Having played the rest of Quantic Dream's titles (Fahrenheit-Beyond), I was curious to see what the studio's first (and most videogamey title) was like. As it turned out, Omikron ends up making the rest of David Cage's games, even the madness of Fahrenheit, look well made by comparison. There are three core mechanics (exploring, fighting and shooting), none of which come off particularly well. Exploring is interesting at first, but relies on pixel hunts on occasion, and has abysmal platforming mechanics. Fighting is fast-paced and does feature interesting combos and grab moves, but can all too often be passed simply by mashing a basic 1-2 punch. Shooting initially seems to be polished, but is soon brought down by ultra-accurate enemies, damage for falling from minor heights and the apparent inability to change weapons. All in all, Omikron feels untested, as if the developers managed to get one good run and called it a day. The game's sound design is wildly inconsistent - background music often drowns out dialogue or cuts out at key moments, while initially cool songs quickly become repetitive after overstaying their welcome. As this is a retro review, graphics get a free pass; the only criticism here is the limited number of NPC models and the occasional dead stare and 'open fish mouth' given by characters in cutscenes. One unique point of Omikron is its character-possessing ability, which works in some places but more often than not forces you into a weaker body that only has one use before being discarded, which goes against the game's story of saving (and caring about) the virtual world and denizens. Overall, Omikron comes off as half-baked adventure game, that either aimed much too high in the first place or was only given a once-over before being approved for publication. n.b If GOG's system had it, I'd give the game 2.5 stars.
Whilst the demo of Fahrenheit may lure you in with a tension-building diner scene, that section is no indication of the mishmash that follows. The initial premise is intriguing - Lucas evades the law whilst trying to find answers, with the two other protagonists attempting to crack the case and apprehend him. Unfortunately, this rigid formula quickly breaks down less than 1/3rd of the way through the game. All plausibility is thrown out the window with the introduction of absurd and unexplained monsters, plot holes that gape wide open , and ludicrous clichéd set-pieces that only seem to be integrated for cinematic value, rather than to make sense or immerse players in the story. The multicoloured Simon-Says style QTE wheels do little to dispel the feeling of a hectic collision of decent ideas and atrocious execution.
Scratches blends the classic fixed scenes of traditional first person adventures with free roaming capabilities, allowing you to look around 360°. The problem with this mechanic is that it lacks a certain finesse; you can't interact with something or pick it up unless you are in the closest frame possible, for example. Another gripe is the fact that to trigger certain events, you have to fill out an invisible checklist of points of interest before the game advances, which can leave players stumped as to what to do next when they are missing just one item. On the plus side, the minimalist cast heightens the sense of isolation that the manor cultivates, and the main house itself is gloriously unnerving, complete with an incredibly claustrophobic basement section and the archetypal grandfather clock ticking away in the hallway. The scares themselves are pretty cheap, but the tension built up until that point of release is really something to behold. The cramped interiors and hallways feel suitably stuffy, and the buildings hidden among the trees elicit a cold sense of dread when first discovered. The soundtrack is clichéd, but effective (solitary piano notes, stabbing violins etc.). Evoking as much from Poe as it does from Lovecraft, Scratches features a chillingly atmospheric storyline and gorgeously creepy environment, but falls short of being a truly great horror game due to its convoluted progression system and finicky controls.
