Black Space
WARNING: This article contains spoilers for the main story of OMORI. |
Black Space | ||
---|---|---|
| ||
accessible via | Basil's House | |
role | harbors the truth | |
route | Both | |
characters |
"Welcome to Black Space."
Black Space is a location in OMORI. The opposite of White Space, it serves as the home of Sunny's repressed traumas and memories.
As White Space's parallel, it shares many similarities. As the name suggests, Black Space primarily consists of a large, looping black void, littered with doors that lead to various locations. Virtually the only thing of note outside of the doors is Omori's blanket, which is empty except for his sketchbook, a box of tissues, and a picnic basket to save progress. A white wire with no lightbulb attached hovers just above his blanket, similar to the lightbulb in White Space.
Black Space's general purpose changes depending on the game route. On both routes, Black Space serves as a linear series of rooms that contribute to the game's story. However, on the Omori route, Black Space can be revisited - in a changed form typically known as Black Space 2 - after defeating stronger versions of Sunny's phobias in the Lost Library by checking Omori's laptop in White Space. This version can be freely explored, possessing many unusual sights and insight to the game's lore.
Story
Dialogue from multiple characters suggest that Black Space lies at the outer bounds of Headspace and is slowly trickling further inwards: Kite Kid describes Black Space as a "dark void" in the sky, and notes that he has been seeing it more often. Developer commentary in the files suggest that Headspace inhabitants who stay too long in Black Space transform into disfigured Somethings.[1]
Omori enters Black Space through a hole in Basil's house once he solves Hangman. Throughout Black Space's many rooms, Omori is seemingly stalked by both Something and the Stranger, the latter cryptically informing him of the game's backstory, and often wondering if any hope remains for him and Sunny.
Omori Route
The final day of the Omori Route allows for Omori to revisit Black Space after defeating the Lost Library phobias, albeit in an altered state. Most of the doors have vanished, leaving only five that link to large, new areas to freely explore. Omori's laptop will also appear on his blanket, and can be used to return to White Space.
Black Space
Despite the illusion of choice granted by the twenty doors, Black Space is completely linear: The rooms will always be visited in this exact order regardless of which door is picked. Once the key in each area is found, Red Hands will take Omori back to Black Space, and the door he entered will vanish, preventing him from revisiting any of them.
Only eight rooms need to be visited to progress the story. Once the Beach Area key is collected, Omori can enter the red door to head to the Church of Something, and subsequently the end of Black Space.
Black Space 2
These five rooms and their sub-rooms can be freely entered and left as Omori pleases; he can always return to Black Space by stabbing himself, no matter how deep into the areas he goes.
Black Space Pockets
There are numerous hidden entrances to certain Black Space rooms throughout Headspace. Most are very well hidden, and some require rather specific conditions - like having a specific Charm equipped or simple chance - to be accessed. Most of these pockets are exclusive to the Omori route, but some can be accessed in the Sunny route as well, after Humphrey is defeated.
Area | Entry Conditions | Notes |
Water Walkway | Accessible from the Backyard Area on either Route. After Something begins following you, wait 143 seconds. Proceed to the right edge of the area for a prompt to jump off. Locate an object in the void to enter the Water Walkway. |
There is an unique sub-area and several sprites exclusive to the True Route that can be found in this area. |
Weathervane Area | Accessible from the Raft Area on either Route. After obtaining the key in this area, go back on the raft with Basil 3 more times. Upon the 3rd trip, the raft will enter the Weathervane Area from the top of the ladder in the room. |
The area can be visited once more without entering Blacker Space on the Omori Route after defeating Abbi by going to the end of her room on the right. |
Beach Area | Accessible from the Deep Well Entrance on the last day of Omori Route. Interact with the seashell exactly 4 times, enter the well, and exit back up the ladder. Omori will be teleported to the Beach Area. |
NPCs that disappeared from the Deeper Well can be found in this area. Interacting with them will reveal they are all dead. Tako can be found near a beach ball in this pocket. |
Faces of Omori | Accessible from the Last Resort (2F) after defeating Humphrey. Throw the faceless doll in the trash 3 separate times. Gaze into its hollowed eyes to be sent to the sub-area. |
This area can be revisited at anytime through entering the Red Maze in Blacker Space. |
Town Area | Accessible from the Endless Highway on the last day of the Omori Route. There is a 10% chance upon opening the game the taxi at the end of the highway will be replaced by a black car. Entering the car will send Omori to the Town Area. |
Meido can found at the bottom of the map in this pocket. This area can be revisited at anytime through entering another sub-area from Looping Forest in Black Space 2. |
Cloud Walkway | Accessible from the Dungeon in Sweetheart's Castle on the last day of the Omori Route. Interact with the telescope in the upper-rightmost cell of the dungeon. There is a 1 in 99 chance Omori will actually view the telescope and be sent to Cloud Walkway. |
N/A |
Treehouse Area | Accessible from the Last Resort on the last day of the Omori Route. Interact with the right elevator in Mr. Jawsum's office to enter the Treehouse. |
Uni/Empty Friend can be found inside the glitched treehouse in this pocket. |
Looping Forest | Accessible from Sweetheart's Garden on the last day of the Omori Route. Interact with the vines that give a view outside of Sweetheart's Castle. There is a 10% chance Omori will be sent to Looping Forest instead. |
Although the area appears to be enclosed off from the rest of the forest, the entire area can be explored through a hidden path on the right. |
Behind the door | Accessible from the secret Rare Bear enclosure in Sweetheart's Garden on the last day of the Omori Route. Interact with a gap in the brick wall to be sent to the sub-area. |
Be warned, the Rare Bears will respawn upon return! |
Aubrey School Area | Accessible from the Otherworld on either Route. Requires the Universal remote to be equipped on Omori. Interact with Tvgirl's house to be sent to the Aubrey School sub-area. |
Area can only be visited once, if accessed through the Universal Remote method, it will not be available in the Looping Forest. Please note that this area is only accessible via the Universal Remote method after Humphrey has been defeated. |
Pain Area | Accessible from the Junkyard on the last day of the Omori Route. Requires the Universal Remote to be equipped on Omori. Interact with the glitchy television in the room Download Window was fought in. |
N/A |
Static Void | Accessible from the Sprout Mole Colony in the Otherworld. Requires the Universal Remote to be equipped on Omori. Interact with the large television to be sent to the Static Void. |
Please note that this can be only done while on the last day of the Omori Route. |
Water Walkway | Accessible by first entering Static Void (see entry above) and interacting with the hidden doors to the top of the map once the room darkens.[2] | This was likely an oversight but is still possible on version 1.0.8. The game crashes upon leaving Red Room.[3] |
Quotes
Central Area
Stranger: "Behind these doors lie rooms made of scattered fragments, forever changing. If you are lost, you need not worry. The red hands will guide you... and... the form you've taken... it cannot die here."
Stranger: "Without keys of our own, we are forced to wander endlessly here. These doors will not open for us. We are not as fortunate as you."
Stranger: "Has the flower boy lost his way? Here to save him again? How fortunate for him..."
Stranger: "With great power comes great burden... for yourself... and for the people closest to you. Who are you protecting... and is it worth it?"
Stranger: "You have hidden yourself away again. Hopes, dreams, aspirations... do they mean nothing to you?"
Stranger: "I deeply wish that your friend's soul is born uncorrupted. We know too well what fate will befall him otherwise."
Stranger: "The truth is difficult for you. In the past, it has caused you to stray to your destructive form. Your current form subdues that... and although it is also evil... it may still be the better of the two."
Stranger: "Redemption is hidden among one of these doors... but it will never open for you in that form. You will have to find another way in."
Stranger: "Something was taken from here a long time ago... Where did you hide it? Only you know where it is now."
Stranger: "You may not be in control now... but do not lose hope, Dreamer. There are some who still believe in you."
Stranger: "Please have mercy, Dreamer. The souls born here may never materialize, but their screams still echo through the ground."
Stranger: "This place has changed a great deal since you were last here. Will you be able to find your way back, or will you finally lose yourself?"
Stranger: "Why must you take that cursed form? It is indeed strong and can protect you... but if you rely on it too often... What you will sacrifice can never be reclaimed."
Stranger: "The flower boy who is closest to the truth... whose eyes glow an eerie red. I have seen what you've done to him before... and pray that you don't find him again."
Trivia
- Black Space takes heavy inspiration from Yume Nikki, being an area heavily focused on the exploration of surreal, abstract rooms with no clear end-goal.
- An examination of the beta versions of OMORI confirm that Black Space's room order was initially very different: Scribble Area was to be the first map, with Disco Area being the second, Pain Area being the third, the Punishment Area being the fourth, Backyard Area being the fifth, and the Church of Something area being the sixth. Every map where Basil dies would've followed this, with Red Space being the last area visited.
References
- ↑ "Common SOMETHINGs are Dream World NPCs that have stayed in BLACK SPACE for a long time." - Developer commentary in `dreamworld_extras_blackspace.HERO`
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc5jrA8Inko
- ↑ This is known since leaving Red Room crashes the game and since older versions of the game (most notably the 2019 build) have this as a seemingly intentional feature