If the name “Omori” sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because the quirky little horror game was successfully Kickstarted last summer, managed to accrue the $180 000 required to meet the stretch goal for a 3DS port.
Now, after almost half a year of silence, the game’s website has updated to confirm two things: it’s still on-track for a 3DS release, and it’s expected to launch on both the handheld and PC sometime in 2016.
The game, which is strictly a psychological horror experience (so no jump scares, sorry Five Nights at Freddy’s fans), puts you in control of the titular Omori, an introverted otaku whose gender is decided by the player. The world of Omori takes place entirely within two worlds: a blank nothingness known as the White Space, and a sprawling pastel utopia populated by over 60 unique NPCs and dungeon-dwelling monsters. The events of the story seem to be either caused or manipulated by a strange omnipotent feline called Omocat, who you can see looming in the background of many of the game’s areas.
Omori seems to be something of a spiritual successor to Earthbound, in terms of both gameplay and presentation. Over the course of their quest, the player will be joined by a party of other oddball characters, all of which can be renamed to your liking. Since this is a horror game, the RPG battle system is based on the emotions and conditions suffered by disturbed humans, and judging by its debut trailer, is certain to unsettle the uninitiated.
Although its 2016 launch is still far off, Omori‘s unique charm and intrigue make it one you’ll want to keep an eye on.
