"When one thinks of Oddworld games, they probably think the same thing I do. Small, toad-like creatures that run around in cities that are a cross between Tatooine (from the Star Wars series) and a landfill is a typical scene in an Oddworld neighborhood. Electronic Arts rendering of Oddworld is a bit different than what players are used to."
Overall: The whole of Oddworld usually has pretty good stories, characters, environments, and some rules and things shall we say unique or "odd" to it's world...this game continues on in this vain and delivers a pretty good stealth/fps game. Gameplay: The unique combo of live ammo and collection plus bountying for a fair amount ofthe game gives a good bit of room for improvisation and strategy. THe controls are easy to pick up and the game moves at a pretty fast pace. It is a little short, but will leave most fps or Oddworld fans satisfied. Graphics: The in game graphics are pretty good and the look of the live ammo on the crossbow are pretty cool, especially as you buy uprades, the character and area design are detailed if slightly drab or unoriginal at times. The cut scenes are very nice though. Sound: While the western flair of this game is novel at first, the effect wears thin with voices and the background music that is easily forgettable. The weapon sounds and some of the enemy speech and chatter are done pretty well. As with all Oddworld games though, while going for a kind of cute humor with "funny" voices tha can almost evoke pity can be on the annoying side as well. Suggestions: A good attempt at a tie in between stealth and fps, the story doesn't pick up until late in the game which seems a departure from the norm for Oddworld...a fairly good game overall. Maybe a sequel or tie in for the whole Oddworld universe on the next gen systems to come.
Overall: Very enjoyable game. The plot gets really good about half way through. The only real flaw in it is that once you beat the story line there isn't that much of a reason to play it anymore. The characters were unique but still well made. At first I thought this game was a big change from it's predecessor but it really does feel like an Oddworld game. Gameplay: It had a good integration of 3rd person, 1st person, and a roaming landscape. Controls were fairly intuitive but became complex enough to require skill. At times it seemed like the ability to choose how you attack an enemy is limited, untill you get someone else to try the same mission. They managed to make it so that no matter which method you choose, it will fell like it is the only method possible, even though there are many possible. Graphics: The unique art direction made this game shine, especially in the animations. The main character will move in a fluid, feline manner, which was quite impresive. Cutscenes looked especially nice. The landscape varied as the game went along but seemed to keep a consistent feel to it. Another visually appealing aspect was how many objects you could knock enemies through, creating a more dynamic enviroment. Near the end of the game, it begins looking very epic, helping to aid flavour to teh visuals. Sound: The dialogue was written well but the actors weren't very spectacular. The voice for generic NPC's was monotonous but you don't need to interact with them often, so it wasn't to noticable. The actors for side characters was done well, and I like Strangers voice, but only to a certain point. Occasionally, he would sound to much like a dufus. Sound Effects managed to complement the actions fairly well and the ambient noise added to the feel of the game. Suggestions: It needs some kind of a multi-player or survival mode becuase the story doesn't last long enough.
Made in Canada