Tokyo RPG Factory has a reputation for creating modern-day role-playing games that capture the spirit of the genre’s classics. Its latest title continues this tradition. Last week, I got to check out a preview of Oninaki. Like I Am Setsuna and Lost Sphear before it, Oninaki is a visually arresting game containing tried-and-true RPG mechanics. It’s also surprisingly emotional and resonant.
Oninaki’s main theme focuses on the cycle of reincarnation. You play as a Watcher, whose job is to ensure the spirits of the deceased move on to the afterlife. Helping to fulfill this task are creatures called Daemons, who provide the game’s version of Jobs (think Final Fantasy). Throughout the journey, the Watcher must enter a spirit world called the Veil and destroy dangerous creatures. As the game progresses, the Watcher unravels the mysteries of the world and learns the meaning of life and death.
The demo I played consisted of two parts. The first half was the opening of the game. You see the main character as a young boy who loses both of his parents. He cannot grieve for them as doing so will prevent them from resurrecting. When the boy grows, he decides to become a Watcher and help spirits move on. From the jump, Oninaki doesn’t pull any emotional punches. Don’t let the cute graphics fool you, this game will tear at your heart.
After the short intro, I launched into the game proper. My first task was helping the spirit of a lost spirit boy see his living parents one final time. Accomplishing this wasn’t easy since I had to contend with a field of monsters and solve a number of puzzles.
Oninaki is an action RPG. Those used to hack-n-slash titles will feel at home with its basic controls. Sword attacks feel tight and responsive. There is no dodge button, but most enemies telegraph their attacks, giving you time to move out of the way. The game has no qualms with throwing multiple bad guys at you. The overhead isometric camera ensures you see everything happening around you.
Daemons help to spice up combat. These spirits allow the character to unleash devastating special attacks. The first Daemon in my arsenal gave me a forward-thrusting sword attack that dealt massive damage. There is a cooldown period every time you use one of these attacks. This prevents players from spamming the same move. It also adds strategy to engagements since it’s best to save specials for the most dangerous opponents.
Each Daemon provides players with new weapons which in turn change up combat. I found a Daemon that let me whack foes with a giant hammer. The hammer dealt greater damage than the long sword but it took longer to use the heavier weapon. This Daemon’s special attack caused meteors to fall from the sky. Though cool, I wasn’t a big fan of this Daemon since the hammer attacks were too slow and got me killed during a boss fight. But if you’re a fan of slow but hard-hitting weapons, you’ll no doubt dig it.
One interesting gameplay aspect is the ability to enter a secondary world called the Veil. It is a dark, twisted version of the living world, only populated with more monsters. You’ll have to switch back and forth between the living world and the Veil to progress. There were a couple of instances where I had to solve puzzles in one world to open up paths in the another. This particular mechanic is something I haven’t seen since the days of Soul Reaver. Going into the Veil is pretty awesome because of how otherworldly the environment is.
After wading through a sea of monsters, I finally made it to the home of the spirit boy. It turned out the reason he had not passed on was that his parents still grieved for him. I won’t spoil what happened, but the ending of this quest came as a complete shock. This simple(ish) mission showed Oninaki isn’t afraid to go to dark places. I’m curious to see how others will react to this specific scene since it is very unexpected.
The second portion of the demo was Battle Mode. Players unlock this after completing the main story. As the name implies, it is a giant zone where you beat the hell out of endless waves of monsters. I had access to four Daemons in Battle Mode. This gave me a good feel for what players will have at their disposal later in the game. The two new Daemons allowed me to use a spear or a scythe and I was able to use four special attacks with each weapon. As before, using a special ability initiated a cooldown period. However, with so many specials at my disposal, I could use multiple attacks while others recharged. If you strategize it correctly, you can continuously unleash special attacks. This aspect alone has me curious to see how insane combat will get and what combinations one can pull off.
Oninaki is graphically similar to I Am Setsuna and Lost Sphear. Like its predecessors, the game has a decidedly anime visual quality. The characters and monsters all share traits you’d find in the medium. I’d say the main graphical difference between Oninaki and its predecessors lies with the muted color palette. Oninaki is a game about death and reincarnation so its fitting it has an almost “dead” color theme. With that said, the graphics pop out of the screen and are very eye-pleasing. If you’re playing it in handheld mode on Switch, I think you’ll appreciate it even more.
I am a fan of both I Am Setsuna and Lost Sphear so Oninaki easily won me over. It feels simultaneously familiar and unique. The combat is solid and I like the ability to swap fighting styles mid-battle. My session lasted an hour but I enjoyed the experience and want to play more. If you’re a fan of Tokyo RPG Factory and/or Japanese Role-Playing games, Oninaki is worth keeping an eye on when it lands on PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch on August 22.
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