Reviews:
-
Abe and the Oddworld series feel like they’ve hit a new stride with Soulstorm, but there are also some losses
When it comes to naming franchises that have been all over the map, and through quite a large number of ups and downs over the years, I’d consider Oddworld somewhere near the front of the line. While Abe and the odd collection of key characters from the series have always had an endearing charm, gameplay-wise there has been a great deal of experimentation over the years, with much of it panning out poorly. Right from the start, you’ll notice that visually the team has really stepped up their game, and in general I’d say that narratively there’s finally a bit more meat on the game’s typically bare storytelling bones. There’s also, generally, a good flow to the game’s action, maintaining a generally cinematic feel and also possessing a fluidity I normally don’t think of with these titles. All of these elements come together nicely, and give the game some nice flair, but depending on how steeped you are in where the series has come from you may notice there have been some casualties as well. The mix of stealth, some strategy, and action that remains absolutely has a nicely polished feel, but some of the more unusual segments and modes of control of various denizens have been left to the side, making the experience less diverse and inventive than the norm. Overall, while this is absolutely the most visually-impressive Oddworld game on the Switch to date, there are aspects of play on Switch that simply come up a bit short, whether in performance or in what feels like some missed opportunities. One can only hope with their new lease on life the team is able to integrate more of the classic segments that worked from previous outings back into the fold.
Justin Nation, Score:Good [7.6]