Oddworld Stranger's Wrath

"Another grand Oddworld adventure"

Stranger's Wrath is a side story for the Oddworld saga. Sadly it's also the final title to come out as the company is no longer around. Normally I wouldn't care so much but these guys put a lot of heart into their games and the gamers just didn't care.

This game follows in the footsteps of Psychonauts and Beyond Good & Evil. A game that was excellent but looked over by the actual gamers.

Stranger is a bounty hunter but he has some sort of illness. He needs $20,000 to have his problem fixed so he sets out to collect as many bounties as he can. The plot is simple and it lacks any connection with the other Oddworld games. But that's okay because Stranger has personality, as do the NPC's in the game. Witty dialog is around every corner and with a rather interesting twist midway through the game it just makes the game do a total 180.

The Xbox is capable of some great graphics and while the game does push the system at times, there are still some spots where it just feels like something is missing. The grass waves in the wind, dust stirs as Stranger runs across the ground and everything looks crisp and colorful. But there are times where the graphics falter, showing odd jaggies and weird distortions. Besides that this games world is a beautiful to behold.

When I first heard Stranger's growl like voice I knew he would be the next badass. Eastwood move aside because Stranger is in town. Rest of the cast uses an odd accent that sometimes make it hard to understand them. Filled with vocal stereotypes it still feels fresh and brings the western theme full throttle.

I would love to say the soundtrack is great but after 5 hours of playing this nonstop I remember zero music. The sound effects on the other hand are nicely handled. From each ammo type having its own sound to the stamp of Stranger's feet on the ground, it really brings life to the game.

Control in the game is very simple. Move with the left stick, look with the right. The triggers act as your melee attacks and can be combed together. Click in the right stick to enter the shooting mode and each trigger represents one of the ammo you currently have in your gun. To switch ammo you use the d-pad and it pauses the action as you sort through the 8 or so types. It's all very simple and there is also a jump button (A I believe). I never had a problem with the control.

Stranger's Wrath flows like an adventure game. Each city works as a central hub and you take the different exits to go on the bounties you get from the office.

It works well this way even if it doesn't feel overly real. What I like though is that the path to the bounty is usually interesting. You need to climb cliffs, go through sewers and everything and it adds some fresh air to what could have been a boring experience.

But what the actual game play boils down to is a third person shooter. Yes you have melee combat but it will rarely work.

The main idea is to shoot the enemies with your single weapon but the ammo is what's interesting. I think there are about 8 types of ammo. Unlike any shooter before you have to hunt for your ammo.

Ammo is the tiny critters running around the world. Some work as a stunning attack while others explode like a grenade. It easy to switch ammo types and you always have two equipped at once.

It works really well actually and not only that but there are two ways to collect a bounty. Dead or alive. The dead one is a bit easier but it requires a lot of ammo and some good dodging skills. The alive part is a lot tougher as you need to deal enough damage in rapid succession to knock the bounty out. It can be tricky and some are weaker against specific attacks.

The game play turns into you knowing your ammo rather than the gun itself and it does keep you on your toes.

To avoid spoilers I can't tell you about the later part of the game but it plays completely different than rest of the game but it's a welcome addition because as the game play gets old it changes its tone.

The game isn't overly long and it does lack replay value but what I like is that you can play in a number of different ways and the bounties wouldn't always end the same way so there is some replay value here.

I would recommend Stranger's Wrath to any Oddworld fan and Xbox owner. The game isn't for everyone but it's one of the best titles the Xbox was able to produce and it's a damn fine title too. It's a shame that no one really gave it chance.

Story - 8/10
Graphics - 8/10
Sound - 10/10
Control - 9/10
Game Play - 10/10
Replay Value - 2/10

Final Score - 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/10/07

Game Release: Oddworld Stranger's Wrath (US, 01/25/05)