A First Look at Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath by Square 1
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Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath is a 3D platformer with some first person shooter and RPG elements. There are some of you who have played the game on the original XBox, PC or PS3. This port of Stranger's Wrath is done so well that you might not be able to tell the difference. Square 1 did a great job porting this game for mobile platforms and it really shows.
Story
You're the Stranger, a mysterious bounty hunter on a mission to bag the ultimate prize. Stranger needs the money because there is something very wrong with his health and the only way to fix it is a very costly operation. But Stranger has more lying ahead of him.
Gameplay
When the game starts, you're going to be drawn into the world of the Stranger. The intro scene is beautifully done and launches you right into the action. Wouldn't expect any less since it was an XBox game in 2005. The dialogue can be a bit corny but it still has a sincerity to it. There are moments where it's corny and other moments where it's seriousness comes out. I'm not the biggest fan of western themes but this one pulls it off and Stranger is Clint Eastwooding it. Stranger is one cool customer and he blends into his world seemlessly. The game does walk you through the first part of the game, probably the first half hour or so and it's needed. The controls in this game are many and you will need them all, trust me. It can be tricky at first but you'll get the hang of it.
Most Oddworld games are family friendly to a point and while Stranger can shoot, he isn't using a gun with bullets. Along the way Stranger will be looking for bounties so he can earn the moolah for his surgery. You have the choice to kill or maim the bounties. If you just maim them then you get more than if you were to kill them. You'll have jumps, double jumps, rope climbing, fighting and everything that you've become accustomed to in 3D platformers.
Stranger also has a crossbow which puts you in FPS mode. I hope you don't have an issue with critter on critter violence because Stranger's ammo is bugs and little furry creatures. These will all be used at some point in the game so get familiar with them when they come up. There are 9 different critters in all to keep track of. Remember the RPG elements that I mentioned before? The moolah that Stranger earns for his bounties can be spent to upgrade the crossbow, ammo, storage, armor and other items.
The controls are just about perfect but you do have to get used to the button scheme. Stranger's Wrath uses almost every button on the OUYA controller, you even use L3 and R3 which are barely ever used. For those of you who might not have used it before, it's pressing down on the sticks. L3 being the left and R3 being the right. With your thumb on the sticks, you're actually pressing down as if you're pressing the sticks into the controller. (Just a reminder in case you forget because I certainly did at first.) I have not noticed any performance issues with the game, which is probably unlikely since it was originally an XBox game and had to pass rigorous testing. The game is a big file so make sure you have space for the download.
Audio Aspects
The music in the game is atmospheric and as crispy as can be. The sound is top notch though it's a bit compressed, from stranger's steps to shots to other sound effects, no corners were cut. Right from the start of the game's intro, you can see how much detail there is for the game. There is one minor issue that I have, the townsfolk are mutant chickens for the most part and they all sound the same but this was from the original game, they're NPCs so it's not something that matters much in the game.
Visual Aspects
This game looks good, it is one of the best looking games on OUYA at the moment, if not the best. This game shows off what the OUYA can do. You didn't hear a word about framerates or processors from Square 1 because the effort to make sure the game was optimized was put in. It looks like a mix of the original XBox version and the HD remaster and it's silky smooth.
Closing Thoughts
If you like 3D platformers, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath delivers a great game for a minimal price. There should be no hesitation to add this game to your collection. Hopefully Square 1 can obtain the rights to other games in the Oddworld catalog because this could be the start of something. This game is the type of game that OUYA needs in it's catalog and has needed for a long time, hopefully there are more in the pipeline that compare. A lot of people missed out on the first release since there was a major marketing failure but Stranger is being given a second chance at life and hopefully he has a bright future.
Rating
5 out of 5 batarangs.
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