Gloom in bloom.
By Rod_S

First, a disclaimer. I've never been much into the Oddworld games. The humour doesn't appeal and I don't care for the puzzles and characters. Funny then that I've been playing Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath almost constantly this weekend and enjoying every second of it.

It casts you as Stranger, a bounty hunter who's part man, part beasty-type thing. The action centres around a town all decked out in spaghetti western style – like a Sergio Leone movie populated with mutants and freaks. To see the rare Wild West theme used with such flair and imagination feels instantly vibrant and fresh.

Wild West? Check. Fresh? Check. Freaks? You decide.

So you saunter up to the bounty store, spurs jingle-jangling and dust kicking up around your cowboy boots, fling open the double doors an receive your first mission. Movement is fluid and graceful. It’s one of those rare games like Prince of Persia where you actually enjoy controlling your character. It has feel in abundance and even the minor platform sections are made enjoyable through the tactile control method. When you start running in third person view, Stranger gets down on all fours and pelts along, butting anything that gets in his way and smashing through obstacles.

Stranger’s rocket pack seems Oddly out of place.

The first real kick comes when the weapons, and specifically the ammo, are introduced. Stranger doesn't like guns. He uses a crossbow attached to his arm, which is loaded up with live bait. Critters like chipmunks, spiders and wasps are used to fire at your enemies, and they sit on the crossbow snarling and grunting at you and rolling their eyes. This is a masterstroke of design and affords the game bundles of personality that would otherwise be wasted on generic rocket launchers and chain guns. Each variety of critter has its own unique use. Fire off a few chipmunks and they sit on the floor chattering (your enemies can't resist investigating whilst you're loading up some more ammo). Or maybe you'll load the spiders, which ensnare your opponents in a sticky web for a short time.

Hah! Eat scary chipmunk death, yer varmints!

As you're a bounty hunter, all of your prizes have a ‘Wanted dead or alive’ status attached to them. You can either keep pummelling them with critters or punches from the third person view to kill them, or ideally knock them out and capture them alive for a higher reward. Once they're on the deck you suck them up Ghostbusters style and deliver them back to the hub world to claim your bounty. Upon delivery you'll be briefed on your next mission by a slick, unobtrusive cut-scene that drips with atmosphere and style.

Outside the town, you'll wander through Western-style gulches and desert areas, all dressed up in the unusual Oddworld personality. It looks phenomenal. Some of the vistas are breathtaking. A lot of the pleasure is simply drinking in the views and capturing your ammo. Graphics aren't a guilty pleasure for me. I'm upfront about my love for next-gen visuals and Stranger pushes all of my graphics-whore buttons. Incredible textures, wonderfully organic animation and many over-the-top particle effects decorate the world, and even with groups of characters running around, there's never any slowdown. I don't know how they managed this on current tech. My eyes have been burned by its beauty.

“Leaving already? Aww come on, don’t be a Stranger.”

Audio is another high point. There’s a soundtrack that Morricone would be proud of and some sharp, utterly convincing spot effects. You'll also hear plenty of chatter and commentary as you go about your bounty hunting. Your critters chatter encouragement as they sit in the crossbow, and your enemies keep up a constant dialogue in battle.

This is the finest single-player experience on the Xbox since Halo, burying even Halo II with its wonderful level design and “one more go” hook. Definitely one for the collection.

February 2005

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