OFF Review – This Cult Classic RPG Is Still Completely MAD!

Off is a game that has been floating around the astral plane for the better part of the last few decades. Some of you may not be familiar with this peculiar title that began as an RPG Maker project for developer Mortis Ghost, though many now recognize it as one of the inspirations behind the infamous Undertale and many other games to follow. Whether this is your first time hearing about this cult classic title or you're an OG OFF fan, now is the perfect time to give it a playthrough as OFF makes its way to Steam and the Nintendo Switch for the very first time (and YES, a physical release is also going into production). But is this re-release ready to face the Judge, or do new quality-of-life features leave it devoid of the soul it once had? We’re obviously going to talk about it, so don’t click OFF this review! Sorry, I had to.

For those unfamiliar with the basic premise of OFF, I'll try my best to summarize it without spoiling the finer points of the story. You, the player, are "the puppeteer" controlling the primary character of the game, the seemingly emotionless "Batter." It is explicitly stated in the intro of the game that you, the player, are to guide the Batter to purify the world. From what? We’re not sure. In this preliminary zone, you are also introduced to The Judge, a feline-appearing entity that serves as your guide through the zones of this world, offering advice, guidance, and other musings. As you progress from zone to zone, facing off against the guardians of this realm, you (the puppeteer player) may begin to doubt your mission to purify the world, but the Batter never seems to waver from his goal. What, exactly, are you purifying, where did these specters come from, and how is it all connected? Well, it’s a matter of perspective, and you're going to need to play the game to find out. This is a review, not a book report! What I will tell you, however, is that the game spoke to me in a way I did not expect. Its writing, while peculiar and abstract at times, is incredibly profound and ended up striking a chord with me that resonated for days after my playthrough.

Plot points aside, the gameplay is fairly straightforward but with a few twists to your average RPG mechanics. I will note, for fans of the original, that the battle system has been redesigned by the developer for this release, making it a bit more like a traditional turn-based system. Guiding the Batter through a series of peculiar zones, all marked on a rather abstract world map, you'll solve some puzzles with switches, numbers, notes, and memory games. As you roam these environments, you'll also face off in random encounters with spirits and specters. During these encounters, you'll choose from a basic attack and defend, as well as utilizing your special attacks, called "competences," and some peculiar objects like silver flesh to restore competence points and "luck tickets" to gain additional HP. Unlike most RPGs, your special abilities are not based in earthly elements like fire and water, but instead in the game's universal elements of plastic, sugar, and meat.

The Batter does not fight alone, as you can collect "add-ons," spaghetti-O-shaped entities that assist the Batter in getting out of some major "uh-oh" moments. Both the Batter and his round companions can be leveled up through combat and equipped with new items that are either found or purchased through the game's fittingly peculiar vendor, Zacharie. Through gaining levels, your crew also gains new abilities, which does give you a reason to dawdle around and grind a bit. It’s not a deep combat system, but it is fun and effective, and I found it pretty easy to master. It’s pretty snappy and smooth despite the random encounters with wrestling babies and deformed scientists. Does anything I'm telling you make sense anymore even WITH the visual aids? Probably not, but that's okay. We love an enigmatic queen. Speaking of queens…

Pretty much everything about OFF is, well, a bit off. From the sound design to the battle system and everywhere in between, you'll find things that feel familiar but are altered in some way. I'm not just referring to folks that played the original iteration of this game, but to anyone that has ever played a quirky RPG with a dark (yet sometimes humorous) theme. This off-ness, as I suppose I'll call it, carries over to the pixelated art as well, which often blends colors and styles into something uniquely twisted. There aren't many locations to explore, but even within the confines of these few areas, the world bends and changes around you. Sometimes returning to where you have already been can produce a dramatically different result. Sometimes it's exactly as you left it, however long ago that may have been. The snippets of historical context for the industry of this world are such a unique touch, that I would let these scenes play out like a documentary, soaking in the richly detailed art and bizarre background the game is serving. The character design is simple yet superb, with each character and specter more memorable than the last. Menus are clean and easy to navigate. Honestly, you couldn’t ask for much more from a pixel art title, and I wouldn't dare try.

Apart from the retooled battle system, there have been a few other additions and changes from the original release, including additional checkpoints, some new bosses and areas, and a new soundtrack featuring none other than Undertale's Toby Fox. The soundtrack in general is deliciously bizarre, featuring everything from a real old-timey banger to get your adrenaline up during battle to something I suppose you could refer to as a “track” that made me feel completely empty and hollow inside, almost like I was waiting for a puppeteer to direct me towards my next move. Whoa. Getting a bit too meta here. The point is, the sound design is on point. Fans of the original soundtrack may miss the offbeat tracks that introduced them to this cult classic, but I objectively enjoyed everything that was presented here for what it was.

Any way you slice it, OFF is an RPG worth experiencing for the first time or the 100th time. It's not an exceptionally long undertaking, clocking in at sub-10 hours to complete everything, but there are a few endings to achieve, and I'd highly recommend you go for more than one. I also think the lore goes DEEP, and you may find yourself noticing things on subsequent playthroughs that you missed on your first run.

OFF is the kind of game that will worm itself into your brain for years to come, taking up real estate in your mind for its memorable and creative cast of characters, unique art style, and thought-provoking themes. I urge new and old fans alike to give it a go. Yes, there are changes to the battle system, soundtrack, menus, and more, but the core of the game remains intact, and a whole new audience is about to be introduced to this mind-bending classic.

GOLD - ESSENTIAL