On the surface, it might look like a bit of a joke with its sleepy protagonist stumbling through a bubble gum dreamscape, blasting toys with makeshift weapons that make Fortnite look like a video game nasty, though overlook it, and perhaps the joke is on you?
Like Lucy Dreaming without the pointing and clicking, you play as Carol, who explores the land of Crearia looking for her beloved plushie Bunbun. Yes, I know that it sounds like absolute trash, yet give it a chance, as this is quite an ambitious title.
Locked into Early Access for a time, Crimson Tales’ adventure is now pushing for a full release, and it’s been worth it. I say that like I’ve been following it for some time, but I haven’t. All I can say is that based on the build I’m reviewing here, it’s decent, as certainly ripe.
There are two modes in Onirism: Story and Arcade. Before you dismiss the latter as a casual part or an abridged version, it’s completely different from the main game. In all honesty, these bits didn’t appeal and only touched the tip (ooer), but you can go on the Hunt for high scores, Tales for themed adventures in a variety of biomes, or Playground against your mates. As a narrative-driven whore, I went for the Story mode.
Once again, friendship is the name of the game as you can play this in co-op, though while one of my daughters may relish in this opportunity to smash the shit out of toys as a female lead, she still can’t escape the shackles of Roblox. Meh. Alright, so I’m on my own and going to rescue Bunbun alone.
After a Doom-like selection of difficulty levels, the story kicks in, and it isn’t looking great. Static images mostly tell the tale, but, to be fair, this rescue mission isn’t anything exciting, so let’s get straight into it. Ack! Hearing Carol yell makes me feel awkward playing this character already, and maybe it’s very, very niche. As you recall, I’d said the joke would be on you if you overlooked Onirism, right?
Carol can kick ass. Yes. This child runs around in pink pyjamas and fires a hairdryer at her prey, but get in close for some melee action, and after slapping them silly with an umbrella, she kicks their teeth in like Duke Nukem! The visuals and animation of this game are brilliant, and once you get accustomed to her child-like demeanour (she’s a child…), it’s actually pretty decent.
Melee combat is initially the go-to, and, naturally, there’s no restriction on ammo, and it’s a lot harder-hitting. Take, for example, the kick in the chops. The actual guns, which are triggered by pressing the right mouse button, are very… wet. Though you can’t expect to see enemies explode in a pool of explosive claret, the early guns made Nerf encounters feel like WWII, and close-up action was typically my favourite.
Another aspect of Onirism is how big the world feels, and it is still quite linear. There aren’t restrictive paths as you can go off the beaten track, but it still feels a teeny bit on rails, though perhaps contradictory, there’s no real guidance. The HUD is clean and Crearia is vibrant, which you can see in all its glory if you’re also playing on an ultrawide – it’s impressive. However, there are no objective markers or much in the way of NPC interaction, so using the map is quite a staple.
There aren’t conventional checkpoints, though Onirism is chapter-based. Instead, you find a lampshade that serves as a save point. Carol has a little shuteye, then it’s back to running in slippers, which is still the best way to run. Forget all those expensive kicks – slippers are the way. Anyways…
As gaming becomes a staple of what’s considered normal, and no longer a niche for sweaty NEETs, by now, there are so many 30 and 40-somethings who have grown up playing video games and have their own offspring, they’re desperately looking to convert to their way of life. Onirism is one of those games: to get your kids into some proper gaming experience, escapism, variety, and general fun. I don’t think it’s geared up for the parents so much, but if you can rip their digits away from Roblox for an hour or two, that’s all they’ll need to get into Carol’s world. Definitely one for the kids, definitely worth a look.
