Jail Cells, or Prison Cells, are a recurring element in the Ao Oni series, originally introduced in Version 1.1. They're commonly used to protect the player and to contain a group of Oni variants, but they've also seen varied uses across the series.
Purposes and Uses[]
Jail Cells have appeared in multiple parts of the series with varying uses. Some of these include:
Protection[]
Jail Cells are most commonly used to protect Hiroshi and others from the Oni. In Version 1.1, the player had to pick up an item inside the cell, however, keeping the cell's door open would cause the Oni to kill them, while closing it would make sure the Oni couldn't reach you, and would leave after some struggle. This scene would carry on into all future versions.
This purpose has been reused many times within the series, with notable examples being Ao Oni 2, Ao Oni X, as well as non-game media, such as Ao Oni: The Blue Monster, the first novel and Ao Oni Ver 2.0.
Although it has been used as a reliable source of protection, its efficiency has varied heavily from use to use. While most only require the door to be closed, some require an item to be properly locked, such as Ao Oni 2's and Version 5.2's cells requiring a padlock, others are incapable of getting rid of the Oni fully, such as Version 1.1, and others have been shown to be a fatal mistake, such as the one seen in the first novel.
Containment[]
Jail Cells are equally as commonly used to contain a bunch of Onis of varying species and quantities, known as Oni Rooms. In Version 3.0, the Oni Room was found in the highest point of the mansion, with many bizarre forms of the monster roaming around the enclosure, although none can reach the player. The Oni Room would later return in Version 6.23, within a tigher space, and when approaching the cell door, one of the Onis inside opens the door and starts a chase, before all the monsters inside vanish upon reentering.
The Oni Room and its general idea of containing the Onis would be adopted and adapted in multiple points in the series, such as Ao Oni 2, Ao Oni 3, , Gachikowa, as well as returning in Mutation and the anime, among others.
Although rarely, there have also been times where cells are used to contain humans instead, such as in Ao Oni X, where Hiroshi's friends are all captured and locked away within cells, with the exception being Mika, and the novel series, where Honoka's Sister is locked away by her father as she starts to mutate, remaining trapped for years and growing hatred for humanity.
Puzzles[]
Jail Cells are sometimes used as elements for puzzles, as either hindrances or to help solve puzzles.
The bars of the cells have been used as a way to hide distractions and red herrings from markings in walls and reveal the true solution. Examples include Version 6.23's basement, which reveals numbers from otherwise meaningless symbols, and Ao Oni 3's jail cell room from Takuro's scenario, which helps single out the proper order of paint strokes in the wall.
The cell's doors sometimes require an item to unlock, or sometimes lock, functionally working like any other locked door. Such examples include Version 6.23's red key, with its rustless version being used to open a cell door, or Ao Oni 2's cell that requires using a padlock to obtain an essential item.
The cell can also keep the player distant and unable to reach something, requiring the player to find an alternative way to reach something that lies behind the bars. Examples include Version 6.23's old building's cell and the unreachable study key, and Ao Oni X's prisoner cell from Takeshi's scenario.
Another form of puzzle that is not shared with any other entry is Absolute Fear's maze of cell doors, where the player must flip switches in the right order to form the proper path of open cells and escape.
Decorations[]
Jail Cells can completely lack any use and exist simply as decorations, or at least to strengthen the narrative. Such as Ao Oni 2's Teacher's scenario and the hallucinations of people she knew calling for her behind bars, or Absolute Fear's cell hidden behind the wall.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- A common misconception is that the Onis, aside from Hunchback Oni, are not smart enough to open cell doors, which is untrue, as all chasers are capable of opening the cell doors of the basement and Oni Room.
- Squatto Oni is the only chaser in any of the first game's versions that cannot trigger the jail cell cutscene, and will always open the cell door.
- In infinite chases, such as Version 3.0's and Version 6.23's ending chases, the Oni and Takuro Oni can also open any cell door.
- Fuwatty, although being able to trigger the cutscene, lacks a graphic for it, and is instead set to Takuro Oni's graphic.
- In the mobile port, after the first time the oni can just walk in.