While the game's free-roaming 3-D environments may not be much to look at--they're understated to the point of seeming bland or unfinished--Oni's real beauty is in its mix of hand-to-hand and weapons-based combat. The game's characters have their own distinct fighting moves and can disarm their opponents, making the arsenal of available weapons fair game. Admittedly, the controls (which utilize everything but the L3 button) are quite a handful and take a lot of getting used to, but the payoff is quite a kick.

Those who are easily frustrated should be warned that the action in Oni is fast and furious, and it's easy to get killed again and again at times--with each death followed by an annoyingly slow reload time. This is especially true when fighting multiple opponents who have the advantage of not being distracted by disorienting camera angles. --Joe Hon

Pros:

• Fast-and-furious mix of hand-to-hand and weapons-based combat
• Silky smooth character animations; stylized, effective onscreen displays
• New special moves are "learned" as the game progresses
• Japanese anime-influenced cyberpunk story line

• Understated 3-D environments
• Not for those easily frustrated by complex controls