The NYT published a mostly glowing Oni review (free login required), titled A Feel of Hand-to-Hand Combat , today in section G, page 9. Major thanks to Cataclysm for giving us the heads-up on that. Take a look at a couple of quotes:
...Weapons have become so generic in action games that I can't recall the last time I felt threatened by one. In Oni, the intimidating effect of a good weapon has been rediscovered. A shot from the Mercury Bow leaves a jagged, icy line in its wake that surprises its victim and terrifies its survivor. The projectile fired by the Screaming Cannon shines with a horrid light and bellows like a living thing. I fled it in delicious terror. It reminded me of an energy creature in an Outer Limits episode that had spooked me as a child, and I took great delight in capturing the weapon and turning it on my enemies......And I suspect this would be an even better game were the action and the settings better integrated. To be sure, you can rescue noncombatants from their Syndicate tormenters, and they'll approach you afterward with hypos that restore Konoko's health or extra ammunition. Explosions scorch floors and shatter windows. As in Bungie's Marathon action games for the Macintosh, consoles add wrinkles to the story (there is more to Konoko than meets the eye) as well as unlock doors and deactivate security systems...
Otherwise, things seem to be relatively quiet today. There's a new, mixed-feelings review up at Gaming Age, and OBO also makes note of some interesting information in an update to Alex Okita's website.