In a time where developers are all too content to bring out uninspired sequels, Stranger is like a breath of fresh air.
User Rating: 8.9 | Oddworld Stranger's Wrath XBOX
When the original Oddworld came out for the Playstation, the game was lauded for its sharp visuals, slick production values and old school gameplay. The original games played similar to forgotten classics like Out of This World and Flashback. 2001's addition to the Oddworld universe, Munch's Oddysee attempted to bring the same playstyles into the 3D realm with somewhat mixed results. Stranger's Wrath mixes up the formula yet again, drawing inspiration from other games and blending them together almost flawlessly. It's the strange fusion of gameplay styles from already successful formulas that makes Stranger's Wrath a winner. You assume the role of the game's titular hero, The Stranger. Little is known about Stranger, at least at the beginning but rest assured that by the game's conclusion you'll know plenty. Stranger is a bounty hunter, offering services to the repressed peoples of Oddworld. He seems to be a rare breed because during the course of the game you never come across another like him. This is the first real change that the game brings to the Oddworld formula. Abe and subsequently Munch, were relatively hapless characters, relying on stealth and cunning to survive. Stranger is the exact opposite. For the first time in an Oddworld game, you play as an ass kicker, and the change is welcome. The first thing you're bound to notice about Stranger's Wrath is that it uses both First and Third person views. Few games have tried this formula, and even fewer have been successful at it. Where others have failed, Stranger succeeds. Switching between views is only a click of the thumbstick away, and the game pulls the two styles off so effectively that you'll wonder why more haven't used it. Both modes have benefits. In third person, you can see more of your surroundings. You can also move faster. After running a little bit, Stranger will put all four on the floor and high tail like a coyote. You also have stronger melee attacks in third person, which makes up for not being able to fire. That's right , you can only fire weapons in first person. It's the balance between views that makes it work, although you will probably spend far more time in the first person view than the third. Hunting the dangerous outlaws of Oddworld requires weapons and Stranger has a rather diverse arsenal to accomplish the task at hand. Using live ammo acquired in the wilds (literally live, meaning alive) the game can be played almost any way you want. Enemies can be lured away from each other by chucking a smack-talking chipmunk on the ground and subdued quietly with a spider launched at them. You can always go the direct route and launch a torrent of bees (think machine gun) to kill them instead of going for the capture. The choice is up to you. Stranger's crossbow is also armed with an endless supply of "Zappflies" which can be used both offensively and also to open electric switches, bridges and gates. The different ammo makes the game fluid and playable in almost any way you want. The amount you collect on a given bounty changes depending on whether they are brought in dead or alive. Collecting the bounties is always challenging, but it's even harder to capture one alive. In order to do this, you have to stun them enough to knock them out by using non-lethal ammo. Needless to say, taking an enemy down is a lot easier than getting them alive, but it's nice to see the game allows both styles of play. Once an enemy is dead or subdued, Stranger can suck them up into a vacuum remiscent of the ghost containment device used in Ghostbusters. Like its ammo system, Strangers' health is unique as well. Stranger can only take so much damage, and since he doesn't have shields it requires the player to keep a close eye on how much health he has. While standing still, Stranger can "shake off" damage, which like the ammo, is meant in the most literal sense. He literally shakes off enemy bullets like a dog coming out of a pool to regenerate his health. This isn't unlimited though, in order to heal, he has to have enough stamina. The stamina bar can be refilled by capturing or killing opponents, or just standing still for a while. The closest comparison would be the way the shields in Halo are recharged after taking damage, except you have an active role in this game. As mentioned earlier, the combat in the game has a very tactical feel. Storming into an enemy laden area will most likely result in death. The game requires the player to be creative, both with the weapons and the environments. Most importantly, the combat is just plain fun. The game is difficult, somewhere between Heroic and Legendary if looking at it from a Halo standpoint. You'll die- a lot. But the load times are minimal and the checkpoints are just right. The bosses require some thinking to defeat as well. It's not always just a matter of walking in and blasting a boss with your most powerful weapons. The boss fights are tough, but ultimately rewarding. Figuring out what ammo works best in what situation and then carrying it out is part of the game's charm. The game is also streamlined and to the point. There's almost no backtracking, and each area of the game is a series of small skirmishes leading up to one of the boss fights. I've always liked the Oddworld universe. Part organic and part mechanical, the worlds have always felt very cohesive and original. Stranger takes place in the same world, so it's no surprise that the game feels very similar to other games in the series from an aesthetic viewpoint. What Stranger does is focus more on the organic parts of Oddworld, the barren deserts, lush forests, azure streams and scenic vistas more than the industrial portions of it. The move has proven to be a good one. While there are certainly games on the Xbox that are more impressive from a technical aspect, none have achieved the sense of beauty that Stranger's Wrath does. It's more artistically beautiful than technically impressive, but it's a beauty nonetheless. At first, the game's visuals lead the player to believe that the whole game will take place in the Wild West counterpart of Oddworld and in truth this really wouldn't have been a bad thing. The first half of the game feels like a videogame counterpart to a Sergio Leone film. Creaking boards, dust storms, sweeping vistas and buzzards flying overhead. The rusty, dusty feel of an old western is perfectly conveyed through the game's stylish visuals, moreso than any other game before it. Even so, the game does indeed have some diverse locales and as much as the western motif works, you'll be amazed at how they look. In fact, some are downright jaw dropping. Remember the scene from The Lord of the Rings where the fellowship is going down the river hemmed in by beautiful forests on each side? It's in this game. And for Oddworld purists who yearn for the more mechanized side of Oddworld, there's plenty for you here as well. The controls are very solid. In first person, the game feels just like Halo. Not a little like it- just like it. This is nothing but good news seeing as Halo's controls are so responsive. If you've played Halo, you'll feel right at home with this game. The jumping, particularly in third person, feels a tad floaty, but it grows on you over time. The camera is controlled with the right stick and is usually pretty good at finding a good angle. Sometimes it gets hung up on a wall though, which is frustrating seeing as how fast paced and brutal some of the fights are. The sound is nice, too. The music ranges from desolate, to a drawling guitar twang to some more epic stuff towards the end. The voice work is a little off, which hurts even worse because some of the lines the characters say are absolutely hilarious. There's only about a total of four voices in the game. The enemy voice, which sounds like Ayer the Cockroach Man from Men in Black. The Clakker voice which sounds like a drunk trying to do a Daisy Duck impersonation. The Stranger's voice, which is probably the most respectable in the game, sounds gravelly and serious, like James Earl Jones doing Clint Eastwood. The effects are great, however. From the sound of angry bees, to the teeth rattling force of an enemy tanker exploding. Every sound is convincing, loud and clear. Especially if you have surround sound. The story of the game is rather rich for a game like this. Oddworld Inhabitants was founded by a bunch of ex-Hollywood talent, and their expertise in conveying the story through cutscenes is apparent. The story also deals with some real life issues, like bigotry, alienation and the desire to fit in. I don't want to give anything away, but by the end of the game, you'll have grown to like Stranger, maybe even feel a little sorry for him. The game has a few faults. First, it's just not long enough. A game this good makes you wish it had another five hours or so, but as it is, you'll probably finish it in around fifteen hours. And there's no unlockables to make a second quest more enticing, although I can't imagine not playing through this game again at some point- It's just too fun. The voice work also grates towards the end, and it's amplified by how quality-laden everything else in the game is. There's not a gradual difficulty curve either. Some of the fights are outright brutal and it only gets tougher as you go. This may turn off a few players. That said, this is a fantastic game. It's an exciting new direction for the franchise. It's a bold move because it would've been so easy, even tempting, to just make another 3D game with Abe or Munch. Using what works from other games, and at the same time fusing it with the big production values and social commentary Oddworld is known for, this makes it a winner. If it were a tad longer, I'd have given it a nine. This game makes me feel that it wasn't churned out for money. A lot of folks put their hearts in this one to make it shine, and shine it does.
