#want a worthy successor to the Mother games? go play JatPM instead

[woodchipp]

Another reason the "ghost Mari" idea bugs me so much (besides the problems I already have with it) is that it devalues Mari's death.

Like. The game makes a huge, huge deal out of the characters' grief over her and how hard it is for them to deal with the fact she's dead... only to turn around and say "nah, don't worry! she's still around! see, she even apologizes to her dear little brother for making him hit her him killing her <3"

It feels cheap. It feels like a cop-out. What's the point of making the kids' feelings of loss the focal point of your entire story if you're just going to imply the dead character they're angsting about isn't dead anyway? I'm not saying this trope sucks or can't be used well, ofc. I just don't think it works in a game like OMORI.

P.S. Before someone mentions Hinawa, I never said I didn't find her a bit lacking lol. I'm miffed that she's also a fridged woman who comes back as a ghost to help Lucas, but I'm more inclined to overlook that since IMO Lucas' grief is conveyed quite well even with her presence as a ghost (two words: Chapter Six) and she proves instrumental to defeating the Masked Man, so it's not like she's entirely useless. You could cut out Mari's final talk with Sunny in his childhood home and nothing of value would be lost. Oh, and there's another, very simple reason!

Lucas didn't kill his mother and profane her memory for the sake of covering his own ass.