Howdy, Stranger: New Oddworld finally ships

Electronic Arts today announced that Oddworld Stranger's Wrath has moseyed on into stores. It's been a long journey to retail for the latest addition to the Oddworld series. The Oddworld Inhabitants-produced game has encountered cancellations, delays, and redenominations, but it is finally available for the Xbox.

Famed Oddworld heroes Abe and Munch have ridden off into the sunset, and a new Oddworld protagonist, known only as Stranger, has been given top billing. Stranger is a bounty hunter armed with a crossbow and some real "live" ammunition; his bolts are real critters such as bees, skunks, and bats. With a $20,000 doctor's bill to foot, The Stranger must hunt down outlaws and haul them in live for the bounty.

Stranger's Wrath combines third-person and first-person gameplay for the most action-oriented Oddworld title to date. Though the feel of the franchise's trademark platform-and-puzzle hybrid may have changed, the creative minds at Oddworld Inhabitants have brought back their unique (and slightly twisted) universe complete with talking demi-animals and beasts.

It hasn't exactly been happy trails for Oddworld Stranger's Wrath. The game has encountered several delays and was originally slated to also appear on the PlayStation 2. Stranger's Wrath was sans publisher when Microsoft jumped ship after publishing Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, and late 2003 saw Atari yanking its stake from Oddworld Inhabitants. These events opened the door for the publisher to pitch the game to EA, which signed on a year after the game was announced.

Oddworld Stranger's Wrath is rated "T" for Teen and carries a price tag of $49.99. For more information on the title, including GameSpot's full review, click over to our previous coverage.