Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
- December 20, 2010
- Oddworld Inhabitants
- 2h median play time
"Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee" is a classic adventure game featuring Mudokon champ Abe and his Gabbit partner Munch. Players use special powers and abilities to guide them in reclaiming the last Gabbit eggs and saving the species from extinction. With improved graphics and sound, and intuitive touch controls, this mobile version offers a thrilling experience in high definition.
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the original Xbox title, bringing back fond memories.
- The story and characters are engaging, with a unique blend of humor and dark themes that are characteristic of the Oddworld series.
- The gameplay features interesting puzzles and the ability to control two characters, Abe and Munch, which adds variety to the gameplay.
- The PC port is plagued with bugs, crashes, and poor camera controls, making it frustrating to play.
- The controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, especially when using a keyboard and mouse, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
- Many players have reported issues with audio balancing, making it difficult to hear important dialogue and sound cues.
- gameplay109 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee" has received mixed reviews, with some praising its nostalgic charm, improved mechanics, and engaging puzzles, while others criticize it for being generic, repetitive, and plagued by clumsy controls and camera issues. While the game attempts to blend platforming and puzzle-solving elements, many players feel it fails to capture the essence of its 2D predecessors, resulting in a frustrating experience for long-time fans. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a significant departure from the series' roots, with a lack of innovation and depth that leaves some players disappointed.
“With enhanced graphics, smoother gameplay, and the spirit of Oddworld, this adventure is more immersive than ever.”
“The gameplay is a mix of platforming, puzzle-solving, and some strategic elements.”
“The gameplay has a good dynamic to it, retaining some of the aspects of the Abe's Oddysee games while also introducing several new gameplay mechanics with Munch.”
“Playing this, I truly understand the cause of the closure of Oddworld Inhabitants: terrible gameplay, terrible controls, terrible overall design.”
“The gameplay is dull, uninspired, and the camera conspires to actively kill you at every turn.”
“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'.”
- story94 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Munch's Oddysee" is generally praised for its engaging narrative, humor, and social commentary, continuing the franchise's tradition of addressing serious themes like extinction and exploitation through a whimsical lens. While some players find the storyline enjoyable and well-integrated with the gameplay, others note that it feels like a rehash of previous entries, with mixed opinions on the execution and pacing of the plot. Overall, the game is recognized for its charming characters and entertaining cutscenes, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the Oddworld series.
“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 storyline is great; you slowly unravel the adventures while channeling the atmosphere of the hardships the lone Mudokon hero faces alongside his new teammate, Munch.”
“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 played the first two games and want to see how the story unfolds, just watch the cutscenes on YouTube and move on to Stranger's Wrath, which is a masterpiece.”
“My first Oddworld game, as much as I do enjoy it, the more I play it and get older, I do really see how this could be one of the weakest entries in the story.”
- graphics74 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the enhanced visuals and unique art style that retains the spirit of the Oddworld franchise, while others criticize the lack of resolution options and dated 3D graphics that feel cheap compared to earlier titles. Despite improvements in the PC port, many players feel that the visuals do not match the quality of the original games, and there are ongoing issues with graphical glitches and a clumsy camera. Overall, while the graphics are considered a strong point by some, they are also seen as a significant drawback by others, particularly in terms of modern gaming standards.
“With enhanced graphics, smoother gameplay, and the spirit of Oddworld, this adventure is more immersive than ever.”
“Visually, the game retains its unique art style that made it so iconic.”
“The graphics are a step up from the old Xbox version and so are most of the sounds.”
“There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
“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!”
- humor45 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its signature Oddworld charm and dark wit, while others feel it lacks the seamless blend of humor and narrative depth found in earlier titles. Many reviews highlight the funny dialogue, quirky characters, and engaging cutscenes, but some criticize the humor as inconsistent or overshadowed by uninspired gameplay and environments. Overall, the game retains a unique comedic style that appeals to fans of dark humor, though it may not resonate with everyone.
“The story is engaging, with a good blend of humor and dark undertones that make Oddworld games stand out.”
“Vykkers Labs was legit creepy and the Glukkons are hilariously corporate evil baddies.”
“You come to love the humor inside the well-put together cinematics along with the characters and their backstories.”
- stability36 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 switching to a beta version, others have encountered severe problems, including freezing and unresponsive controls. Overall, the game is described as playable but plagued by stability issues that detract from the 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.”
“Getting a white screen when starting the game completely freezes the screen. I'm even unable to get my task manager open.”
“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.”
- music29 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its emotional and atmospheric qualities, while others criticize its implementation and sound design issues. Players noted that the dynamic music system is broken, leading to a lack of appropriate musical cues during gameplay, and some felt that the soundtrack does not fit the game's aesthetic. Overall, while the music has potential, technical problems and poor sound options detract from the experience.
“The music is a huge plus; it seems slightly changed over the updates every few months, but the ambiance 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!”
“Levels don't get their own music anymore, and the music that is there doesn't get altered in an empowering manner like it used to when you'd possess someone.”
- atmosphere19 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its beautiful design and atmospheric soundtrack, while others criticize the lack of cohesion and polish compared to previous titles in the series. Many players feel that the oppressive and tense atmosphere characteristic of earlier games has been diminished, replaced by a lighter, more comedic tone that detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, issues with sound design and environmental lighting have further impacted the game's atmospheric quality, leading to disappointment among long-time fans of the franchise.
“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.”
- grinding18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players expressing frustration over the excessive and monotonous tasks required to progress. Many reviews highlight that the gameplay often feels clumsy and lacks challenge, reducing the experience to a series of mindless activities rather than engaging challenges. Overall, the grinding mechanics detract significantly from the enjoyment, making it a chore rather than a rewarding experience.
“So outside of the fantastic cutscenes, it's mostly tedious and repetitive, and not much fun at all.”
“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'.”
“Sandwiched between the almost perfect classic 2D platformers and the much more creative and well-rounded Stranger's Wrath, it stands out for its incredibly tedious redundant gameplay and frustrating fidgety controls.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is notably poor, with users reporting a lack of support for modern gaming features, frequent crashes, and significant performance issues such as video freezing and audio stuttering. While some players experience smooth gameplay at 60 fps, the overall experience is marred by bugs and outdated graphics, preventing full enjoyment of the game.
“Finally an update to the game in terms of graphics and performance.”
“...and it runs smoothly at 60 fps!”
“I would love to enjoy this game with all the performance benefits from PC hardware.”
“Iconic sound effects removed, insanely cool soundtrack bugged to oblivion, poor optimization, and various other bugs.”
“The performance of Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee is hit and miss.”
“Incredible game with lovable characters, but the jarring problems with crashing and optimization sort of ruin it.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its impactful cutscenes that evoke strong feelings, often leading players to tears, particularly during pivotal moments. While the narrative offers a rich backstory and a wholesome experience, the overall emotional resonance is somewhat diminished by technical issues in the PC port, which detracts from the nostalgia and depth that players remember from the original Xbox version. Despite these flaws, the game's opening cutscene remains a standout emotional 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.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for its shift from a beloved cult classic to a perceived cash grab, with users expressing disappointment in the quality of the 3D platformer compared to its predecessors. While some appreciate the humor related to consumerism, there are concerns that the game's advertising efforts are insufficient to capture the nostalgia and value of the original content.
“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 lacking; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
“The game feels repetitive after the first playthrough, making it hard to justify a second run.”
“While there are multiple levels, the overall experience doesn't change much, leading to diminished replay value.”
- 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 puzzles that complement the overall experience.
“The puzzles are fun, the dialogue is flawless, and the character design from Oddworld will always be at the top of my list.”