Behind its cute look, OMORI hides a dark tale of guilt and grief. Colorful battles contrast with mounting dread, and the revelations hit hard. It runs long and uneven at times, but it leaves a deep, lasting mark by the end.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player12+
Description
A shut-in child explores a colorful dream world and a real neighborhood both haunted by a buried secret. Published by Playism, released worldwide in 2022. Emotion-based turn battles, two contrasting worlds, multiple endings and a mood that drifts from sweetness into horror.
OMORI review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Pedro Silva's score shifts its face entirely between worlds: dreamy lo-fi warmth in the colourful headspace, oppressive dissonance when reality reasserts itself. That musical duality mirrors the story's psychological descent and heightens every emotional turn. These are themes that resurface in memory long after the credits roll.
Behind pastel colors and a dreamlike world hides an inward journey through guilt, grief and the memories we'd rather bury. The writing moves by suggestion, seeding unease before pulling everything off its axis. Few games speak so truthfully about depression without ever naming it too loudly.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Behind its gentle surface, this journey unfolds across radically opposed routes that reshape the story and demand a second pass to grasp it fully. The dream world brims with secrets, optional quests and hidden encounters, while the truth only surfaces through persistent digging. That layered structure, paired with an emotional pull that keeps you going, gives it a lifespan far greater than it first appears.
Beneath its cute RPG veneer hides boss staging that toys with emotion as much as with numbers. The fights swing between humor, unease and dreamlike beauty, carried by a soundtrack that shifts mood on a dime. Managing each character's emotions, exploiting status effects and reading attacks as unpredictable as they are symbolic make these battles an unforgettable psychological journey.
An underrated gem
Now a cult favorite, this RPG still hides an underrated side: its writing on grief and anxiety, achingly sincere, runs far deeper than the horror label slapped on it. Born from crowdfunding and long delayed, it reached a small crowd before word of mouth carried it. Its deceptive softness and emotion-driven battles reward the brave. For players ready to be moved and shaken.
Is OMORI still worth playing in 2026?
OMORI is an RPG that leaves a lasting mark through tonal daring more than technique. The contrast between the colorful dream world and grey reality is not just aesthetic, it carries the full weight of a buried secret the game unveils with calculated cruelty. The emotion-based combat stays original, though the balance sometimes lacks finesse and the pace can stretch. What strikes today is how truthfully it handles grief and guilt, without indulgence. An emotionally demanding work, best kept for those willing to be shaken.
