Imagine if you could marry the adventure and acrobatics of the
Tomb Raider games to the martial-arts action found in pure fighting games like
Tekken. If you have a clear picture of what that would be like, you've got a handle on
Oni from Bungie Studios. It's a third-person-perspective action-adventure fighting game, but with a distinct Japanese animation flavour.
The story concerns the TCTF (Technology Crimes Task Force) police sometime in the future. Konoko is an operative with a cybernetic uplink to a little girl android named Shintama. She becomes embroiled in the hunt for a criminal named Muro and his hulking bodyguard, and her battles with his thugs rage through office buildings, chemical plants, an airport and even the TCTF headquarters itself.
It's a simplistic story: high on the melodrama, but perfectly in keeping with its anime intent. Like the story, the action serves that goal as well. Oversized rifles, bizarre rocket launchers, plasma cannons and freeze guns make up the arsenal and, should those run out of ammo or get knocked from one's hand, fists and feet complete the set. Konoko can execute a multitude of fairly easy-to-perform flips, combos and devastating punches and kicks. Combat is fierce and always challenging, yet never dull. The animation is flawless and fun to watch, while never being overly gory or tasteless. Think of the jaw-dropping combat in The Matrix and you've got a taste of Oni's action.
Oni a refreshing kung-fu alternative to the typical run-and-gun action gaming fare. And you will find Konoko herself a fascinating protagonist to boot (pun intended). --Andrew S. Bub