he land of Oddworld is a strange place indeed, full of bizarre creatures and even more bizarre storylines. It’s a place of magic, a place where reality skews and bends to accommodate the oddest of situations and it’s this trademark that has propelled the series into the annals of being one of the most unique series to ever grace home consoles. But, is change good? Today I got a chance to play through the latest build of EA and Oddworld Inhabitant’s Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath, which quite simply is the most unique Oddworld game yet. Combining the franchise’s trademark humor and presentation with some seriously enjoyable action, Stranger’s Wrath is not only a competent game for those with itchy trigger fingers but also a hoot of those Oddworld fans looking for more crazy humor.
Stranger’s Wrath opens by introducing the game’s namesake, the Stranger. He’s a furry, odd, bounty hunter set out on the latest contract criminal. He says little and he mainly lets his actions speak for themselves. But, as you continue to play, it becomes quickly apparent that there’s more to the Stranger than meets the eye. While he’s out collecting bounties for the money, it appears that there’s a method behind his madness. Lately, the Stranger has been talking to a local doctor about an operation he needs. Unfortunately, the procedure comes with the hefty price tag of 20,000 moolah (the currency in the game). Determined to raise enough money for his procedure, he reluctantly keeps going after bounties. Later on in the game you eventually learn more about what’s motivating the Stranger, but the game does a good job of only letting you in on what it wants you to know. Heck, it seems that in the beginning of the game the Stranger is only about money, and it’s nice to see him, as a character, get a bit more depth.
Bosses usually pack quite a bit of firepower
To even the odds in the field of battle, the Stranger is packing some serious skills, not to mention some truly Oddworld-esque technology. The game utilizes a seamless mix of both third and first person perspective and depending on which viewpoint you’re in dictates which kind of combat you can engage in. When in third person, the Stranger can unleash a whirlwind-like attack where he spins around with his fists extended, as well as a close range head butt. The real innovation comes when in third person. When you switch to this perspective you automatically wield the Stranger’s special crossbow. In terms of control, the first person viewpoint adheres pretty faithfully to normal FPS control standards. But, it’s what you actually shoot from your crossbow that really catches your attention. Instead of firing normal ammunition, the Stranger uses live ammunition, as in live animals. There are eight different types of live ammo in the game, and each one has its own unique uses and strengths. Just to name a few, you’ll acquire Bolamites (incapacitate enemies), Chippunks (distract enemies), Zappflies (stun enemies and can be charged up), Fuzzles (attack enemies and can be set on the ground as a trap), Thudslugs (knocks an enemy down), and Boombats (attach to enemies and then explode).
The Stranger's whirlwind attack is handy for attacking multiple foes
The Stranger’s crossbow can hold two different types of ammo at once, with one type being mapped to the left trigger and the other mapped to the right. While each type of ammo is usually handy on its own, it becomes pretty clear early on that you really need to learn how to take advantage of having two kinds of ammo at one time. Different types of ammunition can complement each other in the right combination. For example, the Zappflies, when fully charged, will momentarily stun an enemy. After being stunned, a follow-up shot with a Bolamites will usually lay them out flat. It’s fun to mess around with different combinations of ammunitions, especially because of the often hilarious results they have on enemies. Chippunks, being cute and furry, will usually disgust a nearby enemy, prompting him to chase it around in an attempt to kill it. Likewise, a Boombat shot onto an enemy will result in them running around like crazy before it detonates. And, the way in which you acquire more ammo is both innovative and fun. Scattered throughout the game’s levels you’ll find your hapless ammunition hopping and flying about. With a quick shot from a Zappfly, you can stun the poor little critters and collect them for later use.
Once you’ve managed to knock out or kill an enemy, it’s time for you to collect your bounty. Pressing the X button will initiate the collection process, which has the Stranger sucking them up in a vacuum-like apparatus for storage. You need to make sure, though, that your enemy is ready to be collected. As you either punch or shoot your adversaries, little stars will begin to fly over their heads, indicating how close they are to being able to be captured. Once they’ve been beaten up enough, you can collect them. But, collecting bounties comes with a catch. You receive more money for bounties if you capture an enemy alive as opposed to dead, so you need to be able to show some restraint when going after your adversaries. Bosses, too, follow this system and the prize awaiting you for a live capture is usually triple the amount than if you bring them in dead.
They're cute, they're cuddly...they're live ammunition!
Perhaps the coolest feature in the game, in my opinion, is the innovative way you go about replenishing health. There are no life refilling power ups to be found anywhere, so instead you actually call upon the Stranger’s gruff and hearty physical condition to regain health. The Y button causes the Stranger to beat his chest, where he literally pounds away his pain. Repeatedly pressing the button will then refill more health. But, the move can’t be abused. It’s tied to the Stranger’s stamina meter, which appears under his health bar. With each chest pound the Stamina meter will decrease and when it runs out you have to wait for it to recharge in order to regain more health. While it may seem like a gimmick at first, the whole chest pounding system of replenishing life helps to better play into the idea of the Stranger being this super tough anti-hero. He doesn’t have time for pain; so naturally, he beats it out of his system.
Even though you spend most of the game traveling from town to town, taking out the various bad guys that torment them, each place you go to usually has two main areas of interest: the bounty office and the general store. The bounty office is the place where you take your collected baddies and trade them in for moolah, as well as accept new contracts for any new and outstanding criminals. The general store is where you acquire new items, such as armor and ammunition upgrades. Using what EA is touting as GameSpeak technology, you can also converse with pretty much anyone that you come across in a town and depending on what bounty your currently pursuing or what’s going on in the game, the inhabitants will have different things to tell you. While it may seem like an afterthought to talk to everyone, you’ll usually find that they have some important things to tell you. Whether it’s a clue about where to find new ammo or how to go about taking out a boss, secondary characters always have some helpful information.
Visually the game is impressive, from the beautifully rendered character models to the surprisingly expansive environments. The Stranger is probably the most visually appealing character in the game, mainly because of his smooth and fluid animation. He moves with striking realism, whether he’s simply walking around or breaking into his cool looking four pawed run. Enemy character models, while a bit repetitive, are also pretty well created and the various actions they perform while under fire, or firing at you, are usually hilarious.
Environments are huge and full of detail
The area in which Stranger’s Wrath really shines is in its audio. Sound effects and voice-over dialogue permeate nearly every single moment of the game. Talking to secondary characters is funny, especially given some of the oddball things you’ll hear. Even your live ammo gets in on the action, with your furry little compatriots spouting out wisecracks to you before you fire them off into the nearest enemy. The Stranger himself comes with a multitude of one-liners, all of which are delivered with a very Western-style drawl. While taking place in the universe of Oddworld, it’s pretty apparent that the game is trying to mimic the sounds and sights of the old spaghetti Western movies. But thankfully, instead of this attempt ending up hackneyed or clichéd, it ends up working out quite well. The game’s sound creates quite a bit of charm, from the Southern accents and cowboy talk to the Western-themed music. And, with the addition of the typical Oddworld-esque humor and presentation, you get to really hear some amazing and hilarious things.
Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath is undoubtedly a major change for the series. It’s more action than puzzle-solving and the unique first and third combat may throw fans from the past for a loop. But, sticking with the game really does wonders. While the Stranger begins the game seemingly a one trick pony, he eventually becomes the embodiment of that classic cowboy persona; a man trying to do the right thing by doing the wrong thing. It’s an intriguing mix, one that hasn’t been addressed in a game for quite some time. And, when you take the fact that the game features lush visuals and some truly outrageous humor, the result is one heck of an Xbox game and one that we can’t wait to spend more time with.
Oddworld Stranger's Wrath ships later this month exclusively for the Xbox.