Metascore
73 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 29 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 29
  2. Negative: 1 out of 29
  1. Though viewed from the third-person perspective, this is still a terrific shooter game that dances on the fringes on a role-playing program. With its rich graphics, solid story and great audio, Oni is a sure-fire hit.
  2. Manages to compensate for dull graphics, empty interiors, lack of a multiplayer mode and unfriendly saves with intense action and impressive enemy AI. The game is fun, challenging, and ultimately worth the frustration.
  3. It's very playable, with quite a nice engine and a strong leading lady, but the storyline is a touch frail, the game is severely limited by its lack of multiplayer and the long gaps between save points make certain sections almost too challenging.
  4. An extremely addictive action fighting game with some very cool anime storytelling and martial arts that are wrapped in an otherwise superbly executed game that is one of the most fun and coolest games I've played in years.
  5. I count myself somewhere in the middle, acknowledging the innovations of Oni while also being aware of its inherent flaws.
  6. 80
    The combination of gunplay and street fighting is something that has never been attempted before, and Bungie pulled it off beautifully.
  7. With all the good aspects that Oni has it’s amazing that the action can get a bit "samey."
  8. 75
    It certainly does do the major things that it promised to when it comes to creating a fast paced fighter, but doesn't really reach the godly state that everyone really hoped that it would.
  9. It could have been a contender but unfortunately, the lack of user-control saves and a multiplayer feature keep this fighter out of the championship ring.
  10. A worthwhile purchase for a big time fighting fan, just remember that with this one, you'll be left feeling a little deprived, and without much replay value, it will probably collect a lot of dust on the shelf.
  11. I loved the fighting and I would love to see this engine used again, though I still wonder about what might have been with a little more money and a little more time.
  12. From the first time you blast someone with an SML3 Plasma Rifle, to the 539th time you throw a "Triple Hit Haymaker", you'll have fun. You'll wish you could do more, but you'll have fun.
  13. Oni does present a truly awesome hand to hand combat system, certainly the best on the PC.
  14. A fairly plain third-person action game that contains a more robust combat system than those found in most similar games. Its graphics, particularly the environments' graphics, aren't noteworthy, and its story isn't fully developed.
  15. Oni brings to the table an explosive and refreshing hand-to-hand combat system. Despite its presence though, Oni falls victim to a variety of issues including repetitive level design, an awkward control scheme, numerous visual glitches and a lack of multi-player.
  16. A very entertaining, exhilarating and challenging game for those who would rather star in an action movie than merely watch one.
  17. The shoddiest, most poorly constructed, most flawed game that we have ever seen manage to be a Hit, although only by the outermost molecule of the skin of its teeth.
  18. Oni stuns the third-person action scene with a powerful uppercut to the jaw. Bungie has never put its hand to a bad product, and its latest offering is a passionate protest against dull games.
  19. Its anime influences also feel forced and plagiaristic. Overall, this is one of the bigger disappointments this year.
  20. It's an interesting premise with a fine fighting scheme – squandered by sloppy design and bugs. Definitely a title destined for demo-status gone awry and certainly little more than a game for those who like their games with little substance.
  21. The combat is what really grabs this game and barely keeps it from sinking into oblivion.
  22. Definitely more interesting than most third-person action games, though it's hindered by a variety of interface problems.
  23. If you can get past the learning curve then you will surely enjoy the game. Expect to be frustrated at first, especially because the moves are often hard to pull off.
  24. 80
    Rock solid, all-action gameplay but misses out on a higher mark due to a few noticeable flaws.
  25. The lack of saves, the hackneyed gameplay, and the frustrating controls stop Oni from being the game it could have been.
  26. A fun martial-arts romp that could have been a multiplayer classic. [Apr 2001, p.96]
  27. The characters within the game are incredibly well detailed, but the world they're placed in is bland to the point of boredom.
  28. After three years in development and two years of hype and anticipation, Oni fails to meet the expectations Bungie created for it.
  29. It's so close to being a masterpiece that you'll inevitably be disappointed, but when you step back and look at the whole instead of focusing on the parts, the one thing that stands out more than save limitations or the lack of configuration is the spectacular action.
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 38 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Yet another brilliant game that was way ahead of the curve. This game was never going to be a critical success like Halo (et al.) because it demanded a lot from the player, it really is for the hardcore gamer. This is due to the very flexible combat system which enables you to dispatch the bad guys in almost any way you could imagine, resulting in great replay value. There is a huge variety of guns and hand to hand techniques to keep you busy, or my favorite, sneak up behind someone and break their arms. I think the reason this game reviewed badly was because you cannot passively experience this game and expect to win (I'm looking at you, Bad Company 2). The game provides the player with the tools to experience a manga-esque sandbox, so its really up to you to come up with a viable strategy to have fun. Reviewers that bagged this game probably wouldn't get Minecraft either. Full Review »
  2. GuangmianK.
    10
    It is a great game, so good and intense that the graphics do not matter at all. I love it, and i hate all who put it down.
  3. 9
    An amazing game that I wish was being revamped, and still supported by the developer. The massive array of armaments and the nearly seamless integration of hand to hand techniques is still remarkable and I've yet to see a better example said integration. However, that being said, there is rarely enough ammunition, missions are long and tough-though the game is pretty short, with checkpoints spaced very far apart. This game really becomes a stealth game, and considering that when it came out, Serious Sam came out too, most players simply won't have the patience to play out the whole game without cheats. There are many things I liked about it, and a few things I didn't but I would love to see an updated sequel. Full Review »