Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee®
- August 28, 2008
- Oddworld Inhabitants
- 30h median play time
Get on SteamIn Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, players control Abe, a floor-waxer at RuptureFarms, who discovers a plot to turn his species into food. He must escape the facility, rescue his fellow Mudokons, and protect Oddworld's creatures from the ruthless Magog Cartel. With newfound powers from the Shrykull, Abe returns to RuptureFarms to confront his enemies and dismantle the twisted meat-packing empire.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- A classic puzzle platformer with a unique art style and engaging story.
- Challenging gameplay that rewards patience and skill, making each victory satisfying.
- Rich atmosphere and dark humor that enhance the overall experience.
- The PC port suffers from poor controls and a frustrating checkpoint system.
- Cutscenes are choppy and may not play correctly on modern systems.
- Lack of quicksave feature can lead to repetitive gameplay and loss of progress.
- gameplay350 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this classic platformer is characterized by its challenging mechanics, requiring precision and patience, often leading to trial-and-error experiences that can frustrate players. While the inventive gameplay elements, such as possession and puzzle-solving, are praised for their uniqueness and depth, the harsh checkpoint system and difficulty level may deter some players. Overall, it offers a rewarding experience for those willing to navigate its complexities, supported by a compelling story and engaging art style.
“Great storytelling, characters, and setting with solid gameplay make it a great choice for those with the patience to die a lot.”
“The gameplay relies on precision, and it is a joy to obtain the skills necessary to beat this game.”
“Its unique blend of challenging gameplay, compelling storytelling, and memorable characters make it a true gem in the gaming world.”
“This lack of fluidity can lead to unnecessary deaths and repetitive trial-and-error gameplay that may quickly sour the overall experience.”
“Ultimately decided to go with a thumbs down because I think the best part of the game is everything other than the gameplay, which in turn just isn't enjoyable.”
“If I had to design its game box there'd be a warning label on it, stating: 'Warning: uses a checkpoint mechanic that'll force you to do an entire section all over again each time something goes wrong and may also save your progress against your will on skipped areas and lost people that you were supposed to save.'”
- story274 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The story of "Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, rich world-building, and memorable characters, blending dark themes of slavery and corporate exploitation with humor and charm. Players appreciate the unique storytelling approach, which combines serious issues with whimsical elements, making it both thought-provoking and entertaining. Despite some critiques regarding its simplicity and the game's challenging nature, the overall consensus is that the story is a standout feature that enhances the gameplay experience.
“The story, characters, and atmosphere are compelling and cute (in an odd sort of way).”
“The story is interesting, entertaining, and at times dark.”
“The world is beautiful, the story is riveting and deep, even philosophical if you look deep enough, and the characters are engaging and easy to become attached to.”
“The plot is a little thin and kind of puerile, but there's a certain charm to the Oddworld universe.”
“The story to this game is essentially one giant eco-friendly metaphor for our own industrial prowess... but it is so subtle/just plain ignorable that it will not rest on your conscience at all.”
“The game is great if you don't try to be a completionist and stay on the main storyline and is challenging without being frustrating, but when you start to try to solve the longer/more difficult secret areas later in the game, losing that 1-15 minutes of progress each time you have a death to something that would've been hard to predict, it's easy to lose motivation when there is a really out of date save system.”
- graphics268 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee" are often described as outdated, reflecting its 1997 origins, yet many players appreciate the unique art style and atmospheric visuals that still resonate today. While some find the graphics charming and nostalgic, others note that they do not hold up well against modern standards, leading to mixed feelings about the overall visual experience. Despite the dated appearance, the game's artistic design and immersive environments continue to captivate players, making it a classic in its genre.
“The whole lore, visuals, and sound effects are so iconic; this game is a classic!”
“The graphics may not be groundbreaking by today's standards, but they have a distinct charm that is hard to resist.”
“The graphics are indeed old, but for the time this game was released, they're nothing short of remarkable.”
“Also, the game has not been remastered, so the graphics look very old-school and I have a high-functioning PC.”
“Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee was released quite a while ago, and unfortunately, time has not been kind to its graphics.”
“Its outdated graphics and cumbersome controls make it a tough sell for those accustomed to modern gaming conveniences.”
- atmosphere136 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of dark themes, quirky humor, and immersive environments, enhanced by a haunting soundtrack and beautiful art design. Reviewers highlight its ability to create a captivating and memorable experience, making it stand out among platformers. Overall, the game's rich atmosphere is considered a key element that elevates its storytelling and gameplay, leaving a lasting impression on players.
“The haunting, atmospheric soundtrack perfectly complements the dark and gritty visuals, enhancing the immersion and creating an eerie ambiance that resonates with the game's overall theme.”
“The detailed and atmospheric environments breathe life into the game world, making it feel truly immersive.”
“Soaked in atmosphere, and dense with content and challenge, it is an unforgettable journey that everyone deserves to experience at least once in their lives.”
“Very dark atmosphere and a top-notch soundtrack.”
“The eerie atmosphere combined with relentlessly high difficulty at some points and comic relief at others had left an ever lasting impression in my then game-inexperienced mind.”
“Also do not play this with other people it kills the atmosphere and takes away the experience.”
- humor114 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the Oddworld series is characterized by a distinctive blend of dark and slapstick elements, often juxtaposing serious themes like slavery and environmentalism with absurd and silly antics, such as fart jokes and quirky character interactions. Players appreciate the cleverness and inventiveness of the humor, which serves to lighten the challenging gameplay while providing a rich, immersive experience filled with memorable characters and lore. Overall, the game's unique comedic style is both entertaining and thought-provoking, making it a standout title in the platformer genre.
“It has an entertaining combination of silly humor and dark atmosphere.”
“The humor is an integral part of the series' identity.”
“Oddworld is a humorously dark tale of an unlikely hero as he saves his people from the horrors of an unforgiving world.”
- music78 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall immersion and complementing the dark visuals. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to adapt to gameplay situations, creating tension during chases and adding depth to the game's eerie ambiance. While some note that the music can become repetitive during frustrating gameplay moments, it is generally regarded as a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm and emotional impact.
“The haunting, atmospheric soundtrack perfectly complements the dark and gritty visuals, enhancing the immersion and creating an eerie ambiance that resonates with the game's overall theme.”
“When it comes to music, this game has some of the best soundtracks that you'll ever hear, whether you're sneaking around a factory, getting chased by paramites, or even exploring a temple.”
“The soundtrack is subtle and really is the cherry on top for the setting.”
“The soundtrack is not the best, but it fits the atmosphere well enough.”
“The two main problems with it, then, are the fail states and the save system - deaths (which are very frequent) are met with prolonged musical cues and delays before starting the levels again, and there's no way of telling just how far back a reloaded saved-game is going to take you.”
“Alarms sound, intense music plays and enemies chase you through halls and jungles, and when you make a mistake and lose the chase, there's the music again to remind you of your failure.”
- stability30 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and a frustratingly sparse checkpoint system that hampers progress. Many have experienced issues with controller settings, audio glitches, and choppy cutscenes, leading to a recommendation for alternative versions of the game. Overall, the port is seen as a significant detriment to an otherwise excellent game, making it difficult to enjoy without extensive troubleshooting.
“An awful, buggy port which undermines an excellent game.”
“It glitches the second the game begins and renders it literally unplayable.”
“Constant game-breaking bugs and save glitches.”
- grinding28 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Players frequently note that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious, often requiring significant time investment due to unforgiving checkpoints and the need to replay challenging sections. While some find the difficulty engaging and reminiscent of classic gaming experiences, others feel that the repetitive nature of saving characters and navigating complex levels detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite these frustrations, many still appreciate the game's nostalgic value and its unique thematic elements.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“It can be hard for a newcomer to play this game nowadays, because of stiff controls, unforgiving checkpoints, and the tediousness of saving mudokons.”
“You get to the end, only to be fed into the grinding machine because you didn't happen to save enough mudokons!”
- optimization14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly on some PCs, performance can vary significantly across different systems. The original version struggles with cutscene playback on modern hardware, leading to stuttering issues, prompting many players to recommend the remaster for better controls and optimization. Despite these drawbacks, the game is praised for its impressive visuals and mechanics, especially considering its age.
“The game runs smoothly (on my PC, it might differ between computers and laptops).”
“Knowing the limited disk space and performance of the PS1 console, this game is both visually and mechanically incredible for its time. It has remained a true cult classic since release and has undoubtedly stood the test of time.”
“Great game, but nowadays I would recommend the remaster as it controls a lot better and is more optimized for newer PCs.”
“The difference in performance is that bad.”
“Luvvvvvvvv it..... but the cutscenes are terribly optimized.”
“First off, on modern hardware, the movies have extreme stuttering or just plain don't work.”
- character development14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
Character development in Oddworld is highlighted by its visually striking and memorable character designs, which blend industrial horror with unique and disturbing creatures. While some reviews praise the aesthetic appeal and creativity, others criticize certain designs as unoriginal or annoying, indicating a mixed reception regarding the depth and creativity of character development. Overall, the game is noted for its intriguing visual concepts and environments.
“Interesting world and character design, a weird mix of industrial horror and disturbing creatures.”
“Aesthetically pleasing; gorgeous environments and intriguing character design.”
“Overglorified memory game with annoying and uncreative character designs.”
“Everything in this game, the sound, the music, the art direction, character designs, world design.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, with players able to improve their performance and explore different strategies after their initial playthrough. Engaging puzzles and the challenge of achieving higher scores or saving all characters further enhance the incentive to replay. Overall, it is praised for its lasting appeal and depth.
“A great side-scrolling platform game with a ton of replay value.”
“Great puzzles that really make you think about how you approach a situation, and it also has good replay value due to being able to navigate through the levels much faster after playing through once, and getting a higher score or trying to save all the friendlies.”
“Good replayability.”
“Replayability: until you die”
“Replayability: until you die”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching narrative and the profound impact of player choices, particularly the heartbreak felt when failing to save characters like the mudokans. The combination of a well-crafted universe and poignant storytelling enhances the overall emotional experience.
“All this fit together in a state-of-the-art universe with a touching story.”
“When you fail to save a Mudokon, it's heartbreaking!”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a strong sentiment against modern monetization practices, with many users expressing nostalgia for a time when games were developed without the influence of shareholders and excessive monetization mechanics. This suggests a desire for more authentic gaming experiences free from intrusive financial strategies.
“Made back when games weren't stalled by shareholders and corrupted by monetization mechanics.”
