Omikron: The Nomad Soul

Released: 1999

Platforms: PC/Dreamcast

Price: $9.99

Developer: Quantic Dream

Publisher: Eidos Interactive (Now a subsidiary of Square Enix)

 

This game had been on my radar for quite some time. I never had a reason to play it though. I was too busy war gaming or busy with writing projects to immerse myself in something a little more in depth. Until I had the news that David Bowie had passed on January 10 of this new year: 2016. You see David Bowie voiced two characters in this game and composed and performed music for this electronic piece of art. When Square Enix decided to offer Omikron: The Nomad Soul for free. I promptly picked it up online via Steam.

 

Omikron has everything I love in an electronic game: detective work in an adventure type interface, fighting a la Tekken, and especially shooting in the same vein as Time Crisis. Omikron does its story telling in a balanced fashion with the player mainly going through the game in adventure mod. And at times when conflict arises the shooting sequences or fighting sequences occur. This makes gameplay unique and oftentimes spicy as there’s a variety of ways to see the game, but unfortunately they are not chosen by the player.

The story in brief is you have been called into the dimension of Omikron from Kayl, a member of the Omikron Police Force who invites you to reincarnate into his body and solve the mystery of Omikron’s new supernatural enemy threatening its existence. Of course, the way is fraught with trial and tribulations that will challenge the player. Omikron has many gems in its crown. But one of the brightest jewels is David Bowie’s participation.

Bowie composed the title theme to Omikron  with its haunting vocals and powerful guitar riffs. The song is accompanied by a montage of scenes of city life in Omikron where the energy and pulse of the city is introduced to the player. Bowie is pictured in the game as the lead singer of a rock band labeled as a ‘subversive group’ known as the Dreamers who the player can see in a concert. He is also featured as Boz, an AI who is allied to the resistance movement the player joins.

Omikron is a game for the thinking gamer. Game developers today could look upon Omikron  and learn a few things of gameplay, story, and mechanics. The game’s only weakness is the save system, which is more dated than frustrating. After all, the game was released in 1999. Check out Omikron. You’ll have an adventure in a neat sci-fi setting and get some good Bowie music too.