Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Just Add Water

Publisher: Oddworld Inhabitants

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: A

It’s been far too long since an Oddworld game has appeared on a console, but it looks as if the drought is finally over in a huge way. One of the best original Xbox games finally returns and yes, makes an even more spectacular PS3 debut. After playing through Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD, I’m thinking a few of this year’s “Best of 2011” lists will need to be rewritten to add this gem. This outstanding remake features reworked HD visuals, lovely 60 frames per second animation, newly recorded voice acting and even better sound design than the original game. It also holds up incredibly well as a stellar single-player game thanks to a great story with an excellent plot twist or two, some fine and witty dialog and a great Oddworld vibe that’s still fresh today as it was back in 2005.

The story revolves around the titular bounty hunter, Stranger (who’s visually reminiscent of a few classic Western heroes all rolled into one) as he sets out to claim a number of bounties in order to earn enough to pay for an urgent operation he needs. Where the three previous Oddworld games revolved around the puzzle-solving antics of Abe and later, wheelchair-bound Munch, Stranger’s Wrath was (and is) an action game that mixes third and first person perspectives, stealth, shooting and even a bit of fist to face action when required. Despite the more action-oriented gameplay, this IS an Oddworld game through and through, so expect some of those same thematic elements from previous games to be a major part of things as the well-written story progresses.

Although he’s a bounty hunter, Stranger’s not going for any guns when going after his bounties. He relies on organic ammo he scavenges in his travels and it’s here where the game’s first of many excellent touches appears. You’ll be able to gather up and combine ammo types that Stranger can fire from his cool dual crossbow, making a one-two combo that’s effective and efficient when dealing with the bulk of the baddies you’ll encounter.  Ammo gathering is a really well conceived system rivaled only by Artech Entertainment’s sleeper Raze’s Hell (another underrated Xbox-only gem that’s worth tracking down as well as one that could use an HD upgrade one of these days). The game walks you through the basics early on and by the end of the first boss encounter, you’ll have had an excellent lesson in most of the game mechanics. New hideout encounters expand how you tackle missions, but expect some repetition to creep in if you always play one way and never change up your tactics.

Much of the game’s general flow is the same as the Stranger heads into a town being plagued or pestered by that area’s selection of bounties. After picking up news around the town and choosing a bounty, it’s off to the mission. Thanks to his two-legged gait changing to a quadrupedal gallop when running, Stranger becomes his own speedy horse when the need arises. There’s a bit of platforming in indoor as well as outdoor locations and it works extremely well provided you remember that Stranger needs a bit of room before he comes to a complete stop from a full run. Combat with the crossbow is also solid, but if you’re used to the “sticky” targeting of most console FPS, it may take a little time before the more organic feeling of that’s here starts to flow. You’ll absolutely want to have experimented with as many ammo combos as possible as well as unarmed up close combat, as the game relies on you knowing what to do and when to do it (and usually very quickly when things get tricky).

Compared to some of today’s adrenaline-soaked shooters and action games where you’ve little time to catch a breath. the more languid pacing on the way to some enemy camps may seem “dull” to certain types of gamers. Sure, you’ll come across a number of enemies trying to put holes in Stranger’s head in some sweeping vistas with flat out gorgeous lighting effects that make the game world seem all to real. But these portions that combine platforming, solving navigation puzzles and combat also do double duty as you collect new (or restock old) ammo types and practice on the baddies as you work your way to the next bounty site. It’s a fantastic thing that the game camera is great and the ability to zip between first and third-person views is not only lightning fast, it adds an extra layer of depth to the gameplay.The FPS view is of course, best for shooting stuff and enemies, but third person is best for platform jumping and sneaking about when required.

Sure, you can go into a protracted firefight with a few bad guys in the field from time to time, but up against a whole hideout’s worth of bounties, taking the front door or getting noisy can get you killed faster than a fly in a swatter factory. Sneaking around and looking for a new entry point or taking out patrolling guards one by one while looking for a back door is satisfying and fun, but it’s even better when you can capture some enemies alive without killing them. Live bounties mean more Moolah (the in-game currency) and while it’s not impossible to take bosses down alive, it presents a few new challenges, as these guys don’t go down without an epic battle (and a bunch of hilarious dialog at times). These fights range from slightly challenging to downright brutal and unlike too many modern generation games that lead you by the nose through tough situations, here it’s all about paying attention to your surroundings, using your ammo wisely and taking down these bigger bounties as quickly as possible.

As noted above, Stranger’s Wrath looks and sounds amazing. The original was a standout game on the Xbox for the most part, but suffered from a bit of choppiness in later levels. Showing off some impressive skills, developer Just Add Water has almost created an entirely new game that’s as good looking as some current titles on the market. From the updated character models (those poultry people still make me hungry for chicken) to the supremely pretty reflections and new texture work, this is one of the best looking PSN game I’ve seen this year. If you’re a total nitpicker of a tech-head, you may notice the game runs at 720p and no higher. But it still looks great and there’s supposed to be a 3D patch coming at some point. I don’t have a 3D television here (or plans to acquire one), but this should help the game move a few sales to those who own the proper hardware.

As for the negatives there aren’t really many to speak of. While I had a near total blast with the game,  I can see some players griping about the occasional leap in challenge that occurs in a few areas as well as a few platforming sections that aren’t perfect. Nevertheless, the game isn’t being cheap as much as it’s forcing you to apply what you’ve learned in order to survive. There are some timed portions that might take some getting used to (particularly if you hate timed sections in other games), but none of them are frustrating enough to make you want to kill that expensive PS3 Dual Shock 3 or whatever controller you’re using.

The only real knock against the game is it’s currently only available as a PSN download, meaning Xbox 360 fanboys and gals are out of luck again as are those gamers without PSN accounts or broadband access. The original game was one of many Xbox titles that were never given the backward compatibility treatment, so unless you have an original Xbox in the house, you’re going to need to shell out for a PS3 in order to play this. Fortunately for me, I happen to have an original Xbox here AND a copy of the game, so I was able to play both for comparison’s sake and am glad I did. Getting to the second half of the game and seeing things both look as well as play much smoother was a revelation and made these later areas amazingly more enjoyable.

As for the reasons why the console version is a PS3 exclusive (which may be Vita-bound at some point), apparently, the game is much too large for an Xbox Live Arcade release (blame Microsoft, not Oddworld Inhabitants or JAW). Before you even ask, getting the game onto a retail disc on any console is quite an expensive project that’s not in the cards. Sadly, that also goes for this version, unless the game does well enough that JAW and Oddworld see fit to release the other Oddworld games they’re working on on a Blu-Ray at some point in the future. Of course, that would require some wealthy business tycoon wanting to part with a lot of his or her own Moolah to fund such a project, but Stranger things have happened, I say.

In any event, absolutely BUY this game if you’re looking for a fresh, funny and touching masterwork that’s also a tight and often tricky bit of business. Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD is a more than fitting way to end one of the best and busiest years in gaming, so don’t pass this one up at all… or there just may be a Stranger at your door who’s come to bag you up for a bounty….