government. The government is totalitarian, telling the populace that what are actually dangerously toxic regions are wilderness preserves, and uses its police forces, the Technological Crimes Task Force (TCTF), to suppress opposition. The player character, code-named Konoko (voiced by Amanda Winn-Lee), begins the game working for the TCTF. Soon, she learns her employers have been keeping secrets about her past from her. She turns against them as she embarks on a quest of self-discovery. The player learns more about her family and origins while battling both the TCTF and its greatest enemy, the equally monolithic criminal organization called the Syndicate. In the game's climax, Konoko discovers a Syndicate plan to cause the Atmospheric Conversion Centers, air-treatment plants necessary to keep most of the world's population alive, to catastrophically malfunction. She is partially successful in thwarting the plot, saving a portion of humanity.

File:Oni PC screenshot.jpg

Oni is a third-person action game, focused on melee combat mixed with some gunplay. The player can punch, kick, and throw enemies; progressing into later levels unlocks stronger moves and combos. There are ten different guns in Oni, including handguns, rifles, rocket launchers, and energy weapons. Power-ups such as "hyposprays", which heal damage, and cloaking devices, which render the player invisible, can be found scattered throughout the levels or on corpses. Since the player can carry only one weapon at a time and ammunition is scarce, hand-to-hand combat is the most effective and common means of defeating enemies.

There are multiple classes of enemy, each with its own style of unarmed combat. Each class is subdivided into tiers of increasing strength. As in Bungie's earlier Marathon titles, tiers are color-coded, in this case by green (weakest), blue, and red (strongest). Also color-coded are the levels of health each opponent has, indicated by a flash when the player strikes or shoots them. Green flashes show the opponent has high health, red flashes show the enemy is near death.

Oni does not confine the player to fighting small groups of enemies in small arenas; each area is fully open to explore. The fourteen levels are of various sizes, some large enough to comprise an entire building. Bungie hired two architects to design the buildings.

The Oni engine implements a method of interpolation that tweens key frames, smoothing out the animation of complex martial-arts moves, but frame slippage is a common problem when multiple non-player characters near the player are attacking.

The game was developed by a core team of about twelve people.{{cite web|first=Jeff|last=Wescott|url=http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/00/dunn/p3.shtml|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000824155730/http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/00/dunn/p3.shtml|title=Interview: Oni Level Designer David Dunn|website=Inside Mac Games|archivedate=August 24, 2000|accessdate=June 16, 2023|url-status=dead}} The game's universe is heavily influenced by Mamoru Oshii's anime film Ghost in the Shell, with some additional influence from Akira and the works of Kenichi Sonoda.{{cite web |author=Al-Shakarchi, Harry |url=http://oni.bungie.org/special/part1/brent.html |title=Interview with lead engineer Brent Pease |publisher=Bungie.org |access-date=22 December 2013 |archive-date=24 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024095440/http://oni.bungie.org/special/part1/brent.html |url-status=live}}{{cite web |author=Al-Shakarchi, Harry |url=http://oni.bungie.org/special/part1/alex.html |title=Interview with concept artist Alex Okita |publisher=Bungie.org |access-date=3 April 2019 |archive-date=14 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314055709/http://oni.bungie.org/special/part1/alex.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite web|first=Alex|last=Kane|date=30 March 2017|url=http://www.glixel.com/interviews/oni-bungies-classic-inspired-by-ghost-in-the-shell-w474297|title=Flashback: 'Oni', Bungie's Cult Classic Inspired by 'Ghost in the Shell'|website=Glixel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705124855/http://www.glixel.com/interviews/oni-bungies-classic-inspired-by-ghost-in-the-shell-w474297|archive-date=5 July 2017|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|first=Michael|last=Watson|date=June 1999|url=http://macledge.com/interviews/oni-reyes/index.chtml|title=Interview with Lorraine Reyes, Art Director/Creative Director of Marketing at Bungie Software|website=MacGamer's Ledge|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001204103300/http://macledge.com/interviews/oni-reyes/index.chtml|archive-date=4 December 2000|url-status=dead}} The original plan was for Konoko to be a cyborg like Ghost in the Shell{{'}}s Motoko Kusanagi. The explanation for her superhuman abilities was changed to be more organic with the addition of the Daodan Chrysalis concept by design lead Hardy LeBel.

Oni was originally expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 1999. Advertising was targeted towards that shipping date, and the game won E3's Game Critics Awards for Best Action/Adventure Game in 1999. However, development difficulties caused the release date to be pushed back continuously. The acquisition of Bungie by Microsoft in 2000 then led to the transfer of the Oni IP to Take-Two Interactive (which owned 20% of the studio prior to Microsoft's acquisition). Since Bungie's employees were moving to the new office location in Microsoft's headquarters or leaving the company, work on Oni had to be completed as quickly as possible. Due to a lack of time to resolve issues with the multiplayer code and to finish the levels intended for use by multiplayer mode, this functionality was omitted from the released version.

A sequel was in development at Angel Studios for two years before being cancelled due to a lack of progress and creative direction.{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/oni-2-was-once-in-development-heres-what-it-looked-like |title=Oni 2 was once in development, here's what it looked like |first=Wesley |last=Yin-Poole |date=7 December 2016 |website=Eurogamer |access-date=31 October 2017 |archive-date=27 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090058/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-12-07-oni-2-was-once-in-development-heres-what-it-looked-like |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/bungie-s-cult-classic-oni-almost-had-a-sequel-1789693658 |title=Bungie's Cult Classic Oni Almost Had A Sequel |first=Heather |last=Alexandra |date=5 December 2016 |website=Kotaku |access-date=31 October 2017 |archive-date=7 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107024130/https://kotaku.com/bungie-s-cult-classic-oni-almost-had-a-sequel-1789693658 |url-status=live}}

Half of the music was composed by Martin O'Donnell in collaboration with Michael Salvatori. Other tracks in the game, which had already been implemented before O'Donnell and Salvatori joined the project, were composed by the music company Power of Seven, which specialized in electronic music genres such as techno and ambient. The Power of Seven team consisted of founder Paul Sebastien, as well as composer Brian Salter and Kim Cascone, who served as a sound designer for the game;{{Cite web |date=1998 |title=Kim Cascone: "blueCube( )" Interview |url=http://spiderbytes.com/ambientrance/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314155110/http://www.spiderbytes.com/ambientrance/cascone.htm |archive-date=March 14, 2017 |website=AmbiEntrance}} the team had previously worked together at Thomas Dolby's audio technology company Headspace. O'Donnell, who served as the game's audio lead, decided to keep the tracks Power of Seven had already composed, while composing roughly the same amount of music himself.{{Cite web |last=Audy-Rowland |first=Nico |date=October 2004 |title=Nico Interviews Marty O'Donnell |url=https://halo.bungie.org/misc/nico_marty_interview.html |access-date=29 July 2022 |archive-date=4 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204030203/https://halo.bungie.org/misc/nico_marty_interview.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=2000 |title=Interview with Marty O'Donnell, Total Audio |url=http://oni.bungie.org/archives/odonnell.interview.html |website=Oni Central |access-date=29 July 2022 |archive-date=28 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128110612/http://oni.bungie.org/archives/odonnell.interview.html |url-status=live}} Select tracks from the game were made available on MP3.com in 2000, a year before the game was released.{{Cite web |last=Mullen |first=Michael |date=April 27, 2000 |title=Bungie's MP3 Contribution |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungies-mp3-contribution/1100-2451769/ |website=GameSpot |access-date=29 July 2022 |archive-date=22 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422172545/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungies-mp3-contribution/1100-2451769/ |url-status=live}} A soundtrack CD of the game's music was bundled with purchases of the game at Best Buy.

{{Video game reviews

| MC = (PC) 73/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/oni-2001/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Oni for PC Reviews |access-date=12 December 2012 |website=Metacritic |archive-date=19 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419065022/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/oni |url-status=live }}
(PS2) 69/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/oni-2001/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=Oni for PlayStation 2 Reviews |access-date=12 December 2012 |website=Metacritic |archive-date=19 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419022930/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/oni |url-status=live}}

| Allgame = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19306&tab=review |title=Oni (PC) - Review |last=Norands |first=Alec |publisher=Allgame |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-date=15 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115055844/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19306&tab=review |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=24182&tab=review |title=Oni (PS2) - Review |last=Thompson |first=Jon |publisher=Allgame |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-date=16 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141116082314/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=24182&tab=review |url-status=dead}}

| Edge = 7/10{{cite magazine |title=Oni |author=Edge staff |magazine=Edge |issue=94 |date=February 2001}}

| EGM = 3.33/10{{cite magazine |url=http://www.zdnet.com/egm/stories/main/0,11589,2685291,00.html |title=Oni (PS2) |author=EGM Staff |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |date=April 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010421185552/http://www.zdnet.com/egm/stories/main/0,11589,2685291,00.html |archive-date=21 April 2001 |url-status=dead}}

| EuroG = 7/10{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_oni |title=Oni Review (PC) |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |website=Eurogamer |date=8 February 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-date=5 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405183502/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_oni |url-status=live}}

| GI = 6.5/10{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200103/R03.0806.1747.56607.htm |title=Oni |last=Reiner |first=Andrew |magazine=Game Informer |issue=95 |date=March 2001 |page=67 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080130065313/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200103/R03.0806.1747.56607.htm |archive-date=30 January 2008 |url-status=dead}}

| GamePro = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/10917.shtml |title=Oni Review for PS2 on GamePro.com |author=Uncle Dust |magazine=GamePro |date=29 January 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050309232313/http://gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/10917.shtml |archive-date=9 March 2005 |url-status=dead}}

| GameRev = B{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/oni |title=Oni Review (PC) |last=White |first=A.A. |publisher=Game Revolution |date=January 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-date=18 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218020653/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/oni |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.game-revolution.com/games/ps2/action/oni.htm |title=Oni - Playstation 2 Review |last=White |first=A.A. |publisher=Game Revolution |date=February 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010331165256/http://www.game-revolution.com/games/ps2/action/oni.htm |archive-date=31 March 2001 |url-status=dead}}

| GSpot = (PS2) 7.1/10{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/oni-review/1900-2680708/ |title=Oni Review (PS2) |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |website=GameSpot |date=31 January 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-date=26 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226014449/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/oni-review/1900-2680708/ |url-status=live}}
(PC) 6.9/10{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/oni-review/1900-2675313/ |title=Oni Review (PC) |last=Kasavin |first=Greg |website=GameSpot |date=17 January 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-date=3 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160903121919/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/oni-review/1900-2675313/ |url-status=live}}

| GSpy = 80%{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespy.com/reviews/january01/oni/ |title=Oni (PC) |last=Thernes |first=Ryan "StoneWolf" |publisher=GameSpy |date=27 January 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010215012834/http://www.gamespy.com/reviews/january01/oni/ |archive-date=15 February 2001 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.planetps2.com/features/reviews/2001/oni/ |title=Oni |last=Alupului |first=Andrei |publisher=PlanetPS2 |date=14 February 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010223171235/http://www.planetps2.com/features/reviews/2001/oni/ |archive-date=23 February 2001 |url-status=dead}}

| GameZone = (PC) 9/10{{cite web |url=http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r11978.htm |title=Oni Review - PC|last=Lafferty |first=Michael |publisher=GameZone |date=9 January 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112014934/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r11978.htm |archive-date=12 January 2008 |url-status=dead}}
(PS2) 8/10{{cite web |url=http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r11978.htm |title=Oni (PS2) |author=The Badger |publisher=GameZone |date=23 April 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010429224740/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r11978.htm |archive-date=29 April 2001 |url-status=dead}}

| Hyper = 90/100 (PC){{cite magazine|last=Jones|first=Gareth|date=March 2001|title=Oni|magazine=Hyper|issue=89|pages=52–53}}

| IGN = (PC) 7.5/10{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/01/31/oni-3 |title=Oni (PC) |last=Adams |first=Dan |website=IGN |date=30 January 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-date=24 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324102605/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/01/31/oni-3 |url-status=live}}
(PS2) 7.3/10{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/02/02/oni-2 |title=Oni (PS2) |last=Perry |first=Doug |website=IGN |date=1 February 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-date=25 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325121241/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/02/02/oni-2 |url-status=live}}

| NGen = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=Oni (PS2) |last=Lundgren |first=Jeff |journal=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=76 |date=April 2001 |page=74}}

| OPM = {{Rating|1.5|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.zdnet.com/opm/stories/main/0,11891,2687487,00.html |title=Oni (PS2) |magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |date=April 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010418052524/http://www.zdnet.com/opm/stories/main/0,11891,2687487,00.html |archive-date=18 April 2001 |url-status=dead}}

| PCGUS = 72%{{cite magazine |title=Oni |magazine=PC Gamer |date=April 2001 |page=96}}

| rev1 = The Cincinnati Enquirer

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=http://www.cincinnati.com/freetime/games/reviews/030701_oni.html |title='Oni' fun in spite of flaws |last=Saltzman |first=Marc |newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer |date=7 March 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001025651/http://www.cincinnati.com/freetime/games/reviews/030701_oni.html |archive-date=1 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}

| rev2 = Playboy

| rev2Score = 75%{{cite magazine |url=http://www.playboy.com/sports/games/oni/index.html |title=Anime Adventure: Oni |last=Ryan |first=Michael E. |magazine=Playboy |date=5 March 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011018164207/http://www.playboy.com/sports/games/oni/index.html |archive-date=18 October 2001 |url-status=dead}}

}}

The game received "average" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Some reviewers were unimpressed by the minimal detail of the environment graphics,{{cite magazine |url=http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=3708 |title=PC Review: Oni |last=Hill |first=Mark |magazine=PC Zone |date=13 August 2001 |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070624090605/http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=3708 |archive-date=24 June 2007 |url-status=dead}} the lack of intelligence on the part of the AI in some situations,{{cite web |url=http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=120&Page=5 |title=Oni |last=Eilers |first=Michael |publisher=Inside Mac Games |date=29 January 2001 |access-date=22 December 2013 |archive-date=17 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217031328/http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=120&Page=5 |url-status=live}} and the plot, which was occasionally criticized as underdeveloped.{{Cite web |url=http://www.firingsquad.com/games/onireview/page2.asp |title=Firing Squad's review |access-date=15 May 2009 |archive-date=10 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010232410/http://www.firingsquad.com/games/onireview/page2.asp |url-status=dead}} The game's difficulty in combination with a lack of savepoints was sometimes cited as a negative.{{cite web |url=http://www.game-over.net/review/jan2001/oni/ |title=Oni |last=Clydesdale |first=Jimmy |publisher=Game Over |date=25 January 2001 |access-date=22 December 2013 |archive-date=25 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425085913/http://www.game-over.net/review/jan2001/oni/ |url-status=live}}

The absence of LAN-based multiplayer, which had been demoed at hands-on booths at Macworld Expos during Oni{{'}}s development, but removed before release due to stated concerns over latency issues, contributed to some lower scores from reviewers. Some of the game's content was cut as well. This included the "Iron Demon", a large mech shown in-game in one trailer. Also, many of the weapons featured in the trailer and the game cover were not in the game.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}

On the positive side, Oni received the most praise for its smooth character animation and large array of fighting moves, as well as how it blended gunplay and melee combat.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamershell.com/pc/oni/review.html |title=Oni Review |last=Misund |first=Andreas |publisher=Gamer's Hell |access-date=22 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303184117/http://www.gamershell.com/pc/oni/review.html |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead}} Thus, reviewers gave Oni mostly average-to-good scores in recognition of the enjoyment factor of the game. When reviewing the PlayStation 2 version, Jeff Lundgren of Next Generation commented that despite the game having a longer development time, it was worth the wait in the end.

In the United States, Oni sold 50,000 copies by October 2001.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_207.pdf |title=GOD's Games |last=Keighley |first=Geoff |magazine=Computer Gaming World |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=207 |date=October 2001 |page=31 |access-date=27 March 2020 |archive-date=9 October 2022 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_207.pdf |url-status=live}}

The "Anniversary Edition" was made by fans and the community, based on years of research, and enhances the retail copy of Oni. The first official release of the edition was made seven years after Oni{{'}}s release, hence the original name of the project, "Seventh Anniversary Edition".{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.oni2.net/Anniversary_Edition|title=Anniversary Edition - OniGalore|website=wiki.oni2.net|access-date=8 November 2019|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414144051/https://wiki.oni2.net/Anniversary_Edition|url-status=live}}

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