Omikron: The Nomad Soul is one of those rare "gem" games in which ALL different kinds of gameplay are successfully combined. This game has elements from RPGs, first person shooters (action), and adventure games. There have not been many games like this. Omikron is a unique and enjoyable game.
The beginning video sequence does a good job of setting the foundation of what the story-line of the entire game is going to be about. The story-line is one of the most attractive elements of this game; it will keep you entertained! You become Kyle, one of Omikron's finest police officers. As Kyle, you start uncovering who he is and what he and his partner were investigating. Kyle is just one of many characters that you will get a chance to play. I will explain later exactly what I am talking about, it is a great feature in this game!
The graphics are excellent in this game. Even though this game is old (1999), it has good graphics. There are very detailed cities and other landscapes. The characters move smoothly, not choppy. There only a few movie cut-scenes, and those are usually pretty short. One of the most interesting and unique features of this game, are the music videos that automatically take place. They are each a full length song, by a well known artist that I will mention in the sound section. You can't experience that in many games that are out now!
The learning curve in this game is excellent. There are many easily accessed, in-game help screens available to you. There is a device on the arm of every character you play called the Sneak. It brings up things such as a map, character stats, and inventory. This device has instructions listed on the bottom of it about what keys to use to access different areas of the game, like your room to practice fighting. Also, it has helpful instructions concerning what keys to use. There is no tutorial mission on the main menu. But, with such good in-game help screens, I did not see that as a problem.
The gameplay is good in Omikron. There are only two issues I have with this game. One is that you can only save at locations in which there were "magic rings" floating above the ground. These rings are objects that can be picked up during the game. You keep a collection of them throughout the game. It costs you one ring per save, and you can also spend 3 rings to buy advice if you find yourself stuck about what to do next. This later option I found to be pretty neat!
The other problem is the reincarnation aspect of this game. Overall, this is a fantastic feature. Being able to change into another body and play an entirely new character is great! This occurred in two different ways, either when you got killed (then whoever touches your body first is the person that you will occupy next - unless you are in combat). The other way of reincarnating is by using a spell whenever you find a body that is capable of being transferred into. There is a message that pops-up telling you if that is the case or not. The fault that occurs with this, is that none of the fighting and shooting experience that you build up with your current character is transferred to the new character. You are stuck with whatever experience that new character has obtained.
Another great feature of this game is the widely available methods of storing your inventory items. You have the Sneak on your arm, that I mentioned before, and another device called the MultiPlan. The MultiPlan is not on your character, but instead located at various shops, apartments, and other places that are easily accessible. Any item can be transferred from the Sneak to the MultiPlan, or vice versa. So really there is never a chance of running out of inventory space.
The sound is excellent in this game. No matter whether you like or dislike David Bowie, you cannot deny the man's influence in the music world, and his influence in this game. The entire soundtrack is created by Bowie and Reeves Gabrels. It makes for a upbeat and enjoyable soundtrack. Bowie also plays one of the main characters, Boz. I have already mentioned the in-game videos, which are great. But, there are also "cubes" that you can find and insert in devices that play songs from the soundtrack.
The main attraction for wanting to play this game is that you can reincarnate into so many different characters. There are up to 40 different ones with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Other than that, the game would be pretty much the same. There isn't a list of quests to do, but there is a progressive story-line and things that have to be accomplished to make the story go onto the next step.
I give this game a high recommendation. If you want to have a unique and enjoyable gaming experience, then you need to play Omikron! Also, if you get a chance to pick this game up in its original box, it's worth it. The original is a large triangle sized box, which you don't see very often anymore.
