Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
- December 20, 2010
- Oddworld Inhabitants
- 2h median play time
"Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee" is an updated port from 2016, where players control Mudokon champion Abe and his Gabbit partner Munch in a 60 FPS adventure. Using psychic powers, power-ups, and special abilities, they work to reclaim the last Gabbit eggs and deliver payback. The game features improved visuals and audio, with higher resolution textures, better quality cut-scenes, and improved audio.
Reviews
- Nostalgic experience for fans of the original Xbox game, bringing back fond childhood memories.
- Unique gameplay mechanics with the ability to control both Munch and Abe, offering a mix of puzzle-solving and action.
- The game features humorous dialogue and quirky characters that add charm to the overall experience.
- The port is plagued with bugs, crashes, and performance issues, making it frustrating to play.
- Controls are clunky and awkward, especially with camera movement, leading to a less enjoyable gameplay experience.
- Many players report broken achievements and sound issues, detracting from the overall quality of the game.
- gameplay95 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee" is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of platforming, puzzle-solving, and strategic elements that some players find engaging, while others criticize it for being clunky and repetitive. While the introduction of new mechanics, such as swimming and unique character abilities, adds variety, many reviewers note issues with controls, camera angles, and overall execution that detract from the experience. Despite its nostalgic appeal and captivating storyline, the gameplay often feels less polished compared to its 2D predecessors, leaving some players disappointed.
“This mechanic adds depth and variety to the gameplay, as each creature has unique abilities that are crucial to success.”
“The gameplay is smooth and surprisingly polished for a console port.”
“The gameplay is a mix of platforming, puzzle-solving, and some strategic elements.”
“It's hard to control, mechanics and missions are boring and repetitive; 80% of the game it's better to play just with Abe despite this being 'Munch's Oddysee'.”
“The gameplay can be repetitive and platforming really tricky, but it's worth playing just to experience the expanded world of Oddworld.”
- story83 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee" is engaging and creatively blends humor with darker themes, following Munch and Abe on a quest to save Munch's nearly extinct species while tackling issues like exploitation and environmental destruction. While some players feel it rehashes elements from previous games, the narrative is enriched by well-designed characters and entertaining cutscenes, making it a memorable experience despite some gameplay criticisms. Overall, the storyline is praised for its charm and depth, appealing to both newcomers and fans of the series.
“The game follows the adventure of Munch, a curious creature with a mission to save his species from extinction.”
“The story is engaging, with a good blend of humor and dark undertones that make Oddworld games stand out.”
“Munch's Oddysee may not be the best 2D to 3D entry to a series, but it makes up for it with a great and funny story and the classic Oddworld charm.”
“The plot then just throws events out of nowhere, leaves many things unexplained, and doesn't really know how to pull off its ambitions.”
“If you like good graphics, smooth controls, and a wild ride of a story, this game isn't for you.”
“The story, although a bit of a rehash of the previous games, has an interesting narrative and a good humor to it; some of the poetic nature and grim undertone of the world has been dialed back a bit for a more comedic tone, it still works but the atmosphere has altered a little.”
- graphics69 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the unique art style and improvements made in the PC port, while others criticize the dated visuals and lack of graphical options. Many players appreciate the creative design and nostalgic elements, but feel that the overall execution falls short compared to earlier titles in the series. Despite some enhancements, the game is often described as visually inconsistent, with a blend of appealing and unattractive elements.
“Visually, the game retains its unique art style that made it so iconic.”
“The graphics are actually the strongest part of the game, though there are no actual graphics options to speak of and the sound options leave a lot to be desired.”
“The graphics are a step up from the old Xbox version and so are most of the sounds.”
“This 3D graphic feels cheap and ugly, not like the old games which were beautiful pre-rendered even though with a poor resolution due to its time of making.”
“The graphics are ugly compared to the PS1 games, the environments are uninspired and repetitive, and oh god the sound design.”
“It's full of bugs, the graphics aren't good or fluid as the original version of the game and it keeps crashing!”
- humor44 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a defining feature, blending dark undertones with quirky, surreal elements that reflect the franchise's signature style. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, hilarious cutscenes, and the comedic charm of characters like Munch, which contribute to an engaging and entertaining experience. While some find the humor balances well with serious themes, others feel it can be inconsistent, yet overall, the game is celebrated for its creativity and comedic appeal.
“The story is engaging, with a good blend of humor and dark undertones that make Oddworld games stand out.”
“All your allies are funny, there's even a 'guide' that will spawn throughout the game and give you tips and explain the situation, and you can cut him off to skip the dialogue and he'll end it with like 'no respect' and fade away.”
“The humor balanced well the overall tone of the early Oddworld games, and I assume every fan will agree that these traits were their main qualities and the soul of the franchise.”
- stability31 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay, particularly in the PC port. While some players have found workarounds or experienced fewer issues after updates, others have described the game as nearly unplayable due to persistent technical problems. Overall, the consensus suggests that potential buyers may want to consider alternative versions or be prepared for a buggy experience.
“Also runs great on Steam Deck.”
“No technical issues whatsoever; no additional fixes or installs needed, it runs great.”
“I love this game; however, it seems this version of it is super buggy. I can't even pass the first level because the door lock isn't there.”
“When I press the play game button in Steam, it only loads up the first screen and then freezes the whole computer.”
“It constantly crashes, to the point that I haven't even gotten past the first level. The camera doesn't work at all with the mouse, and the sound glitches out quite often.”
- music23 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and catchy tunes, while others criticize the sound design for being broken and the lack of dynamic music that used to enhance gameplay. Players noted that the ambient sounds often overpower the music and dialogue, detracting from the overall experience. Additionally, some felt that the absence of unique music for different levels and the inability to adjust voice volume diminished the immersive quality that was present in earlier versions of the game.
“The music is a huge plus, seems slightly changed over the updates each few months, but the ambience is great both in the lush outer areas and the oppressive factories indoors.”
“With wonderfully designed characters, an awesome soundtrack, hilarious and strong story, strategy, action, and good old platforming, it is a game beyond compare.”
“I also always loved the addition of the music slightly changing and getting more upbeat as you recruit more guys to follow you, even when in combat the music gets more of a kick and it just transitions so effectively.”
“The music and ambient in the original game are good and catchy, but in the PC version, the ambient is very loud and disturbing, and most of the time it drowns out NPCs' speech.”
“Listen close for the audio clips that are so loud they blast your eardrums -- and listen not at all for the game's dynamic music that has been completely broken!”
“This game has almost no ambiance and most areas have no music at all as you silently and boringly complete each zone.”
- grinding17 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, with players often feeling that tasks lack challenge and creativity. Many reviewers note that the gameplay is bogged down by monotonous activities, such as collecting "spooce" and performing redundant tasks, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players persist through the grind, the consensus is that it feels more like a chore than an engaging challenge.
“It's mostly clumsy, tedious, and repetitive.”
“You can tell they had to squeeze playtime out of the unfinished levels by including lots of repetition that doesn't add anything, such as grinding 'spooce'.”
“This game never gets hard or complex, it just becomes tedious.”
- atmosphere15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its beautiful design and engaging soundtrack, while others criticize its lack of polish and cohesion compared to previous titles in the series. Many reviewers note a shift from the tense and oppressive atmosphere of earlier games to a more comedic tone, which some found less compelling. Overall, while the game retains some atmospheric charm, it is often overshadowed by gameplay issues and a less cohesive presentation.
“The sound effects are well-done and fit perfectly with the quirky atmosphere of the Oddworld universe.”
“Without the admittedly gorgeous design and atmosphere of the Oddworld cosmos (that is still among the best in the business even 20 years after its first incarnation), there would be no reason to play Munch's Oddysee.”
“I loved it, the atmosphere was perfect and the characters were so endearing.”
“It's hard to describe this game's atmosphere but it definitely screams 'I was a launch title for the original Xbox' with its barren presentation and super intense blue fog masking the low draw distance... but honestly?”
“The audio is mixed poorly and the environments lack polish, meaning the atmosphere is nowhere near as strong or cohesive as the other Oddworld games.”
“The tense and oppressive atmosphere of the previous games is gone.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, recalling how its cutscenes evoked strong feelings, including tears during pivotal moments. While the narrative and backstory are engaging and set up a wholesome experience, the disappointment with the PC port's quality detracts from the overall emotional impact, especially for those who cherished the original Xbox version. Despite these flaws, the game's opening cutscene is highlighted as a particularly powerful and memorable moment in gaming history.
“I'm pretty sure the cut scenes made me cry as a kid.”
“It's heartbreaking how bad this PC port is, because Munch's Oddysee was one of my favorite games from my childhood when I had the classic Xbox.”
“From the opening cutscene, this game will grab you and demand to be played, and is probably the most emotional moment in gaming history.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The optimization of Oddworld: Munch Oddysee is inconsistent, with users reporting issues such as video freezing, audio stuttering, and frequent crashes, which detract from the overall experience. While some players enjoy smooth performance at 60 fps, the game's optimization problems significantly hinder its enjoyment.
“...and it runs smoothly at 60 fps!”
“The performance of Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee is hit and miss.”
“The video freezes completely and the audio stutters.”
“Incredible game with lovable characters, but the jarring problems with crashing and optimization sort of ruin it.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for transforming a beloved cult classic into what some perceive as a cash grab, lacking the charm of its predecessors. While the game attempts to satirize consumerism, it struggles with effective advertising and fails to capture the quality of earlier titles, leading to disappointment among long-time fans.
“This series went from a cult classic dark 2D platformer with humor, incredible art, and atmosphere, to the worst 3D platformer cash grab you will ever play, among the piles of other garbage similar to it that you will find from the early 2000s on the PS2.”
“You make great and sadly undervalued content, but these ports aren't doing nearly as good a job in advertising as they could.”
“However, I play the game for the fun of all the consumerism jokes making fun of the things we see in everyday life - like advertising.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game boasts strong replayability due to multiple completion paths across its 23 levels, ensuring varied experiences. Even after 13 years, players find it remains engaging and retains its replay value.
“Replayability is not as much of a problem for this game since there are often more than one way of completing the 23 levels to sink your teeth into.”
“Over 13 years later, the game is still just as fun and has lost none of its replayability value.”
“Replayability is severely lacking; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
“The game offers minimal variation in gameplay, making it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
“Despite having multiple levels, the lack of meaningful choices means replaying feels more like a chore than an adventure.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its engaging dialogue and unique character design, highlighting the enjoyable integration of these elements within the game's puzzles.
“The puzzles are fun, the dialogue is flawless, and the character design from Oddworld will always be at the top of my list.”