Developer AOne Games
Publisher: Eastasiasoft
Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, PC, Switch
Tested on: Switch
Omen of Sorrow (Switch) – Review
Back in 2018, indie developer AONe Games released a fighting game titled Omen of Sorrow on the PS4. For almost five years, Omen of Sorrow remained exclusive to that platform, but thanks to publisher Eastasiasoft, players on PC, PS5, Xbox, and Switch are now able to enjoy this horror-themed fighting game. Not only that, but the original game has been expanded with a ton of new content. Being fans of all things spooky, we dug up our Switch and conjured up a copy of the game to find out whether this new version is delightfully devilish or simply outright horrible.
Story
Taking inspiration from classic horror literature, mythology, and folklore, Omen of Sorrow brings together a bunch of familiar faces, including Quasimodo, Dracula, the Wolfman, and Frankenstein’s Monster. The overarching narrative is relegated to the aptly named Story mode and follows a rather simple premise. The story is told by the game’s narrator and via short cutscenes. An unspeakable horror has awakened in the underworld, and it is up to Omen of Sorrow’s menagerie of monsters to find a magical tome with which to take down this abomination, lest they become subjects to its rule. It’s a fairly simple premise that doesn’t really feel relevant even within the story mode itself, until you reach the latter half of said mode. Omen of Sorrow’s story is ultimately enjoyable but forgettable, especially since the game’s entire roster is available from the get-go, meaning there aren’t any characters to unlock through this mode. Beyond this mode, each character also gets its own text-only ending in the game’s Arcade mode.
Graphics
With Omen of Sorrow available on most modern platforms, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Switch version comparatively offers the weakest visuals. AOne Games went for performance over prettiness here, with textures looking fairly muddy and character models noticeably fuzzier than on other platforms. Even so, while we definitely would have preferred a better-looking end product, we do appreciate how fluid the on-screen action is, with no noticeable stutter or excessive frame drops. Aesthetically, the game draws on the traditional depictions of its cast, with old-school gothic influences. On the Switch Omen of Sorrow looks good, although we would have naturally preferred it if it looked fantastic instead.
Sound
Audio-wise things fare slightly better, but not exceptionally so. The soundtrack sounds just about like what you’d expect from a game themed around classic horror icons, with plenty of dark melodies and haunting piano tunes. There is limited voice acting present here, with most of the audible voice work going to the narrator of the story mode, although the cast does get the occasional line in apart from the groans and grunts you can hear during the fights. Ambient sound effects are present as well of course, and these are good enough.
Gameplay
Continuing the legacy of classics like Tekken and Mortal Kombat, Omen of Sorrow delivers a straightforward take on the 1-v-1 fighting game genre. Players take control of classic horror icons and try to beat the snot out of opponents in a series of fights. The game has a very simple learning curve and feels accessible from the get-go, even if you happen to be a mindless button masher. That said, there is a combo system in place here, so you’re probably best off trying to master this instead of spamming the same attacks or frantically hitting random buttons hoping for the best. The game does lack a true tutorial, so you might have to rely on trial and error initially, but we found that the best way to make things click was to simply keep trying things out until you find something that works. Granted, you need some patience before you’re able to give each of the twelve characters a try, because unfortunately, Omen of Sorrow suffers from atrociously long load times in between stages.
A wide variety of modes is at your disposal, ensuring that no matter what kind of player you are, Omen of Sorrow offers something that is up your alley. There is the traditional Arcade mode, of course, which sees you take your character of choice through eight stages, with a unique ending for each. Story mode lets you play through that narrative we summarised earlier, and puts you in control of different characters as you move from chapter to chapter. Survival simply lets you take on wave after wave of enemies for as long as possible, and offers several difficulty levels. Versus mode is probably where you’ll spend most of your time as this is where the game’s multiplayer action can be found, both local and online, although there is a separate Online mode for those inclined to take Omen of Sorrow to a more competitive level. These modes are supplemented by a Training mode which lets you practice with each character. Last but not least, you can browse through the so-called Extras, where you’ll find high scores, leaderboards, and achievements. Clearing specific achievements unlocks exclusive artwork which can be viewed under the Extras screen as well.
Although a wide variety of modes does wonders for Omen of Sorrow’s longevity and perceived value, the proof of the pudding is of course in the eating. The game’s actual fighting action is what we’re here for after all. The foundation is fairly solid, even if it’s nothing exceptional. Omen of Sorrow is built around a four-button setup, with light and heavy standard attacks, mostly involving kicking and punching. However, the game then layers each character’s unique abilities on top of this, ensuring that each of the available monsters feels unique. Some have ranged attacks, while others can summon minions to do their bidding. This approach is both Omen of Sorrow’s greatest strength and its biggest weakness, apart from those aforementioned load times. Each of the twelve characters feels unique, and with a wide variety of abilities, chances are that most people will find someone that fits their playstyle. The downside is that the game suffers from some balance issues.
Now when we say balance issues, we’re not talking about some characters being objectively more powerful than others, as each character has its strengths and weaknesses. It’s more that because of how certain abilities work, specific characters are useless against others. Think of Omen of Sorrow’s character relations as a rock-paper-scissors system of sorts. If a character relies on ranged attacks, like Vladislav, for example, they can easily pin down a slower opponent, like Frankenstein’s Monster, without the risk of getting caught. These issues aren’t as prevalent as you might think, as both the Story and Arcade modes were seemingly designed to avoid this sort of situation, and it’s mainly during random battles that you’ll run into this issue, but it’s frustrating and unfair enough that it warrants a mention.
What also warrants a mention are the surprisingly intricate customization options that help ensure your gameplay experience is as smooth as possible. Controls can be entirely remapped, and it’s possible to use the D-pad rather than thumbsticks. We found that opting for this gave us greater control over our character, as it was possible to overshoot attacks with a stick. We highly recommend going for D-pad input instead. The game’s overall difficulty level can be adjusted too, ensuring that Omen of Sorrow can be enjoyed by most players regardless of skill level. It all adds up to a fairly comprehensive gameplay package, and we feel like the €19.99 price of entry is definitely worth it, regardless of the slight balancing issues.
Conclusion
A solid, if unremarkable 1-v-1 fighting game, Omen of Sorrow delivers on what it promises but does not exceed itself. The visuals take a hit on the Switch, and there are some slight balance issues within the character roster, but overall the only real negative about the game is the excessive load times. If you can get past these, perhaps simply by playing the game on more powerful hardware, then picking up Omen of Sorrow should be an easy decision.
Omen of Sorrow (Switch) - Review,
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