Ah Oni, I rented this twice from Blockbuster, and both times I gave up at that first level because of the lack of SFX. The first time I thought I had a scratched disc. The second time I just assumed that the game must be bad because of the lack of effort. (Not a fair conclusion in hindsight, but hey, I was very young then haha)
Right, I was looking up other versions to verify that it was intentionally designed that way and couldn't believe it. But that is indeed how they made it.
Oh no... He's playing the ps2 version... Oh no! He's emulating the ps2 version! Glad you saw it through. It has become my new obsession as I began to figure out the combat and the levels. I also enjoyed your commentary on the levels. They were designed by architects, which is why the airport just feels like an airport. Also the game was rushed out because of the Microsoft buyout. One of the great tragedies of our time
@@evprince be sure to use the anniversary mod collection. It fixes a lot of problems and improves quality of life. If you use texture packs, note that they can't all be used at the same time. Severed texture version 3 is what I recommend using. You have to map out the controller with something like xmapper unfortunately
@@evprinceUnsure if you have heard this, but in an interview with Hardy LeBel, he basically goes "never play the console version, it's terrible". Apparently Rockstar fumbled the bag.
th-cam.com/video/jbrPu15jjPs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8WpGea651bzGEx70 This guy's video does a great job explaining the history of the game. Why it feels rushed, and how the console port was God awful.
Ever since i have played the game as a child i thought they would make more of it and as i grew older and realized that they left it, It made me very sad because i really enjoyed the game and the combat and the story, i really wish they expand on konoko's story and the oni game in the future That game is my childhood
You should play the PC version. The hand-to-hand combat is the best I've ever seen in a 3D game. One of my all-time fav games. I strongly disagree with most of what you've said, but we've played 2 different games (PS2 vs. PC) and maybe that's why. The story makes a lot of sense IMO. Konoko is a crime fighting operative and she doesn't need to know the Syndicate's (not Muro's) ultimate goal. She's like a policeman who doesn't need to know why you'd stolen a car. There's a modding framework called Anniversary Edition, where you have a lot of upgrades (hi-res resolution, upgraded textures etc.).
Really? Yeah hm. Like I said I didn't play the PC version. It's very possible a lot of these issues are fixed there. I'll note down to revisit this one later!
This game is hands down the best game bungi ever made. Halo doesnt hold a candle to it. PC version of course. Does it have bugs ? Is it rough around the edges, yes and yes ... and its still better imo than halo.
Konoko was special, at least to me. I never personally played it in my early years, but when I first played it, it was a fun experience. I actually made a little 3D scene of Mokoto kicking Konoko in the face.
Very cool honest review, I watched it all! so cool that you synced the footage with your review, you make a lot of valid points that I never looked into, Muro's world domination plan for eg, I didn't think you would re-view it at the end, It must've been really hard making this review even with cheat codes, well done, i enjoyed it!! thanks I agree the sunset fight with Barabas is so epic It has its unique moments Konoko Is Muro's Brother Oh My Gosh!!! haha what a surprise
I loved this game as a kid. I always thought the combat was top notch and really enjoyed the fights :) Edit: To add, played it on PC even back then. Mouse+keyboard alleviated a lot of the problems with the controls and aiming.
Basing your experience on the PS2 port of Oni is a disservice to the poor developers of the game. The crunch they endured was as horrid as you'd expect with literally Apple and Microsoft both jumping at Bungie to make the purchase, and unfortunately for Bungie West, their team was the bargaining chip to sell their franchise to Take-Two so Microsoft wouldn't have to deal with it. The sale of Oni to Take-Two meant the team was forced to put the game out early, scrapping their plans and crunching their lives away (literally) to just get the game out. Rockstar "developed" the port with only a week of communication with the team and the Oni team to this day regrets how poorly Rockstar's project turned out. They love what they were able to make and appreciate the cult following. Take-Two, on the other hand, is content to sit on the franchise for over two decades and let it collect dust in their collection of discarded licenses.
to anyone who wants to play this in 2024, GET THE PC VERSION because one of the old devs once said in an interview that Rockstar actually didn't second checked the game in order to port it to ps2 (Rockstar's dev role in Oni is just about the PS2, not the whole game) so they just did add a intro section and just that, also try to change key configs outside of the game there are no keybind options in game, and since the game has no Lock On mechanics playing with a controller makes it annoyingly hard! also I recommend using the Anniversary Edition Seven fan made patch for resolution and widescreen fixes and access more fun mods! even after all these years the community is really passionate!
I legit love this game. It has one of the most unique, dynamic, fluid, and intuitive 3d melee combat systems ever. It allows you to shift between TPS and fully featured complex hand to hand combat on the fly... similar to Dante's Weapon & Style Switching in Devil May Cry 4 & 5. There's really nothing quite like it. The original PC game is fricken awesome. The PS2 Port on the other hand... PS2 port was butchered nigh unplayable garbage, due to its ridiculous & constant framerate dips whenever there were particle effects of any kind or too many enemies... or the map was too large... so all the damn time. Also the control scheme was godawful & legit tendonitis inducing. IT mapped a complex fully 3d beat em up with intricate fighting game style inputs... to a control setup designed for third and first person shooters. It absolutely DESTROYS your hands... and ensures you accidentally whip out your guns when you're trying to run, attack, and or do anything aggressive with the sticks... like inputing special moves. What's more those framerate dips I talked about earlier effect input timing... and can actually drop your inputs entirely... rendering special moves, counters, & platforming (which there is a lot of) a crapshoot at best. FUN FACT: This game is WHY I wanted a PS2... god what a fool I was. Still have a soft spot for it though, and consider it a guilty pleasure. FUN FACT 2: TH-camr Guru Larry Bundy Jr. Did some of the promotional art for this game.
finished this today on ps2. exact same thoughts as the ones expressed in the video! couldn't have said it better myself. I really, really wanted to like this game; like, badly. I love fighting games and tps as well (Sleeping Dogs, Sifu, Vanquish... these are all favorites of mine), but mostly I love great plots in games. after watching some gameplays and after reading how "good" the story was, I decided to pick it up and play it as soon as possible. shortly: rarely I had fun playing it. it got so frustrating in certain areas I really wanted to quit. over-aggressive enemies (the ones with machineguns... jesus christ), non-responsive controls, clunky combat moves that are almost impossible to activate and THOSE aseptic, eyestraining enviroments. I decided to bear all this shit and continue the game just for the sake of the plot. I admit it: at the beginning it seemed fine, and as you said, that retro '90s anime style got me hooked (and I really liked Konoko and Shinatama, for all that matters). then the second half kicks in and it just felt so, so poor. barely even written and mostly nonsense. so much potential thrown away, really, it could have been a good story AND a good game in generale with just some more polish. I just feel like I've wasted time and this is the thing that sucks the most, since the game is not even that long, but dying dozens and dozens of times in the same spots, stretches it unnecessarily to the point of boredom and frustration (I didn't even use cheats except for the end of act 12 which is insane. should have used them since the third mission :I). not even Ninja Gaiden Black, og DMC3 or Dark Souls has ever been this pointlessly punitive sorry for this long comment, I just needed to rant somewhere and this video seemed the perfect place for it, lol. yeah, probably the PC version is much better... but after this experience I'm definitely done with this game (unles a remake will happen, of course)
Dang! Having played it ever since I got my hands on it, almost 20 years ago. I know the original AI in and out, and there are even mods out there that make the AI significantly harder. While I agree the game is very difficult, I often went back to re-do the levels to get more HP and stuff. But I can agree that as an adult, that it's not a completely fun experience.
I dont remember it being as janky as you describe it to be on the PS2 version. Is it an emulator fault? I remember a slight amount of jank compared to the PC version, even without Anniversary Edition, but the amount I'm seeing in your footage is substantial.
I remember this game. The concept art drew me (especially as a preteen or early teen) and I had some salacious Oni wallpaper on my Windows PC for like a year before this came out. I was pumped for it. I eventually lost interest because the game kept getting delayed. The demo dropped one day, I tried it out, was completely bored and then never thought about Oni again. What a waste of potential - totally forgot Bungie and Rockstar had their names on this one.
@@ChaseMC215 Yeah it's like playing Fallout: New Vegas on PS3. You'll get told to go to PC immediately, lol. For a lot of the same reasons! Speaking of which, FNV is now beyond 10 years old, so it's time for a retro recap! Excuse me as I age into the grave.
ON PC not only has Oni lived on due to modders but has remained consistently amazing. PS2 was a BOTCHED port done by people who had no idea how the software works and, according to legend, literally never played it before shipping the PS2 port...
@@BrandanLee I’m not arguing about if the game is still alive (AE), I’m nitpicking at OPs review of a game that came out 20 years ago, of course you will find a 20 year old game lackluster and empty, we had bigger imaginations back then!
Ah Oni, I rented this twice from Blockbuster, and both times I gave up at that first level because of the lack of SFX.
The first time I thought I had a scratched disc. The second time I just assumed that the game must be bad because of the lack of effort. (Not a fair conclusion in hindsight, but hey, I was very young then haha)
Right, I was looking up other versions to verify that it was intentionally designed that way and couldn't believe it.
But that is indeed how they made it.
Oh no... He's playing the ps2 version...
Oh no! He's emulating the ps2 version!
Glad you saw it through. It has become my new obsession as I began to figure out the combat and the levels.
I also enjoyed your commentary on the levels. They were designed by architects, which is why the airport just feels like an airport.
Also the game was rushed out because of the Microsoft buyout. One of the great tragedies of our time
Yeah I've been hearing the ps2 version is pretty bad. I'm noting that I should revisit this with the PC port later.
@@evprince be sure to use the anniversary mod collection. It fixes a lot of problems and improves quality of life.
If you use texture packs, note that they can't all be used at the same time. Severed texture version 3 is what I recommend using.
You have to map out the controller with something like xmapper unfortunately
@@evprince Dude this was my jam on PC. I believe it was made with PC mainly in mind with how well it worked.
@@evprinceUnsure if you have heard this, but in an interview with Hardy LeBel, he basically goes "never play the console version, it's terrible". Apparently Rockstar fumbled the bag.
th-cam.com/video/jbrPu15jjPs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8WpGea651bzGEx70
This guy's video does a great job explaining the history of the game. Why it feels rushed, and how the console port was God awful.
I was a Halo kid and my friend had this but I never played it, also it reminds me ofthat game that nobody remembers called "Remember Me"
Same
I remember about remember me😂 it was such a good game ❤🤞
Ever since i have played the game as a child i thought they would make more of it and as i grew older and realized that they left it,
It made me very sad because i really enjoyed the game and the combat and the story, i really wish they expand on konoko's story and the oni game in the future
That game is my childhood
Bro we have the same story😢
Hey! Now dont make me hurt you!
You should play the PC version. The hand-to-hand combat is the best I've ever seen in a 3D game. One of my all-time fav games. I strongly disagree with most of what you've said, but we've played 2 different games (PS2 vs. PC) and maybe that's why. The story makes a lot of sense IMO. Konoko is a crime fighting operative and she doesn't need to know the Syndicate's (not Muro's) ultimate goal. She's like a policeman who doesn't need to know why you'd stolen a car. There's a modding framework called Anniversary Edition, where you have a lot of upgrades (hi-res resolution, upgraded textures etc.).
Really? Yeah hm. Like I said I didn't play the PC version. It's very possible a lot of these issues are fixed there. I'll note down to revisit this one later!
Art style reminds me heavily of Ghost in the Shell.
That's what they were shooting for. The name oni comes from the Japanese word for demon, but they thought it meant ghost.
i mean... purple hair policewoman bombshell protagonist named... konoko.. like. motoko.. its obvious.
The game is to be played on PC.
It's called oni anniversary edition.
Yeah, I've been hearing this, this will definitely be revisited at some point later.
This game is hands down the best game bungi ever made. Halo doesnt hold a candle to it. PC version of course. Does it have bugs ? Is it rough around the edges, yes and yes ... and its still better imo than halo.
Based 😎
Hey,thoroughly enjoy your videos man.
Konoko was special, at least to me. I never personally played it in my early years, but when I first played it, it was a fun experience. I actually made a little 3D scene of Mokoto kicking Konoko in the face.
This game hand to hand combat is so much better and explorative then most of the modern games, please quit your job
Very cool honest review, I watched it all!
so cool that you synced the footage with your review, you make a lot of valid points that I never looked into, Muro's world domination plan for eg, I didn't think you would re-view it at the end, It must've been really hard making this review even with cheat codes, well done, i enjoyed it!! thanks
I agree the sunset fight with Barabas is so epic
It has its unique moments
Konoko Is Muro's Brother Oh My Gosh!!! haha what a surprise
This game really needs a nightdive style remaster-make
I loved this game as a kid. I always thought the combat was top notch and really enjoyed the fights :)
Edit: To add, played it on PC even back then. Mouse+keyboard alleviated a lot of the problems with the controls and aiming.
Basing your experience on the PS2 port of Oni is a disservice to the poor developers of the game. The crunch they endured was as horrid as you'd expect with literally Apple and Microsoft both jumping at Bungie to make the purchase, and unfortunately for Bungie West, their team was the bargaining chip to sell their franchise to Take-Two so Microsoft wouldn't have to deal with it.
The sale of Oni to Take-Two meant the team was forced to put the game out early, scrapping their plans and crunching their lives away (literally) to just get the game out. Rockstar "developed" the port with only a week of communication with the team and the Oni team to this day regrets how poorly Rockstar's project turned out. They love what they were able to make and appreciate the cult following. Take-Two, on the other hand, is content to sit on the franchise for over two decades and let it collect dust in their collection of discarded licenses.
Whoever drew that Konoko on the thumbnail had masamune shirow style in mind and it looks great
With a bit more heavy shading, it would nail it.
Shading is very much like the first Taimanin Asagi ova.
I sit. In the tutorial room. No fights! No music! JUST TALKING!!
to anyone who wants to play this in 2024, GET THE PC VERSION because one of the old devs once said in an interview that Rockstar actually didn't second checked the game in order to port it to ps2 (Rockstar's dev role in Oni is just about the PS2, not the whole game) so they just did add a intro section and just that, also try to change key configs outside of the game there are no keybind options in game, and since the game has no Lock On mechanics playing with a controller makes it annoyingly hard! also I recommend using the Anniversary Edition Seven fan made patch for resolution and widescreen fixes and access more fun mods! even after all these years the community is really passionate!
I legit love this game. It has one of the most unique, dynamic, fluid, and intuitive 3d melee combat systems ever. It allows you to shift between TPS and fully featured complex hand to hand combat on the fly... similar to Dante's Weapon & Style Switching in Devil May Cry 4 & 5. There's really nothing quite like it. The original PC game is fricken awesome. The PS2 Port on the other hand...
PS2 port was butchered nigh unplayable garbage, due to its ridiculous & constant framerate dips whenever there were particle effects of any kind or too many enemies... or the map was too large... so all the damn time. Also the control scheme was godawful & legit tendonitis inducing. IT mapped a complex fully 3d beat em up with intricate fighting game style inputs... to a control setup designed for third and first person shooters. It absolutely DESTROYS your hands... and ensures you accidentally whip out your guns when you're trying to run, attack, and or do anything aggressive with the sticks... like inputing special moves. What's more those framerate dips I talked about earlier effect input timing... and can actually drop your inputs entirely... rendering special moves, counters, & platforming (which there is a lot of) a crapshoot at best.
FUN FACT: This game is WHY I wanted a PS2... god what a fool I was. Still have a soft spot for it though, and consider it a guilty pleasure.
FUN FACT 2: TH-camr Guru Larry Bundy Jr. Did some of the promotional art for this game.
Please tell me you did not play in PS2?
finished this today on ps2. exact same thoughts as the ones expressed in the video! couldn't have said it better myself. I really, really wanted to like this game; like, badly. I love fighting games and tps as well (Sleeping Dogs, Sifu, Vanquish... these are all favorites of mine), but mostly I love great plots in games. after watching some gameplays and after reading how "good" the story was, I decided to pick it up and play it as soon as possible. shortly: rarely I had fun playing it. it got so frustrating in certain areas I really wanted to quit. over-aggressive enemies (the ones with machineguns... jesus christ), non-responsive controls, clunky combat moves that are almost impossible to activate and THOSE aseptic, eyestraining enviroments. I decided to bear all this shit and continue the game just for the sake of the plot. I admit it: at the beginning it seemed fine, and as you said, that retro '90s anime style got me hooked (and I really liked Konoko and Shinatama, for all that matters). then the second half kicks in and it just felt so, so poor. barely even written and mostly nonsense. so much potential thrown away, really, it could have been a good story AND a good game in generale with just some more polish.
I just feel like I've wasted time and this is the thing that sucks the most, since the game is not even that long, but dying dozens and dozens of times in the same spots, stretches it unnecessarily to the point of boredom and frustration (I didn't even use cheats except for the end of act 12 which is insane. should have used them since the third mission :I). not even Ninja Gaiden Black, og DMC3 or Dark Souls has ever been this pointlessly punitive
sorry for this long comment, I just needed to rant somewhere and this video seemed the perfect place for it, lol. yeah, probably the PC version is much better... but after this experience I'm definitely done with this game (unles a remake will happen, of course)
☝️
Dang! Having played it ever since I got my hands on it, almost 20 years ago.
I know the original AI in and out, and there are even mods out there that make the AI significantly harder.
While I agree the game is very difficult, I often went back to re-do the levels to get more HP and stuff. But I can agree that as an adult, that it's not a completely fun experience.
I recently watched a few highlander movies, and noticed this game's scenery and story were highly inspired by one of them.
I loved this game! Muro looks different if you shoot griffin.
I played the PC version, still my favourite game of all time!
I hope Bungie remake this game. Locations, Ui, Ambiences was not good enough. But combat system was great even for 2024.
Surprised you didn’t mention the acid bath she takes.
I dont remember it being as janky as you describe it to be on the PS2 version.
Is it an emulator fault?
I remember a slight amount of jank compared to the PC version, even without Anniversary Edition, but the amount I'm seeing in your footage is substantial.
I think a lot of your control issues are from the ps2 version. I never felt oni had bad or unresponsive controls on mac
The PC/Mac version is superior than the PS2 port, a port that Rockstar didn't even double check before release apparently.
I fucking love oni. how is it least known ?!
This game was so cool! I loved it
have never played past the tutorial, lost patience with it
They really made a mess of the PS2 version.
The first game i bought just because the front cover looked awesome. Boy was I disappointed ^^
"On PS2" -- I found your problem, lol.
Try it on PC it'll radically change your perspective.
My god... how could you be so bad at the combat 😂❤
The guy play the PS2 version lol 😂😂😂
I remember this game. The concept art drew me (especially as a preteen or early teen) and I had some salacious Oni wallpaper on my Windows PC for like a year before this came out. I was pumped for it.
I eventually lost interest because the game kept getting delayed. The demo dropped one day, I tried it out, was completely bored and then never thought about Oni again. What a waste of potential - totally forgot Bungie and Rockstar had their names on this one.
And you are playing in PS2🤣🤣🤣 How poor are you? I would suggest play it in PC.
This guy doesn't get it...
Oh he is well aware of the PC release, since many told him about it.
@@ChaseMC215 Yeah it's like playing Fallout: New Vegas on PS3. You'll get told to go to PC immediately, lol. For a lot of the same reasons!
Speaking of which, FNV is now beyond 10 years old, so it's time for a retro recap! Excuse me as I age into the grave.
Why are we reviewing a 20 year old game? Such a pointless video…. Of course nothing will hold up in 2024, did you expect anything differently????
ON PC not only has Oni lived on due to modders but has remained consistently amazing. PS2 was a BOTCHED port done by people who had no idea how the software works and, according to legend, literally never played it before shipping the PS2 port...
@@BrandanLee I’m not arguing about if the game is still alive (AE), I’m nitpicking at OPs review of a game that came out 20 years ago, of course you will find a 20 year old game lackluster and empty, we had bigger imaginations back then!
Many many games hold up to and actually surpass games that come out in 2024/25. Very strage comment