Now I haven’t performed an Oddworld recreation for the reason that first recreation got here out again within the late ’90s, and even then I used to be a dumb child who couldn’t get any additional than the second degree. However the Oddworld universe has all the time had a novel allure that has stored the bizarre collection at the back of my thoughts, and within the cultural zeitgeist by twenty years of remakes and re-releases. Which brings us to the latest title within the collection – the discharge of the remake Oddworld: Soulstorm on the Swap. So let’s test in with the Oddworld lads!
Oddworld: Soulstorm is a puzzle-platformer from the aptly named studio Oddworld Inhabitants, and is an adaptation of 1998’s Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus, in addition to a sequel to Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty which got here to the Swap in 2020. Soulstorm combines Oddworld’s basic puzzle-platforming, stealth and technique parts with an up to date search for Abe and Oddworld, leading to a HD cinematic journey nearly indistinguishable from the 90s classics.
The sport sees protagonist Abe the Modokon main his fellow fish-lookin’ slave brethren on one other perilous journey for salvation after their short-lived joyful ending on the finish of the earlier recreation. To avoid wasting his buddies, cease the evil Mullock, and uncover extra concerning the Soulstorm beverage everybody appears to be consuming, Abe should limber up. You’ll be hopping, climbing, rolling, sneaking, throwing, possessing and liberating all day lengthy. It’s an pleasant gameplay loop, and good factor too as a result of together with the excessive issue, infinite lives and fast respawn you’ll be doing all of it quite a bit.
Trying again on the unique Abe’s Exoddus, Oddworld: Soulstorm makes lots of modifications. Other than some new story, characters, and ranges, there are some particularly fashionable additions. There’s a badge rating system, which acts as an achievement listing for every degree, and Abe is now in a position to loot treasures and craft gadgets – commonplace options for any big-name recreation. There’s additionally a toggleable ‘streamer mode’ which brings up a show for stats like time spent on the present degree and a loss of life counter – nothing vital for the layman however I suppose a streamer’s viewers may recognize it.
One factor that did irk me concerning the revamped recreation regards the two.5D and 2D parts coming collectively. Throwing gadgets in a 2D arc alongside a curvy 2.5D path precipitated me a number of complications. At one level, attempting to put a mine earlier than a close-by enemy Slig alongside a curved path led to it touchdown an inch outdoors Abe and the baddie’s strolling path and a wasted valuable merchandise. I additionally encountered a few minor respawn glitches and thought the sport may clarify some features just a little higher however these had been nothing main.
Oddworld: Soulstorm is a darkish and miserable recreation. I don’t know if I discovered it notably distressing as a result of Abe’s childlike deamanour and large, unhappy, moist eyes, or his boatload of hardships, or as a result of I killed too many Mudokons. Or possibly it’s simply ‘cos it bummed me out as a child. All I do know is that regardless of all the pieces I stored enjoying and it was nonetheless a heck of lots of enjoyable and that’s an indication of a very good recreation in my e-book.
Score: 4/5