Introduction

Remember simpler games that felt like whimsical experiences? When I used to play games on the PS1, I felt there were a multitude of games that didn’t throw you into the role of a super soldier or space marine. Instead, you were a normal kid fighting against the forces of evil. That’s why when we got a review copy of Onirism from developer Crimson Tales, I was very curious. In this almost fairytale-like setting, you play as a normal little girl who uses weapons that aren’t just machine guns or rockets but water pistols and a literal umbrella. Yeah, Onirism screamed my past gaming experiences. Is Onirism a nostalgic trip through good memories or a nightmare of an experience? I’ll find out here in my review of Onirism for the PC! Thanks again to Crimson Tales for the review code!

Gameplay

After her stuffed rabbit BunBun is taken by an otherworldly evil hand, Carol grabs her umbrella and follows the hand through a strange rift. Now in the world of Crearia, Carol must fight strange malevolent forces to save her best friend. Yes, the idea sounds ridiculous, but I know when I was a kid, I would fight armies for my stuffed dog and polar bear—true story.

Onirism is a mix between a third-person shooter—which can be turned into a first-person shooter via the menu, and I highly recommend doing so—and an adventure game, almost like Jak 2 from the PS2. As Carol, you will need to defeat various beings using over 300 tools and weapons. Some of these are actual weapons, but there are also foam guns, water guns, energy weapons, and more. Onirism knows that you aren’t a killing force but, again, a little girl who just wants her BunBun. Aside from that silly notion, Onirism isn’t afraid to put the player back into the mindset of a child—where imagination made everything a weapon.

Now, as goofy as these weapons sound, you’ll still be able to do a lot with them while running and gunning like Carol took notes from Serious Sam. As I said earlier, you may want to put Onirism in FPS mode when aiming your guns, as the third-person shooting is a bit too radical. I was missing most of my shots, and while I’m not the next great Fortnite legend, I’m still decent at third-person shooters but felt I was missing 90% of the time. FPS mode makes aiming more precise and still allows you to slide and switch to your melee attacks (dive kicks and umbrella strikes) without issue. You’ll need precision too, as enemies won’t hold back when launching everything at you—especially the bosses.

Where I think Onirism misses a note is the platforming, which is a bit all over the place. Sometimes I could make a jump and hit the mark without any issue; other times, I felt transported into a NES game, missing jumps by a small margin. It’s not a big deal, but in a game that prioritizes platforming and adventuring, I do wish Onirism’s jumping and movement were a bit more precise.

At launch, I wasn’t able to play the other modes, but the developers went to work and got most of them functioning. The online mode is still coming soon, but there are several other modes that players can either play alone or with others via local play. These modes are themed after other multiplayer shooters, but one that really stood out to me was the Tales Mode, which felt like COD’s Zombies mode. Here, you survive wave after wave of zombies, killing them with various weapons and tools while unlocking new areas to help you last longer. These modes aren’t necessary to enjoy Onirism, but they provide a bit of extra content when you grow tired of the main game or just want something different to play.

Graphics

When Carol entered this bizarre fairytale or dream world, I was honestly blown away. Visually, Onirism is gorgeous. The backgrounds flood your senses with color and vibrancy, while character designs look like they came straight from a kid’s imagination. I often didn’t mind getting lost just looking at every area I entered to see what new location awaited me. There are so many different settings and landscapes in Onirism—many of which are references to various games and media—that I can’t tell you which is my favorite! Onirism is a visual stunner without a doubt and easily one of its biggest strengths.

Sound

Okay—aside from the great graphics, Onirism has a pretty powerful OST. What I loved about my time with Onirism is that the music consistently changed and was never dull. K-pop artist AleXa (Bomb / Wonderland) even voices Carol! AleXa is hilarious, often capturing the persona of a young girl with attitude and heart. Hearing some famous lines thrown in from various movies and shows was also a nice touch. Onirism looks good and sounds good—that’s a rare combination for an indie game!

Story

I’m never against having a strong female lead in any game. Onirism takes that up a few levels with a young girl who has serious spunk and attitude. Carol is a heroine who doesn’t need to be rescued or rely on others for help—she’s got her trusty umbrella, her arsenal of weapons, and her desire to save BunBun! The story in Onirism isn’t particularly original, but I smiled while playing. There’s just something endearing about jumping back into my imaginative days and remembering when I took magical adventures to save friends or loved ones. Onirism’s story delivers a relatable, child-like tale made for all ages to enjoy.

Conclusion

Onirism came out in the wrong gaming era, to be completely honest. That isn’t saying the game is any less great, but I feel it will never reach the praise it deserves. Had this been released maybe a decade ago, I think Onirism could have become a franchise as fun as it is. While not perfect, Onirism is an easy recommendation for those who miss their older gaming days and need an enjoyable adventure title to play. There is planned multiplayer coming too, and if that is good, I’ll update this review with more information. As it is though, Onirism is solid and really returned me to my previous gaming years, which I think is exactly what it set out to do.

—Aaron