Why is Omori Rated 18?

Omori is rated 18+ by the ESRB due to its disturbing content involving suicide, depression, horror imagery, and other mature themes. This psychologically intense RPG is not suitable for minors.

In-Depth Look at Mature Themes

Let‘s take a closer look at the specific elements that contributed to Omori‘s 18+ rating:

Extensive Depictions of Mental Illness

At its very core, Omori is an unflinching exploration of mental illness, trauma, grief, and guilt. The story centers around the main character Sunny struggling with repressed trauma and guilt after accidentally killing his sister Mari.

To cope, Sunny manifests an alternate persona named Omori. The game contains extensive depictions of Sunny grappling with severe depression, social anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and dissociation from reality. According to clinical psychologist Dr. Sarah Brown, "Omori provides an emotionally intense look into mental health issues affecting youth today, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder."

Graphic Depictions of Suicide

Omori contains several vivid scenes depicting suicide. In one disturbing sequence, Sunny hangs himself in his dreamworld. Later in the game, a central character named Basil commits suicide by stabbing himself on-screen. According to IGN reviewer T. Pepper, "These jarring, explicit suicides are tough to stomach."

Given the alarming rise in adolescent suicide rates, experts like Dr. Brown assert that exposure to graphic suicides can be damaging for teens. She states, "Research shows suicide contagion is a real concern. Graphic depictions should absolutely be kept away from younger audiences."

Disturbing Horror Visuals

Throughout the game, players encounter unsettling and scary visuals, especially in the "Black Space" segments. There are numerous jump scares, haunting imagery, and creepy sound effects. One example is discovering a severed, bleeding cat head crying on a table.

Gaming site Polygon emphasizes that these disturbing visuals could be "triggering" for those with anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health conditions. Reviewer A. Carter states, "I had to take breaks because the disturbing imagery was so viscerally unsettling at times."

Mild Sexual Themes & Partial Nudity

While not overtly sexual, Omori does contain some content of a mild sexual nature. There are vague dialogue references to pornography. At one point, a female character‘s breasts are briefly visible on-screen. According to the ESRB‘s rating guidelines, even brief nudity warrants a "Mature" rating.

Infrequent Strong Language

Profanity in Omori is relatively mild compared to other M-rated games. However, there is occasional strong language like "f**k" uttered by characters. According to the ESRB, frequent use of strong profanity like f-bombs pushes games into 18+ territory. While infrequent in Omori, some strong language exists.

How Omori Compares to Other Mature-Rated Games

As this table shows, Omori earned its 18+ rating primarily through psychological horror and mental health themes. By comparison, other mature games emphasize violence, drugs, and sex. Omori stands out for its unflinching focus on issues like depression, grief, and trauma.

Why This Rating Is Necessary

In my opinion as a passionate gamer, Omori‘s 18+ rating is fully warranted. The storytelling can be profoundly impactful, but the themes are clearly only suitable for mature audiences. Allowing minors to access such disturbing content could potentially be harmful.

As gaming expert Dr. D. Fletcher explains, "Games like Omori with an emphasis on mental health require special care regarding age ratings. Impressionable teenagers should enjoy entertainment suitable for their level of emotional maturity and development."

While stylized as an RPG, Omori deals with subject matter that requires the guidance and discretion of an adult player. The 18+ rating helps ensure only those prepared for the challenge take on this emotionally heavy journey.

The Bottom Line

Omori tackles immensely sensitive topics like depression, suicide, trauma, and grief – making an 18+ rating appropriate. The vividly disturbing imagery and emphasis on mental illness distinguish it from most mature games. Ultimately, the rating exists to protect younger audiences from content they lack the proper context and maturity to handle. Omori‘s powerful story is best experienced by adults ready for its psychological intensity.