Be Yourself

In most games, you step into a character role
and interact in a virtual world as that person. The storyline in Omikron: The
Nomad Soul has a unique twist in that you interact as yourself … a video
gamer playing Omikron. As you begin your adventure, a policeman named Kay’l
invites you to transfer your soul into his body. Your mission, should you choose
to proceed as “The Nomad Soul,” is to help solve a mystery. The story
unfolds as you discover more about Kay’l and begin to understand the dark forces
that control the world you have entered. You join up with an underground resistance
movement, perform several tasks to build your credibility, and then proceed to
a final confrontation with Evil. The story is strong, with puzzles that support
the plot.

This is one of the few games in which dying is used as a means
to achieve objectives. You have the ability to transfer your soul between bodies,
as your needs change. Different characters have varied occupations and provide
unique skills and possessions that may be useful to you in your adventure. It
is not wise to become too attached to any single body, because at some point you
will have to abandon it in order to survive.

A Bit of Shooting Is Good
for the Soul

I should note that I am not an adventure purist and actually
enjoy the diversity that comes from a well-balanced hybrid game. The majority
of Omikron is played from a third-person perspective as an inventory-based
adventure with character dialog. It does include some hand-to-hand combat sequences
that involve punching and kicking and several first-person-shooting scenarios
to keep your trigger finger in shape. The game gives you the option of setting
the difficulty level for fighting and shooting, with “Easy” being about
perfect for those of us who are combat-challenged. This, coupled with taking advantage
of the in-game combat practice areas, will have you fighting like a professional.
In my opinion, this game is one of the very few hybrids that achieves the proper
balance between “adventure” and “action.”

The mechanics
of the game are fairly simple. Navigation and actions are accomplished with keys
and the mouse is used for turning right or left. There are unique key assignments
for fighting, shooting, and swimming; with all summarized on the back of the game
manual for “quick reference.”

My Kingdom for a Saved Game

There
are a couple of interface features that deserve mention. Your personal inventory
is limited to 18 items, with all other items stored in a Virtual Locker. Although
there are Virtual Lockers throughout the urban locations, this still requires
some item juggling to ensure that you have adequate room on your person for new
items. Also, there are sections of the landscape that do not have locker access,
and you must plan ahead in order to have what you need before entering these areas.

The
save system also takes some getting used to. Like a console game, you can only
save at certain locations (marked by rings). The cost for each saved game is one
“magic ring.” This was very intimidating in the beginning, and I was
sure that I would run out of rings. In reality, some basic exploring provides
more than enough rings, and I always had dozens in inventory. However, I did find
that I replayed a number of game segments because I could not save when I would
have liked to.

A World like No Other

In a word, the graphics
are stunning. The game is real-time 3D with futuristic cities, distinctive artwork,
and very unique characters. The costumes and faces are unlike anything I have
seen in a game before, and I was simply enchanted by the whole of Omikron.

The
original soundtrack by David Bowie and Reeve Gabrels pushes this game over the
top in terms of the overall playing experience. The music and sounds are wonderful,
and all players should take the time to find the hidden concerts where a virtual
Bowie is performing.

Where Is an Exit Sign When You Need One?

As
an experienced adventure gamer, I did not find Omikron to be very difficult.
There are obvious clues for most of the inventory-based puzzles, and I spent very
little time “just wandering.” I did spend a good deal of time traversing
the landscape (on foot or by taxi), as I often needed items from various game
locations. The only times I was forced to use a walkthrough was to find the exit
points in two of the first-person-shooter sequences. Although I could complete
the objectives of each sequence without assistance, I could not figure out how
to make the segment end. In both cases, the exit point was at a very specific
location … one that I would not necessarily have found by trial and error. If
there were clues to direct me to the exit points, I missed them. There is also
one timed shooter sequence that took me several nights to complete, as I struggled
to beat the clock. A final caveat … the end-game confrontation seems unbeatable
at first. However, think strategically, and it will be effortless once you realize
how to “cover your back.”

Loose Ends

The game is
delivered on three CDs. Those with adequate disk space (1.6 GB) should consider
the “full” installation to eliminate the need for disk swapping. The
manual is well-written, is “bigger than a jewel case,” and provides
everything you need about getting started and how to manage the interfaces.

One
word of warning–there are some rather “mature” subject areas touched
upon in Omikron. During the course of the game, you have the option of
visiting a sex shoppe, a bar with exotic dancers, and a peep show. None of this
is portrayed in an offensive manner, but it may be inappropriate for younger gamers.

Finally,
Omikron has one of the most satisfying endings I’ve seen in long time.
After the final interactive sequence, you watch an animated cut scene and then
character dialog continues in order to achieve a true sense of closure.

The
Bottom Line

I would have to rate Omikron: The Nomad Soul as one
of the finest games I have played. To quote our own Ray Ivey, “… it
was a world I wanted to spend time in” … an experience far outside my day-to-day
reality that gave me great pleasure. In short, it was everything that interactive
entertainment should be.

The drawback of a hybrid game is that it often
does not meet the needs of the genre purist. The action elements in Omikron
may drive a traditional adventurer to distraction. And, from what I read,
the shooter sequences are not up to par for the experienced action gamer. But,
for those of us who lean towards the middle, the balance achieved by Quantic Dream
is just about perfect.

Remember … a soul is a terrible thing to waste,
so use caution and may Vyagrimukha be with you!

Final Grade: A-

If
you liked Omikron:
Watch: The Matrix
Read: On
a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony
Play: Realms of the Haunting

System
Requirements: Pentium II 266 MHz processor

Windows 95/98
32 MB RAM (64 MB recommended)
350 MB hard disk space for
minimum installation (1.6 GB hard disk space for full)
8X CD-ROM Drive

4 MB SVGA Video Card (8 MB Direct X 6.1 3D Accelerator Card recommended)
Direct
X 6.1 compatible sound card
Keyboard and mouse (joypad also supported).