Overto Omonto

Now open at Per4mances metaLES ..O.. is Romy Nayar's Overto Omonto, a hauntingly surreal world of mystery and alienation. Long ago, this was a prosperous city, but over time its inhabitants became increasingly isolated, breaking off communication from one another to the point where they no longer spoke, their hearts like stone. Your task is to help save this city, and there is a way to bring its populace back together again. As you explore and meet each of the nine personas here—Nina, Sabrina, Griselda, Nubila, Jaqueline (middle image), Petram (lowest image), Jamel, Mme Butterfly and Edgar—you utter a single word to each, and they will in turn reply with a single word, as if that's all they can possibly manage. Their replies, all in Latin, are they key to unlocking the magical door in the southwest corner of the sim.

Compositionally, the sim is beautifully designed, with gorgeous lighting and inviting panoramas. The self-absorption of the characters we meet is entirely convincing—indeed, there's a great sense of mood and personality with each of the nine. I found it most enjoyable to explore the sim on foot (although flying is possible), but if you'd prefer you can also rez a little car that's available at the landing point. Installations at metaLES run for two months, so Overto Omonto should be with us until the end of November.