Ao Oni
2008 Japanese role-playing horror game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aooni (青鬼; lit. 'Blue Demon'), occasionally spelt as Ao Oni is a freeware horror game developed by noprops.[1][2] It was first released in Japan in November 2008. The game focuses on four children investigating and becoming trapped in an old mansion said to house a monster.
| Aooni | |
Title screen | |
| 青鬼 | |
|---|---|
| Video game | |
| Developer | noprops |
| Publisher | LiTMUS (2024 remaster) |
| Genre | Survival Horror |
| Engine | RPG Maker XP |
| Platform | Microsoft Windows |
| Released | November 2008 |
It gained a cult following in Japan and overseas due to livestreams and playthroughs.[3] Aooni received multiple sequels and spin-offs, and has been adapted into a variety of media, including three feature-length movies, a series of light novels, a manga and an anime series.[4][3] A remaster was released on Steam and Nintendo Switch in 2024.[5]
Gameplay
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Plot
A boy named Hiroshi, along with his classmates Takuro, Takeshi, and Mika, investigates a mansion on the outskirts of town that is rumored to house a monster. They discover the Aooni, described as a naked, blueberry-colored giant who pursues the group. One by one, each of Hiroshi's classmates dies in the mansion, becoming infected with a virus that transforms them into an Aooni. Hiroshi continues to explore the mansion, solving puzzles and evading the Aooni as he seeks a way to escape.
Development
Aooni was first developed in 2008 by Japanese indie developer noprops with RPG Maker XP.[1][4] noprops had developed various puzzle games during and after Aooni's development such as Escape from the Haunted Room and White Escape.[1][8][9] Four versions of the game were developed until the game's final release in 2011; these versions differ drastically in terms of plot, map layout and puzzles.[3][1] A spider-like Oni was planned to be added as an enemy in the third released version, but was scrapped due to difficulty in giving it a natural-looking walk animation.[10]
Reception and legacy
Italian website Horrormoth gave the game a negative review, but said it would be "nice way to pass the time".[11] Screen Rant included Aooni in their "Top 15 Best RPG Maker Horror Games" list, calling the titular demon "an extremely frightful enemy that is hard to forget and even tougher to beat".[12]
Aooni has been dubbed "probably the most famous horror game created with [RPG Maker]".[3] It gained a cult following online in Japan, gaining notoriety through websites such as Niconico and YouTube where Aooni-related videos had exceeded 50 million views by 2013.[4] The popularity of Aooni revolves around the effectiveness of its horror aspects despite its simplistic nature, with the background music cited as a key contributor to the game's chilling atmosphere used to incite fear.[2] Aooni gained international popularity when western YouTubers such as PewDiePie and Markipiler posted playthroughs online.[4][3] Aooni, along with Yume Nikki, Ib and The Witch's House have been credited for popularising horror games made with RPG Maker.[13] Aooni games have collectively culminated over 34 million downloads.[14] Many fangames have also spawned in the wake of the game's popularity.[1][12][15]
Makoto Sanada (known online as Hoshikuzu KRNKRN), creator of Angels of Death and Forest of Drizzling Rain was inspired to make games after learning of Aooni and its success.[16]
Adaptations
Aooni has been adapted into a variety of media, including novels, two live-action films, anime and manga.[12][17]
