Games

[JoshF]

http://insomnia.ac/reviews/playstation/ ... esoddysee/

Nice. The thing I remember most about this game is the unique and engrossing atmosphere. I think this was a pretty big deal at the time considering my dad showed me the intro FMV on the official website and the only game he cared about before that was Myst. I don't remember it being a two-star game exactly, but then again I played through it as a kid ten years ago and you played through it as an adult. I think this could be one of those games like The Neverhood where the presentation, atmosphere, and narrative are supposed to be the main draw and not the... actual game (Neverhood could be flogged just as well for being a shittily designed game), but I trust that you didn't go into the game expecting Metal Slug-style action. :lol:

Also, I wonder how you would rate it next to games like Flashback, Blackthorne, Out of This World, etc.

[zinger]

I loved it as a kid too, especially the atmosphere, which is great no doubt. I was much less impressed by it now, though some parts still struck me as amazing. Three stars? Maybe. I guess I'm just so pissed off at them for making it so much worse than PoP, and still get tons of praise from everywhere. And yeah, I guess Myst is a similar case. It's even a much lesser game (complete utter garbage as I remember it, apart from the settings) that got a lot more popular than Abe's Oddysee.

Regarding those other games, I'm no expert and it's been a while, but:

I never got very far in Out of This World or Heart of the Alien, but I got the impression that though also inspired by PoP (similar control scheme), they are radically different from Abe's Oddysee and not really comparable.

I loved Blackthorne as a kid because of how you could fire backwards without turning, as well as kill fellow prisoners. I tried it again some years ago and remember it as being REALLY bad, and though I can't talk of many details, I trust those impressions still today. No need to bother with it at all in my opinion.

I haven't played Flashback in a long time but I really dug the atmosphere when I tried the SNES port a couple of years ago. I played maybe half-way through the game. It might be better than Abe's Oddysee, but also substantially different as far as I remember.

How do you like them yourself?

[JoshF]

Doesn't sound like you have any personal justification for giving it a better rating so I wouldn't do that unless your considering my two cents in the mix.

As for my opinions on these types of games: they're not my favorite. Other than Oddworld, the only one I've played seriously is Flashback. I really liked that one, especially since Phillip K. Dick worlds interested me more than the Arzach-style stuff in Out of This World.

One thing I will say in defense of these games is that they do fare better when looking at them as adventure games like Myst with more of an action element, rather than as action games with an adventure element, where they just seem watered-down. With this perspective, they have all the strengths of point-and-click games (atmosphere, narrative) but are a bit more intense. This is probably what you like about Prince of Persia, right?

Also, I believe there is a Japanese developed game in this sub-genre called Nosferatu for the Super Famicom. From what I recall it's a mix between Prince of Persia and Castlevania and it was a bit more action packed due to having more responsive controls. You should check that out if you haven't already.

[zinger]

Oh, I missed your edit.

I'm not sure with Prince of Persia (which is the only game in this "sub-genre" that I'd call myself a fan of). The sword fighting isn't all that exciting, but navigating the dungeons sure is, especially when there's a time limit. I would never call the action elements watered down.

I've seen Nosferatu before, can't remember if I got around playing it. It looks a bit unpolished from the videos I'm looking at online. I might give it a spin later.

[icycalm]

http://insomnia.ac/reviews/playstation/ ... esoddysee/

If the conversation above this post does not quite make perfect sense, it's because I spun it off from the (hidden) staff forum, and zinger has since changed his rating for the game from the original two stars to three.

I have a few things to say on the subject, but will do so later, when I have the time.

[El Chaos]

http://www.oddworld.com/games/abes-oddysee-new-n-tasty/

Remake of the 1997 PlayStation classic Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee in stunning 2.5D.

Pre-alpha footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNwo09-Pg9A

Game Info

RELEASE: Holiday Season 2013
GENRE: Action/Adventure/Platformer
PLATFORMS: PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PC, XBLA
PUBLISHER: Oddworld Inhabitants
PLAYERS: 1
RATINGS: PENDING

[El Chaos]

By the way, I can't find material of the Game Boy Advance version of the original game, I only come up with a version of Munch's Oddysee. There are some Game Boy and Game Boy Color games inspired by Abe's Oddysee and Abe's Exoddus, named Oddworld Adventures and Adventures 2.

[icycalm]

I removed the GBA tag from the thread title, thanks.

[El Chaos]

Right now, Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty isn't coming to Xbox One or Xbox 360: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013- ... r-xbox-360

Right now, as it stands, Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! won't come out on Xbox 360 or Xbox One.

Why? Because Microsoft has stuck with its policy of forcing developers to partner with a publisher in order to bring games to their platform.

New 'n' Tasty! will launch on PlayStation 3, PS Vita, PlayStation 4, Wii U, PC, Mac and Linux.

Also this is the official webpage's new URL: http://www.oddworld.com/games/new-n-tasty/

[Dolt]

http://www.oddworld.com/2013/10/oddworl ... reenshots/

The website has been redesigned:

http://www.oddworld.com/

[zinger]

Looks pretty cool, almost like you get to control the cutscenes from the original!

[Dolt]

First New 'n' Tasty Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqhnM-rrBng

Glad they ditched watermarks in these shots. You'd think the developers would always want to show their game in all its glory with no distractions, so you can really soak up the atmosphere, especially since the game is looking better every time we see it. It has new cutscenes and modern graphics, but it preserves the style of the original.

It certainly looks like a solid update so far. If they can take the level design one step futher even better, but I don't know how far they will stray from the original. All I can find on that front is this:

http://gamingbolt.com/oddworld-new-n-ta ... y-features

Ravi Sinha: New ‘N’ Tasty will be built from scratch. Considering the offbeat gameplay that Abe’s Oddysee provided, what can we expect with the remake?

Stewart Gilray: It’s the same old loveable gameplay from the original, there are SOME tweaks and changes, there will be some surprises and I’d like to keep them that way for the moment, but I think new and old players alike will be more than happy.

Shame the new logo sucks.

To start: totally different style to the original and to the rest of the game. The fonts are okay but look at how much wrong there is with the Glukkon head! For instance, how the neck drops behind the rest of the logo with no sign of a chin or shoulder, making the neck look misshapen. The mouth and area near the ear look similarly weird, and the saw behind is some plain amateur vector work.

[Dolt]

http://www.oddworld.com/2013/11/oddworl ... trailer-1/

Over the last 12 months since we last showed New ‘n’ Tasty, we’ve been hard at work bringing the game to life, and we’re delighted to announce that we’ll be releasing spring 2014 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation VITA.

We are fully committed to all platforms – the game is scheduled for PC, Mac, Linux and Wii U, the release windows for which will follow the PlayStation releases in a few weeks.

Thanks to all the Oddworld fans around the world for the much appreciated support, and we’ll have much more to show in the coming weeks and months.

[El Chaos]

New 'n' Tasty / Abe's Oddysee comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkhDrngAQZ0

It's pretty thorough and well thought-out, although at one point the author talks about the game's "message" when he's actually talking about the plot.