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XBox Reviews: world: Munch's Oddysee

 

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee Screenshots

The Final Say!
Gameplay
9.7
Graphics
9.7
Sound
8.7
Value
9.7

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee - reviewed by Tory Favro
Review Date: 11 April 2002
Review Score: 9.7/10 
Distributed By: Microsoft

"Hello? Follow Me!...."

I must confess that this review has been some time in the writing and for those of you who have been waiting on it, I must apologise. However considering the depth of this title and the sheer amount of interaction you can make with the game world, Munch's Oddysee deserved no less than a thorough play through before presenting the review to you.

 

Many gamers will have visited Oddworld before with Abe's Oddysee and Abe's Exodus on Playstation. I have even played Abe on Gameboy Color and had a blast. Therefore, being a fan of the series, I was hankering to see exactly what was in store for gamers on the XBox.

 

What an absolute treat! The storyline is complex and for newcomers there is a welcome flashback to Abe's previous adventures which will clue you in on just why Abe is the way he is.

 

Graphically the gameworld is one of the most impressive environment I have had the pleasure of playing on a console to date with Halo possibly just nudging a tad forward. Every detail you could imagine has been included with such a degree of realism that even clouds passing by cast shadows on the landscape and over our heroes.

 

Every single aspect of this game has been done to perfection and it is a real coup for the XBox to have it as a exclusive title. It is a shame for other console owners to not be able to experience this game.

 

Oddworld is a very delicate environment that is being destroyed by the industrialists who scour the planet destroying the natural flora and fauna in order to make fast food and drinks. Munch's race, the Gabbits have been wiped out to the point of extinction as their eggs have become a delicacy called Gabiar. Munch has heard that there is one can of Gabiar left in all Oddworld and needs to rescue the canto keep his race alive!

 

Abe is in the same predicament. Abe is a Mudokon and has discovered that some of his unborn brother's eggs have been held prisoner in Vykkers labs. Apart they cannot achieve their goals. Together they must work toward a common goal and that is freeing their species!

 

 

Gamespeak resurfaces in the title again enabling you to communicate with other creatures in Oddworld. The language is simple yet effective and involves greeting, asking for help, ordering an attack and waiting. You can generate different responses by holding down the desired button.

 

Abe once again can possess Sligs and take control of enemy forces, allowing the two heroes to get through otherwise inaccessible areas. Each character has easily definable abilities and the game cleverly presents itself with a totally different playing style as you switch from one to the other. Abe moves very confidently over land, whilst only having one leg/foot, Munch is more unstable and slow. Get Munch into the water however and you can only marvel and what a wonderful creature he is to manoeuvre.

 

Info machines are present throughout the game, making sure that you do not have to remember a complex amount of moves to get through the title. Whilst loading between levels is a little long, the sheer amount of info ingame totally justifies the short wait. It is only noticeable because of the short waiting time for most XBox games so far on the market.

 

Both Abe and Munch need to harvest Spooce throughout the game in order to boost abilities and open devices. Spooce looks like a glowing green shrub and it is essentially the game's currency. Abe can generate Spooce by meditating over a spent Spooce bud. Munch's special ability is the power to manipulate machinery using his mind and he puts it to good use throughout the game.

 

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee is an absolute delight to play and is most definately worth spending your hard earned dollars on. I could go on about this title forever, that's how impressed I was with it. Go on, you know you need.... Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee!

- Tory Favro

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