OFF Review (Switch)

Though it may feel like the ‘quirky’ branch of indie JRPGs has become a played out trope by now, it wasn’t too long ago that a confusing, humorous, and parodying take on the standard template was seen as a novel concept. One of the most significant examples of this was OFF, a simple freeware RPG Maker project that caught fire on Tumblr in the late 2000s and inspired the development of games like OMORI, Yume Nikki, and Undertale.

Now, developer Mortis Ghost (along with Fangamer) has put out a modestly tweaked remaster of the game for Switch and PC, introducing the classic to a new generation while also polishing up some of its rougher edges. I’m pleased to say that this remaster has largely stuck the landing—the original game feels like it's barely aged a day, while the few additions genuinely enhance the overall experience.

Let’s first briefly review what’s been changed or tweaked here. In addition to the expected resolution and visual asset sharpening, this rerelease also features a brand new soundtrack, six new optional bosses, a new zone, and rebalanced combat. It’s no comprehensive overhaul, and it debatably isn’t even the best version of the game, but everything new here is welcome and justifies the (low) price tag. All the same, it would’ve been nice to have seen a bit more to round out the package more, as the completely free and still accessible original release offers an experience that’s pretty close to what you can get here.

The narrative in OFF follows a mysterious protagonist named 'The Batter, who traverses a Wonderland-esque world to “purify” various spirits that he believes are a blight on the weird society you explore. If you're expecting a traditional RPG narrative, you won't won’t find one here as OFF is content to pitch you a disorienting, funny, and occasionally scary plot that proves to be quite memorable. Combine this with multiple endings, and you’ve got a story that manages to set itself apart from most of its genre peers, even if its gameplay largely falls in line with them.

Throughout the game, you guide the Batter and your varying party through dungeons packed with loot, battle weird monsters, solve (very!) esoteric puzzles, and interact with the strange citizens of this dreamlike world. If it were any longer, OFF would feel a bit too simplistic for its own good, but the snappy five-hour runtime ensures the pacing is brisk as you progress through the different zones. The gameplay is quite competent and satisfying, then, even if it feels a bit predictable in its execution.

Combat follows a similar familiar pattern, then, featuring a breezy ATB structure where characters and enemies can make a move once their own action bar fills up. Depending on how you command your crew, you can easily ‘steal’ turns from foes by smartly dispatching or interrupting those whose bar is about to fill. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but OFF does a good job of making its encounters feel dynamic without overstaying their welcome. Plus, those of you who cut your teeth on Final Fantasy will be pleased to know that combat speed can be increased in this remaster by adjusting a setting in the pause menu, though autobattle from the original release is bizarrely absent here.

Puzzles go quite a bit further than you’d expect in a typical RPG, often testing your observation skills by demanding that you really interact with the world to wring out all the clues you can. Mortis Ghost stated that Myst was a big inspiration for the game, and it's noticeably present in the various logic and memory teasers you encounter. Some of these puzzles are a bit frustrating given how obtuse their solutions can be, but it feels great when you finally stumble upon the answer you’ve been chasing for a while.

Visually, OFF goes for a very basic, but effective visual style that highlights the strange and often grotesque enemies designs. There’s a warped, almost Lovecraftian style to many of the spooky specters you face, and OFF loves to throw random photorealistic references into the exaggerated and cartoonish world to keep you wondering what the heck is going on. Beyond these more macabre aspects, the monochromatic world designs and retro-inspired sprite work prove to be competent, if not a bit uninteresting.

One of the more controversial aspects of this release is the soundtrack, which was redone form the ground up due to copyright issues and the original composer, Alias Conrad Coldwood, being cautious of signing contracts around the music.

The new OST — which has Coldwood's blessing — pulls together tracks from a variety of composers, most famous among them being Undertale and Deltarune’s very own Toby Fox, and the final result is certainly different, but it’s hard to say if it’s better. On one hand, it feels like the somewhat clashing variety of styles on display fits the confusing energy of OFF in a way that the original soundtrack didn’t. On the other hand, there’s something quite distinct about the whispering, lo-fi vibes of the original and its absence here robs OFF of a bit of its quirky charm.