Kombo : : : PS3 | 360 | Wii | Cube | Xbox | PSP | DS | Forums | Podcasts

AROUND KOMBO:
BLOG
My Xbox is Sexy
Kill Screen #7
BLOG
The Moody Gamer
Do you have gaming ADD?
Oddworld Stranger's Wrath
Console
Xbox
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Genre
Action
Developer
Oddworld Inhabitants
Release Date
Q1 2005
ESRB Rating
Teen
StumbleUpon Toolbar  
Oddworld Stranger's Wrath
February 2, 2005 | 10:01 PM PST

by: Sascha Lichtenstein

Since breaking onto the gaming scene in late 1997 with Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee, Oddworld Inhabitants has amassed a reputation for creating engrossing adventures with culturally relevant thematic undertones, amazing art direction, creative characters, and an engrossing combination of platforming and puzzle solving gameplay mechanics. Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath deviates from past forays into the Oddworld universe in that platforming and puzzle solving elements have been replaced with action and adventure/exploration, while the venerable ‘Gamespeak’ mechanic has all but been replaced with new, equally-innovative and well-executed gameplay additions. Oddworld Inhabitants have taken a number or risks in the design of Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath, and the result is a game that stands as one of the most rewarding experiences to be found on the Xbox, and the best game to come out of the developer’s doors since Abe’s original trek through Rupture Farms.

Story

Fans of Spaghetti Westerns such as the Sergio Leone classics of the 1960s will instantly fall in love with the atmosphere Stranger’s Wrath provides, an incredibly unique re-envisioning of the Old West that contains all the visual and contextual staples of the timeless genre in addition to rewriting a few rules to make things a bit more imaginative. First and foremost, homosapiens have been tossed out the door and players are instead treated to a variety of delightfully creative inhuman inhabitants ranging from bipedal chickens, to a race of creatures that can only be described as diminutive, amphibious-looking phallic symbols, as well as a few reappearing races from past Oddworld titles. Then you have the title character, a hairy half-lion half…something else with a personality modeled after the nameless gunslinger famously portrayed by Clint Eastwood and simply referred to throughout the game as ‘Stranger’. Unfortunately the inherent stoicism of the character inhibits his ability to become as instantly likeable or relatable as preceding Oddworld protagonists; Stranger rarely speaks, and when he does it’s in a deep, emotionless (is ‘gruff’ an emotion?) monotone voice. That said, what he lacks in charisma Stranger more than makes up for in ability, as he is far more capable of engaging the enemy through direct measures than Munch or Abe ever were through the use of subvert mid control and other guerilla warfare.

As a bounty hunter, Stranger must track down various outlaws and bring them to justice as a means of collecting moolah, the game’s currency, in order to pay for a rather specialized medical procedure to be performed by a rather sketchy medical practitioner. The true nature of the operation as well as the ailment plaguing the main character are revealed over the course of the game through several intelligent (though some might argue, predictable) twists that serve to intertwine a number of engaging subplots. One twist in particular not only has large narrative impact, but causes a rather large change to the nature of the gameplay as well. To truly appreciate the story, one must appreciate the narrative hints given to the player over the course of the experience. For example, at one point a few hours into the game Stranger rescues a civilian being held by a band of outlaws in a Temple; one which happens to feature a rather large statue bearing a strong resemblance to the hero. While this occurrence is explained through information and events encountered later on in the game, the developers aren’t so blatant as to provide a flashback sequence of every single clue they’ve left for you to connect to the eventual revelation. The Da Vinci Code it’s not, but watching the errant pieces of a simple plot puzzle fall into place over the course of the game is a satisfying reward for being open-minded enough to play through the somewhat slow-paced opening chapter. Once the storyline takes off and the build-up really starts however, it’s incredibly easy to get sucked in to the adventure.

One final subjective note before hitting the gameplay elements of Stranger’s Wrath, I was personally let down by the comedic element presented in this game. Whereas the past games had a brilliant balance of sophomoric, goofy and at times slapstick humor intermixed with the more subtle and intelligent witty cultural satire, most of the humor in this latest Oddworld excursion is fell flat for me, as the former style of comedy was present in spades, while the latter was for the most part missing in action.
Visuals
Some of the best art direction seen in a game to date, along with fantastic texturing, great lighting and particle effects, and brilliant animation. Marvelous.
10.0
Sound
Repeditive voice acting drags down an otherwise great audio component comprised of inspired dynamic music, suitable and entertaining sound effects.
9.0
Control
A wide variety of manuvers are all easy to pull off thanks to an intuitive layout, switching between perspectives is easy, and the controls are responsive.
9.5
Gameplay
Incredibly different from anything else on the market, thanks to a great blend of gameplay styles and wonderful combat. Fairly linear however, and uneven difficulty can make some bosses frustrating.
9.5
Lasting Appeal
The game is enjoyable enough to warrant playing through again, but the lack of any extras to unlock or multiplayer makes long term play seem doubtful.
7.5
Verdict
One of the best first-person shooters on the Xbox, and likely to be in contention for 2005 game of the year. Great innovative gameplay backed by goegours visuals makes this venture into Oddworld worth any Xbox gamer's time.
9.2
[not an average]
Review Scores Guide
Screenshot Gallery

(Date Not Available)

(Date Not Available)

(Date Not Available)

(Date Not Available)

Got something that we should post on the site? Send it to us!
February 8, 2010
Twenty more winners to go for our Game a Day Giveaway! Don't hesitate... enter today! Also, make sure you become a fan of Kombo on Facebook!!!

-- Ken Cauley, Editor in Chief

Kombo Breaker
FTW
Kombo's Game a Day Giveaway!
We're giving away a new game EVERYDAY throughout all of February!

Official Contest Page!

WINNERS:

  • February 2: John Riemer, Virgina
  • February 3: Jonathan Dowell, Pennsylvania
  • February 4: Chris Ryan, Florida
  • February 5: Chris Foster, Michigan
  • February 6: Adam Cuevas, Florida
  • February 7: Josh Minar, Kentucky
  • February 8: Bradley Mosbacher, Missouri
  • If SEGA made Shenmue 3, would it SELL?
    Vote!
    (02/09/10 | 12:41 PM PST)
    February's Xbox LIVE Marketplace Updates
    (02/09/10 | 12:21 PM PST)
    It May Be The End for Nippon Ichi Software
    (02/09/10 | 11:13 AM PST)
    Headaches and Sickness Induced by 3D
    (02/09/10 | 5:56 AM PST)
    HDTV vs. SNES
    DiRT 2!!!
  • DiRT 2 for Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3
    Enter to win!
    E-mail us and include your full name, age and mailing address to enter.

  • Software
    Hardware
    All Time
    Weekly
    9.89m Japan
    31.48m America
    25.90m Others
    67.28M 
    1.25m Japan
    21.76m America
    14.63m Others
    37.64M 
    4.74m Japan
    12.71m America
    14.31m Others
    31.76M 
    29.79m Japan
    44.83m America
    50.20m Others
    124.81M 
    14.02m Japan
    18.98m America
    20.85m Others
    53.85M