Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus

"Over a decade later and it is still some of the most fun I have had in a long time."

Since you are looking at this review there is a good chance you have either not played the first game, or are looking to get both and are looking for a review to make up your mind. So get reading and see if this is your cup of tea.

Story 9/10

You are Abe, a former slave from a giant meat packaging plant. In the first game you managed to save (or at least hopefully did) your buddies and shut down the factory. They even have a humorous movie you can watch to catch up on the events before you start the game. In this one you once again take up the mantle of the savior of your race by initially freeing more of your brethren from mining the bones of your ancestors, however all is revealed in good time. Original and humorous, it is a dark comedy mocking the callousness big industries sometimes show when it comes to making a profit. Not confusing or shallow I personally found it well balanced and quite memorable.

Gameplay 9/10

This game is 100% platformer. You jump, climb, fall, roll, hop, your way through each screen solving puzzles by either pulling levelers, turning wheels, or possessing your enemies. Did I forget to mention that sooner? Yes a key feature of this game is possessing your enemies by chanting, you can then preform various actions Abe himself would not be able to do such as firing guns, bossing around minions, or controlling explosive farts.

Which brings us to Gamespeak. This aspect is another key feature of the game needed to get some guys to follow you around and help solve puzzles, or prevent a depressed worker from committing suicide. Of course you could do the opposite and lead them into danger, but just remember what goes around comes around.

A bit of speed and reflex is involved occasionally, and some areas are intentionally designed to make you go "WTF!?" when you pull a lever and it kills you instead of opening a door. Although the quicksave feature allows you to go just a few seconds/minutes back and you can give it another go, I never had any trouble at all and it really adds a sense of caution when dealing with areas/traps.

Graphics 7/10
After all these years, the graphics have waned slightly, but the originality that is Oddworld still shines through like a beacon of light. Although noticeable at first, you will be so engorged on trying to beat an area the quality takes a back seat as you notice the detail involved in the background as well as the creatures you encounter. Keep in mind this game was made for the PS1 so yeah the graphics are dated, but they still very impressive.

Sound 10/10

I have to say, the sound is gorgeous in this game. Everything from gunfire to speech, it is all there and masterfully implemented. The background music is impressive, each setting delivering it's own ambiance that blends in extremely well with the environment yet never deriving too much attention from the game itself. It also helps you know if there is a secret area, a hidden worker, or danger nearby.

Replay value 8/10

With 2 different endings, a good ending for saving most/all of your friends and a bad one for leaving or killing them, there is at the very least 2 replays right there. Toss in the numerous hidden areas and the sheer fun of the game and you can easily have 4 or 5 runs through the game.

Overall 8.6/10 (rounded up to 9 due to how enjoyable it was)

Since the game can now be found for 10 dollars on Steam, I have to say this game is more than well worth your money. I loved it back when it first came out on the PS1 and still love it after all this time. Definitely more bang for you buck than some of the new 50 dollar games that hit shelves.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/05/09

Game Release: Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus (US, 11/30/98)