In the year 1996, the PS1 was released to the European audience with the promise of incredible 3D graphics and more content than any other system thanks to its CD-ROM media for the game. It certainly lived up to the promise, and became one of the best selling consoles of all time, all around the globe. One year later and a game was released by an American game company called Oddworld Inhabitants. This game was called Abe's Oddysee, and centered around a Mudokon called Abe, and his attempt to rescue his people from tyranny and death. The game was a huge cult success, and spawned several sequels and spin-off titles.
Then, in 2014, the title every oddworld fan has been waiting for was released for the PS4, Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty, a remake of the original Oddworld game. Boasting updated graphics and a smoother gameplay experience, this young fan of the original game couldn't wait to get chanting and farting!
Story
Oddworld is a fictional planet home to a wide variety of weird and wonderful creatures. But this world has been ravaged by the vicious corporate giant known as RuptureFarms, and their greedy business Glukkon, Molluck. Our hero begins the story chained up and looking awful sorry for himself, as the game itself is a story told by Abe about his experiences.
In the beginning, Abe is a happy hardworking slave Mudokon at RuptureFarms, the number 1 floor cleaner and Employee of the Year. However when working late one night he overhears a conversation between Molluck and the other Glukkons who own RuptureFarms. Apparently sales are down because the best selling product, Meech Munchies, has been discontinued, mainly due to the Meeches being made extinct. Molluck has a plan to make up with the lost numbers however, with a new product, "Mudokon Pops!".
Realising the danger he is in, Abe drops his mop and runs, with a guard Slig in hot pursuit. Abe's first objective is to escape the RuptureFarms facility, but later in the game he must uncover his true destiny by braving trials at spiritual temples, and awakening a great power passed down his bloodlines. Then the true nature of his quest unveils itself, Abe is the hope for the Mudokons, and he must rescue his people still trapped in the RuptureFarms facility.
Without revealing too much I can tell you there are in fact two endings to this game, a good ending and a bad ending. The one that the player gets at the end depends on the number of Mudokons saved during the adventure.
Gameplay
In the most basic of descriptions, Oddworld is a puzzle platformer. It differs from most puzzle games by not quite being recognizable as one at a first glance. However it has prime platforming pedigree, as a 2D platformer in a 3D environment. Abe is controlled mainly with the d-pad or joystick, main controls being left and right, up to jump and down to crouch/roll. This is 50% of the gameplay right here, although jump and crouch are easier controlled with square and circle respectively.
The game comprises of multiple rooms that follow one another, in the original game these rooms were separated by transitions when Abe walked off screen, but in the remake many of these rooms blend seamlessly into one another, a nice touch, and there are still door and portal transitions occasionally. Most of the rooms involve getting around the gun totting Slig enemies, while attempting to rescue the worker Mudokons they supervise. Abe is unable to use any weapons and gets destroyed if a Slig lays eyes on him, and so he must resort to other means, mind control. By holding both R2 and L2, Abe begins to chant and can take control of a Slig for a short time. This allows him to use the Slig's gun to attack other Sligs and other creatures, as well as operating levers that Abe normally cannot reach. When the Sligs use has come to an end, Abe can use his mind control once more to blow the poor thing to pieces.
Abe's chanting can also open the bird portals that allow the Mudokons to escape, but only when they coast is clear, and there is a clear path to the portal itself. A large amount of the game is trial and error, learning when to time jumps or when a Slig patrols, which Sligs to possess and which ones to drop through a trapdoor. The game does have a very forgiving checkpoint system, normally at the beginning of a puzzle room, that allows quick restarts in the event of a failure.
There are also voice puzzles further into the game that require Abe, or the Slig hes possessing to copy a password in a Simon based fashion. Sometimes these passwords are only found on pedestals but can be bypassed if the password is already known through previous playthroughs. These are never very taxing puzzles and can be annoying when you encounter 3 or 4 of these puzzles in a row. They remain as amusing as ever though mainly due to finishing each password with a satisfying green fart.
As for the platforming, it's nearly all timing based. Abe can do long or short jumps depending on the run-up that he gets before it, and most of the time the platforming is fast paced and fluid. There are some excellent pursuit style sections which require quick reactions along a carefully thought out route, and because most of these times you're being chased by something that wants to kill you, any mistakes will mean a quick restart of that section.
Graphics
When the original game was released in 1997, it was one of the better looking games on the Playstation. Strong character, and background designs where interlaced with very impressive FMV sequences. Naturally, as a remake, this newer version tidies up and improves the graphics while remaining close to the original style. Some areas of the game have changed due to public issues with the original release in Japan, Mudokons now have 3 fingers instead of 4 and some artworks around the factory have been toned down in graphic detail.
It is the background environments where Abe's Oddysee really makes its mark however. Often throughout the game, your eye is drawn to small details happening in the background, whether it is the distant production line during the Factory levels, or the great tree-lines and breathtaking scenery of Paramania, perhaps even the foreboding structures and menacing Scrabs pacing around in the Scrablands. The best part though is that most of the background scenery is an area that Abe visits shortly later, offering the player a glimpse into what may await them.
In my eyes, the key to good puzzler is to gently push the user in the right direction, but not explain itself and make the player figure everything out for themselves. Abe's Oddysee does this very well by highlighting the most important features of a section, whether its marking explosives with a pulsing red outline, or lighting up the levers and what they will affect. In early levels the game guides users into how something new may work, and then expects you to remember it the next time.
Therefore, the game gives you everything, and very rarely are you left wondering where to go next. The biggest problem is how to get to where you need to go next, but if that was lost it wouldn't be much of a game. New 'n' Tasty does seem to hold the players hand more than the original, there are more signs saying what to do, and in general the game seems to feel more kid friendly. It almost seems less scary than I remember it as a 6 year old kid playing it for the first time. I even go back to the orginal now with dread in my heart at that godawful screeching as the game loads.
The character design and fluidity of movement is a great improvement on the original however, meaning that you can almost predict every run and jump in the game, and how it will lead to the next section.
Longevity
The main problem with a game like this is the lack of variety in the way the game plays out. It is incredibly linear, and the only real thing the player can make a difference in is the ending, and even then there is only 2 endings. This makes it difficult to say that a game like this is more than a once or twice playthrough kind of game.
The game itself will take a new beginner approximately 8 hours to complete, although a veteran or speedrunner can cut this time to 3 or 4 hours. Considering the low price tag this is a fair enough time spread. The only real replay option is to attempt to complete the game, saving all 300 Mudokons, which in the original gave a 3rd secret ending which has since been removed. Even this could become a tiresome slog rather than a fun playthrough because the saving in the game is entirely auto-save based, running past a checkpoint could mean the point of no return, and a restart of the ENTIRE game to save that one damn Mudokon.
The game offers a co-op mode that seems like it could be intriguing, 2 Abe's running around tag teaming Sligs, having the fight to the death or competing to kill the most of anything. Unfortunately this isn't the case, co-op instead just means that when Abe is killed, control transfers to the next player. Essentially, New 'n' Tasty just added in a game-mode for passing the controller over to the right. It is local co-op only so odds are the person you are co-oping with will be about 4 feet away max.
Scores
Story........ 8/10
Gameplay..... 9/10
Graphics..... 8/10
Longevity.... 6/10
Overall...... 7.5/10
In summary, New 'n' Tasty sticks very close to its roots, offering fun and wacky gameplay and a highly entertaining story. Graphics are a huge improvement thanks to the PS4's processing power. However there isn't anything new brought to the table, and the cheek to mention the co-op mode as a feature seems a little desperate. Highly recommended however for old and new fans alike.
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