Omni Link, by developer Roencia, is a visual novel/old school space shooter that draws inspiration from both manga and the nostalgic 2D space battles. Personally, as a sucker for both, the game felt like winning a prize that few people seem to be aware of. It consists of great music, art that fleshes out the characters and world well, and above all choices. The deep story will put you right into the hot seat as Keb, a lonely ship pilot whose life drastically changes.
The Story of Omni Link
The main protagonist of our visual story is Keb, a man with no ties to the world. During his first day at the Zaos Corporation, he is mysteriously bound to an alien vessel and a humanoid entity calling herself Ectype D-8. Her ethereal nature prods him further into the world, as he discovers her ability to take any ship and duplicate it. In the meanwhile a thing called “The Virus” seems to be killing entire planet systems. It’s up to the player to decide how the story rolls out. Additional cast members such as a child prodigy, an ace pilot, and expert hacker enrich the narrative. This game will make you feel a journey of emotions as you try to save and protect the people you’ve learned to love and cherish.
Gameplay
Omni Link, much to my joy and hopefully yours, presents itself in more than one way. As it is a hybrid of two genres, certain parts of the story play out in the form of a true visual novel with unique art and panels. It gives you a clearer sense and voice to the characters, while others throw you into the heat of a controllable battle in vast space. Each of the characters have a different personality, life story, and dilemmas. The dialogue mirrors the choices you can make, whether in passing sentences or showing you hidden places you can play and venture in. Visiting them was definitely worth it, as I got to find more information about the world.
Additionally, the game has the option of getting a fail state and it requires to go back to a previous save point and load it. So be warned, recklessly rushing through the space intrigues might be punishable. In the middle of the story, the player also gets one of two main routes depending on the choices you make. It alters the story for the other half of the game, which I found as a bonus since playtime is doubled.
Where to get it?
Omni Link got released just recently, and it’s available on PC for Windows via Steam. Be sure to get it! And, as always, subscribe to the Indie Pearls weekly newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Twitter!