To build his strength, Kuuta, the lone survivor of the battle of Onigashima, challenges the departed spirits of demon warriors to trials. All to defeat Momotaro, who is both human and a monster. Kuuta (sky), a demon, and his partner, Kazemaru (wind): a tale of sky and wind as they embark upon an island quest. Time to dive in!
Oni!
The acclaimed Japanese folklore tale of Momotaro is well-known, but it’s time to hear the other side. ONI: Road to Be the Mightiest Oni is an indie adventure game that aims to subvert the traditional narrative that the victors often write. In this game, you play as Kuuta, an oni who travels to the island of Kisejima to gain power and strength by passing difficult trials.
As often seen with games in this genre, Oni begins as soon as Kuuta arrives on Kisejima. You can wander the island at your leisure, although straying too far clarifies that certain areas are blocked off by magic barriers that must be broken down. This is achieved by completing combat challenges that progressively unlock across the island. In these challenges, the perspective shifts; Kuuta throws off his backpack, and you beat down a series of enemies with your club.
Combat & Gameplay
The game’s combat mechanics are simple yet engaging. You have a single combo attack, but enemies can only be truly defeated by destroying their souls. You must be quick; if you fail to kill them in time, they return to their body. Kuuta’s ghost buddy Kazemaru adds to the combat mechanics, and you can control him independently to draw souls out of enemies, teleport Kuuta around, and heal him. This is a decent way of combatting enemies and can often feel like a challenge. Luckily, it never gets frustrating, complex, or soul-like challenging, so don’t worry about the combat too much.
The exploration parts of the game are free for you to explore, and the visually stunning environment is filled with magical floating rocks and other strange elements that add visual flair. Character designs are expressive and charming, all coupled with some excellent animation. Kuuta running around the island on his little legs as he lugs all his possessions on his back is adorable. He’ll typically express himself in cutscenes with exaggerated movements and expressions that make him highly likable. It’s such a shIt’sthat there’s so little to do in the exploration parts of the game. You can pick up collectibles, including mushrooms that act as currency or diary entries from previous visitors to the island. You can also obtain spirits, which can increase your health if you can get them back to a save point without being taken out by aggressive Oni. However, the combat encounters tend to recycle the same fight styles, but the unique boss fights present a welcome break.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack exacerbates the monotonous sensation. While the tracks are not inherently flawed, they are either out of place in this game or overused within specific contexts. The music sometimes feels like it belongs in Tetris rather than this game’s combat game’sters. Although I enjoy the Tetris soundtrack, it is better suited for surreal puzzle environments rather than battles, which is apparent in this situation.
Conclusion.
ONI: Road to Be the Mightiest Oni is an impressive game with stunning visuals and engaging combat mechanics. It offers a fresh perspective on a classic tale and succeeds in putting an exciting spin on it. As you explore Kisejima, the game delves into the themes of struggle and hatred, which are thought-provoking. Interestingly, some of the notes left by previously fallen Oni contain mundane things like shopping lists, highlighting the destruction caused by the supposed legendary hero. The game also introduces characters like Kanna, who is kind and friendly and contrasts her with Kuuta’s negative view of humans. But I can’t shake the feeling that it could have been more. Therefore Oni is probably best played in short gameplay sessions.
