2018 has been a big, crowded year for fighting games. Not only are the big boys trucking on, some into their second or third year of ongoing content, but several smaller fighters have also emerged onto the scene. Most, if not all of them have been Japanese in origin, which, to be fair, makes sense. But now, with Omen of Sorrow, Chilean developer AOne Games is throwing down the gauntlet with a small-scale, but competitively-minded fighter that despite its lower level of polish and fidelity is a full-featured fighter with a fun setting, distinct roster, and intriguing mechanics.
The Classics, and Then Some
Omen of Sorrow largely comprises characters of European myth and classic literature, or approximations thereof. You have Vladislav III, also known as Vlad the Impaler (also known as, you know, Dracula), Quasimodo, Dr. Hyde, Adam (Frankenstein’s Monster), so on and so forth. There are even a couple of super-powered monster hunters, giving the game an almost Castlevania: Lords of Shadow sort of vibe. It has that similar blend of South American/European inspiration in its aesthetic, which is compelling in its own right. I’m here for it, basically. These characters are throwing down in a 2.5D fighter that is reminiscent of Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, if one were to toss both in a blender and suck the money out with a straw. It has similar controls and input commands to the former, but the speed and stiffness of the latter. Combined with a few unique tick...