Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee - New 'n' Tasty
- July 22, 2014
- Just Add Water
New 'n' Tasty is a fantastic way to rediscover a cleverly designed, grotesquely beautiful puzzle-platforming classic.
"Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee - New 'n' Tasty' is a single-player platformer game with striking visuals. As Abe, a former factory worker, you discover your boss's plan to turn slaves into meat snacks. Escape the factory, evade hunting parties, and encounter dangerous creatures in this journey to save your skin and uncover your people's heritage."
Reviews
- Beautifully updated graphics and environments that enhance the original's charm.
- Faithful remake that retains the unique gameplay and quirky character of the original.
- Improved controls and accessibility features make the game more enjoyable for both newcomers and returning fans.
- Controls can be stiff and imprecise, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- Some bugs and technical issues, including crashes and screen tearing, detract from the experience.
- Certain design choices and changes from the original may not resonate well with long-time fans.
- graphics12 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their beautiful and faithful recreation of the original 1997 classic, with many noting the impressive HD visuals and engaging visual effects that bring Abe's world to life. Players appreciate the inviting aesthetics and the charming design, which enhance the overall experience, although some critiques mention that certain elements still feel outdated. Overall, the updated graphics contribute significantly to the game's nostalgic appeal while maintaining its unique sensibilities.
“Faithful recreation of the 1997 classic, beautiful visuals bring Abe’s world to life, less stilted controls than the original.”
“Gorgeous reimagined graphics, deep and engaging puzzle-platforming, slavishly faithful to the original game's unique sensibilities.”
“Beautifully updated HD visuals, inventive stealth/puzzle/platform gameplay, superb balance of serious and slapstick, still feels fresh, strange, and lovable today.”
“If anything, it makes me long for the original with its, if not timeless, nostalgic visuals.”
“The biggest change to Oddworld outside of the visuals is the tweaking of the difficulty.”
“Clunky, outdated controls, indistinct graphics, tedious gameplay; they did not bother to fix what was wrong with the original version.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of diverse objectives and inventive mechanics, offering a blend of charm and nostalgia in its faithful remake. However, some players find the controls clunky and frustrating, with dated design elements and bugs detracting from the experience. Overall, while the visuals and character remain appealing, the gameplay can be polarizing, with a balance of rewarding challenges and occasional technical issues.
“Diverse gameplay and side objectives, faithful remake with a fresh coat of paint, undeniable character and weird charm.”
“Beautifully updated HD visuals, inventive stealth/puzzle/platform gameplay, superb balance of serious and slapstick, still feels fresh, strange and lovable today.”
“Dated gameplay and puzzle design, touchy analog controls can lead to frustration when precise movement is required, bugs that cause the game to crash, or infinitely loop puzzles, general lack of polish.”
“Clunky, outdated controls, indistinct graphics, tedious gameplay, did not bother to fix what was wrong with the original version.”
“Although the controls can get a little out of hand even after playing for a while, the story and gameplay give the game a unique charm that I haven’t seen in most platforming games for a long time.”
- story6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally seen as charming and enjoyable, with some reviewers noting its contemporary relevance and unique appeal, despite some criticisms of being stale due to the remake. While the original narrative holds up well, the gameplay can be challenging for newcomers, and the addition of quick-save features may lessen the stakes of player decisions. Overall, the story contributes positively to the game's charm, even if some aspects, like soundtracks and co-op play, fall short.
“Although the controls can get a little out of hand even after playing for a while, the story and gameplay give the game a unique charm that I haven’t seen in most platforming games for a long time.”
“The original story still holds up, and while the gameplay may be a bit too hard for some newcomers, it's still rewarding, despite a few not-so-great aspects, like the sound effects.”
“Fun, contemporary relevant story and themes, fairly forgiving deaths and respawns.”
“The story is a bit stale, though expected with a remake.”
“The addition of quick-save and quick-load removes a lot of the consequences for messing up.”
“The soundtracks are repetitive, almost to the point of annoyance.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful and detailed soundtrack while others find it repetitive and forgettable. While the environments are well-crafted, the audio experience is often marred by annoying in-game sounds and a lack of memorable compositions. Overall, the music contributes positively to the atmosphere but fails to leave a lasting impression for many players.
“The soundtrack sounds amazing, perfectly complementing the beautiful and detailed environments.”
“The music enhances the overall experience, making every moment in the game feel more immersive.”
“The game's soundtrack is a standout feature, adding depth and emotion to the gameplay.”
“However, the soundtracks are repetitive, almost to the point of annoyance.”
“Forgettable music and annoying in-game audio.”
“Some levels are unbalanced, with occasional flashes and screen tearing.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Oddworld: New and Tasty" is consistently praised as fantastic, contributing to a fun yet occasionally frustrating gaming experience. Players appreciate the cleverness of the humor, which complements the engaging level design and puzzles throughout the game.
“Humor is still fantastic.”
“Fun, frustrating, and funny in equal measure, Oddworld: New and Tasty will give you 6-8 hours of solid gaming, even more if you’re committed to saving all 299 of your enslaved brethren.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy is criticized for its high pricing and intrusive advertisements, which detract from the overall experience. Players feel that the in-game ads disrupt immersion and that the cost does not align with the game's quality.
“The price feels steep, and the out-of-place advertisements are distracting.”
“The analogue movement controls lack precision, and the in-game ads break the fourth wall.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the remake is generally criticized for lacking the depth and precision found in the original, leading to a perception that it fails to capture the same engaging experience. Overall, reviewers feel it does not live up to expectations set by its predecessor.
“Lacks atmosphere compared to the original; it just doesn't capture the same feeling.”
“The ambiance feels flat and uninspired, failing to immerse players in the game world.”
“Overall, the atmosphere is disappointing and doesn't evoke the intended emotions.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, citing clunky and outdated controls, indistinct graphics, and a lack of improvements from the original version. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“The grinding feels clunky and outdated, making the gameplay tedious and frustrating.”
“The graphics are indistinct, which adds to the overall feeling of a lackluster grinding experience.”
“It seems like they did not bother to fix what was wrong with the original version, leaving the grinding aspect feeling stale.”
Critic Reviews
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty Review
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty has had a protracted journey to the Wii U, and remnants of that legacy can be found here. Overall, however, we have an attractive, beautifully designed and clever platformer on the eShop, which is also fairly unique on the store. Sometimes a wait is worthwhile, and this one's odyssey to reach Nintendo hardware was worth the effort.
80%Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty (Switch) Review
A remake worthy of the original’s strangeness
75%Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty Review
At the end of the day anybody who holds the original Abe’s Oddysee in high regard will appreciate this remake immensely, but newcomers to the series should be wary of it’s problems.
60%