It has been done to beg, but finally we have on Nintendo Switch the remake of one of the best puzzle platforms ever created. Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee New ‘n’ Tasty arrives with a correct and polished version to the hybrid console to make us discover (or rediscover) this jewel of the late nineties. Do you dare with its difficulty?
Those of you who owned a PlayStation back in the late nineties know the impact Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee made . I remember it especially for its cinematic sequences, at a time when it was what most attracted the attention of the arrival of the CD to the world of video games. But the video game directed by Lorne Lanning had much more. It was a very challenging platform , the kind that forced you to retake the same checkpoint several times.
A couple of decades after the original game, it was decided to make Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee New & # 039; n ‘Tasty, a remake that introduced several changes. The most visible was the graph. Volume and 3D detail were given to characters and settings: a full and very satisfactory reconstruction, since it visually updated a video game that continued to maintain the playable attributes of yesteryear. However, the most important thing was the improvement in accessibility that was introduced. Several levels of difficulty appeared that had to do with the health of the protagonist and the reaction capacity of the enemies. More mudokons to rescue were also introduced, going from the original 99 to the 299 present in the remake.
What was missing? Well, all this will now come to Nintendo Switch . There are no additional aspects to specify, except that the game is enjoyed just as well and is perfectly adapted to this platform. Whether you play in dock or laptop mode, this is one of those games that you can’t miss if you consider yourself a follower of platform titles with puzzle elements. It continues to withstand the passing of the years very well, thanks to a very tight degree of challenge and an audiovisual charm that is not easy to find . Undecided? Below I help you understand what you are going to find if you did not know it.
A flight full of traps
This is Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee New ‘n’ Tasty on Nintendo Switch: A gameplay for its first minutes
When replaying this classic, one of the aspects that he least remembered was how rogue he was. It showed you the cruelty of a gameplay based on your mistakes … which were, on the other hand, fundamental to understand how to overcome each situation. Basically, Abe’s Oddysee is a game of skill with many traps and many parts based on traditional trial and error . All with a map design that inherits something from the metroidvania style, by proposing different paths on which it depends to rescue the 299 employees (slaves) of the Rupture Farms company (butcher shop).
Graphically it is outstanding, and it looks great in portable mode.
Because of this, it was not only difficult to overcome, but very replayable . If you know everything by heart, you can overcome it in just over three hours, but the usual thing is that a first game takes you between 12-15 hours. Do you understand what I was referring to? It is not a game made for the impatient, but for those who enjoy challenges. Reaching the end of the game is an achievement, but it is more to avoid the death of your teammates. And even if it has a difficulty selector (there are three different ones), don’t believe that in the easy level everything is a walk. It is a good indicator of the good work done with this remake, since at all times it is concerned with maintaining the essence of the original game.
That being said, this degree of challenge should not back down either. There are quite a few checkpoints , an aspect that prevents you from being penalized excessively for your mistakes. There is also quick save. This, coupled with the variety of proposals, is what kept me subject to the controller. There is a lot of infiltration, tight jumps, the odd puzzle and countless traps. Although it seems that everything takes place inside a factory, in reality there are so many scenarios that the final feeling is that of adventure. In fact, this is still an escape.
As he replayed, he also thought about the only thing the gamespeak system had done to this game . It consists of commands to get the attention of your comrades, tell them to follow you or ask them to stop at a certain time. This is essential to rescue them and prevent them from dying, but gamespeak also works to avoid puzzles, sometimes quite ingenious. In one part of the adventure, for example, we must imitate the whistles of a character to let us pass. And he didn’t remember farting, but it’s another one of the available actions.
Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee is a game that overcomes the passage of time very well on Nintendo SwitchAfter all, a fundamental part of Abe’s Oddysee is its sense of humor , and that the plot is a brutal denunciation of the exploitation of resources. I think that was another aspect that I remembered best about this video game. The premise is powerful: a ruthless businessman does not hesitate to end every form of life in his path in order to obtain greater benefits. It is something strong enough to motivate you to take the controls and dedicate hours and effort to save both your life and that of your colleagues.
The concept is simple, but it is excellently developed. And what matters in this case: on Nintendo Switch it plays phenomenal . I am one of those who prefer to play on the television, but in portable mode it also shows good performance. I have not detected fluency problems, and in the audiovisual field I consider it to be a game that overcomes the passage of time very well, even though six years have passed since the remake was released on PlayStation 4 ( here is the analysis ).
The game boasts the bloom technique and dirty lens effect to make the scenes more eye-catching, but you can disable them if you want. There is also the option to adjust the gamma (it was a very dark game) and make use of both the video and music player. I recommend doing the latter, because the soundtrack is one of the best things that this video game had – and continues to have. The setting is one of the reasons to turn off the lights, put on the helmets and enjoy this special 2.5D rig .
The level design is one of the most prominent elements of the game.
The game is designed to be completed individually, although one of its most advertised features is the presence of a cooperative. However, it may disappoint you, as it is based on the classic “pass the controller” when one of the two players loses their life. So you could say that there is a two-player option, but like in any other game of this style. We’ve played it in the newsroom, and it’s as fun as you would expect. But what has been said, a cooperative as such is not .
So all in all, should you give the game a try? If you don’t want to miss one of the jewels in the history of platforms, the answer is yes. It is a challenging game, but at the same time it knows how to reward the time invested with an intelligent design and an incomparable charisma. Even if you played it back in the day, like me, you might be drawn to the proposal to revisit it. At least in my case it has been an interesting exercise , since in addition to not remembering even half of things due to the time that has elapsed, it has helped me understand why it is such a good video game.
“Excellent”
Abe´s Oddysee New N’Tasty!
It has been a long time to come to Nintendo Switch, but Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee New ‘n’ Tasty has shown a good performance as a remake also on the hybrid console, preserving and enhancing all the attributes of the original 1997 game. and with a unique setting that will help you understand why this classic was talked about (and continues to be talked about).
- A true classic of practically timeless puzzle platforms
- Challenging and satisfying, and in this remake with a difficulty selector
- Charismatic both visually and soundly, with a unique setting
- Correct adaptation on Nintendo Switch, with good overall performance
- Actually there is no cooperative, it consists of passing the command
- It could have been used to introduce more news on Nintendo Switch
