OMORI

Are Omori’s RPG systems all that nuanced or thrilling to engage with? Not really. Yet, it works well enough and some of its battles will stick with me far longer than many finely tuned fights I’ve experienced in turn-based RPGs due to their thoughtful incorporation into specific parts of the story. Ultimately, the reason to play this game is for the dark and twisting narrative and how it permeates into multiple aspects of the experience. The art, OST, and battle system add essential flavoring to the gameplay. Some pacing, balance, and tonal issues that can’t be denied—but those aren’t at all what I’m coming away from this game thinking about. Omori pulled my heart in directions that few videogames ever have. It brims with a disturbing yet genuine intimacy that, like the rest of the best RPG Maker games, proves how much can still be done with the traditional JRPG format.