OMNO is a passion project for developer Jonas Manke. He single-handedly created his
Journey-inspired puzzle platformer over the course of five years. While he previously has game experience animating characters for
State of Decay 2, his first title has headed in a completely different direction as players set off on a gentle journey of discovery rather than a harrowing journey of survival.
Having arrived through a strange portal of light, a mysterious character known as a staff bearer finds himself in a strange fantasy world abandoned by humans during the Great Departure. There is no explanation for why he is there, but there is only one way forward through the swamp. The linear path teaches the basics of jumping, all why trying not to drown. There are very few consequences for making a mistake; every death results in respawning at a checkpoint mere feet away from his demise and he has unlimited lives. The emphasis is exploration without being hampered by fear of failure.
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Sometimes the imagination of a developer astounds me. The way they are able to create a new world and universe for us mere mortals to explore, is something of delight. The level of detail that is present in games, from the way a plant moves to the way the environment works independently of the main action, is mind-boggling. So when we see such an offering from a solo developer, complete respect and plaudits should be showered down. That’s what Jonas Manke has done in creating Omno; working as a solo developer yet still able to create a wonderful world. Let us get lost in the adventure.
Priced at £14.99 unless you are making the most of the free Xbox Game Pass love, Omno promises to take you on a journey to the past, pushing out an ancient world that is rich for exploration. With no combat to worry about, this should come across as a bit of a curiosity affair, one that sees a sprinkling of puzzles dropped in.
“I first started creating Omno just for fun – I mostly just wanted to make a world I could escape to after work,” said Jonas Manke, creator of Omno. “It was only after sharing some of the stuff I was making with friends and family that I thought maybe I could actually turn this into something people might actually want to play! Being here now, nearly 5 years later, with a successful Kickstarter campaign and a game about to launch on PC & consoles still feels like a dream to me.”
It’s fair to say that Xbox Game Pass subscribers have been treated well in recent weeks. In fact, many may say that July has been one hell of a month for new additions to the scheme. But with just a few days of the month left, those Game Pass additions just keep on dropping and today we see 4 new titles hit the subscription service, just as 3 pack up their bags and leave.
Hot on the heels of
Microsoft and their Flight Simulator taking players on global trips, we’re now going deep into a new cyberpunk world, off a journey to discover a lost civilisation, to Shine City as we show off our balling skills and, at least if you’re playing on PC, into the cockpit of a fighter jet in order to prove yourself as the ultimate wingman.
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