Stranger's Wrath review thread
Credit goes to Nate_dog_woof for coming up with this idea. Esentially, instead of creating new threads for each and every review found and filling GD with what is essentially all the same information, you can just dump your scans, transcripts and links into here.
I should think the biggest way to tell a review from a preview is that the former has those meaningless scores which attempt to sum up a game with grades rather than actual information. To be honest, I'm not all that bothered if you can't decide which thread a certain p/review should go into. It's just that reviews have more chance of containing minor spoilers. |
And reviews are more likely to have a score out of 10.
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Max the Mug !
I made this thread of image yesterday.
http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...achmentid=2722 atusiya's father edit; add one. http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...tid=2730&stc=1 |
Pure awesomeness, Mr. Atusiya's father...
Pardon, if this is already known, but EGM gave Stranger 3 unanimous 8.5 out of 10. Can you say, "yesssss!" |
Allow me to be the first with a review post, then
http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...achmentid=2722 I pulled this review from the American OXM, which I got in the mail just yesterday. When all of EA's marketing for Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath was pushed out to the public with the slogan "Oddworld just got Stranger"- in a literal, lowercase "s" sense- they wern't kidding. The latest in the now- four- strong series is nothing if not a complete departure from it's puzzle- solving, Gamespeak- ing kin. Stranger ditches the puzzle mentality of its Oddworld forebears and goes for the first- person- shooter throat with all - out - action. And for Oddworld's maiden voyage into shooter waters, it's an assured first stroke. Yet, in typical Oddworld fashion- where nothing is "typical", Stranger isn't just an FPS. Instead, as you wander the steampunk western expanse of Oddworld's universe, you'll be able to swap in and out of third- person and first- person. Third- person is optimum for wandering through the various Clucker- filled towns, where you'll take on bounties for cash money and shop 'til you drop in the General Store. First- person is essential for combat, where you'll spend the bulk of your time, testing out your arsenal of "live ammo" and hunting down enemies for even more moolah. In an Oddworld game with neither Gabbits nor Mudokons, you're left testing out the waters as the newcomer named Stranger- a character with not alot to say, but plenty of bounty- hunting skill. His goal of earning $20K the hard way to finance a myserious operation ensures that you'll be hightailing it to the Bounty Store to take on new missions whenever possible. Each of the near dozen bounties is set up like repeating fetch quests: Find your way out of town to fight through henchmen- packed areas and reach the bad- ass, big- money villian himself. Each time you incapacitate or kill an enemy, you can then bag them Ghostbuster- style by hoovering them into a bounty canister- you'll get more paper for live captures than dead ones. Once you enter the "end game" for each bounty, you'll go toe- to- toe with your most wanted man- trying to figure out their attack patterns and areas of weakness- while making the most money. If your trying to dodge homing missiles from the boss, attacks from his minions, and rounds of turret fire- you stop caring about the money. You just want to survive. And while most of the bosses offer up an old- school challenge, the range of difficulty between push- over and nearly impossible is punishingly wide for those not up for plenty of trial- and- error deaths. Luckily, the bounty hunts come wrapped very nicely. The game's art, movies, and voice work is on par with what we've come to expect from the talent of Oddworld Inhabitants. Some of the earlier areas are a bit limited in interaction and design, but as you push deeper, Stranger becomes mesmerizing. Conyons and forests sparkle with life, giving you ample space to hide in the tall grass or to collect live ammo. In fact, live ammo proves to be Stranger's most robust feature with several types of literally "live" ammunition to load on your crossbow. Each ammo creature is effective in different situations. Our favorites? Luring chumps with a Chippunk, wrapping them with a Bolamite, then capturing them for max cash. In fact, the game truely hits it's stride when you access all the ammo upgrades. The evolution of the Oddworld series has happened in leaps and bounds and starts and fits, rather than as a slow progression, and Stranger is no different. Despite the game's impressive first- person controls, there are some rough spots, like when you suck up an enemy in mid- fight. If you're in first- person mode, you'll be abruptly kicked to third- person until you switch back. It's no big deal for the most part, but in the middle of a heated battle, a simple fudge- up can be lethal. But who said evolution was easy? Yet despite a few missing links and annoyances, Stranger still emerges as a beautifully fun beast. GRAPHICS: Whether you're watching the cinematics or the in- game stuff, bells and whistles and more make it drop- dead pretty. IMMERSION: Facing down bounties involves plenty of trial and error, so you'll be dying a lot, but otherwise this is Oddworld through and through. Expect a few more series referances and gorgeous locales. SOUND: The strength of Stranger's sound is it's voice work- simply amazing and totally hilarious, despite minimal music. DESIGN: The "live ammo" feature is a wonderful base to work with, but the enviroments are often pretty bare bones as far as being interactive playgrounds. PROS: 1.) Wonderful aesthetics, highly polished visuals, and funny, funny, funny humor. 2.) Live ammo and well- implemented FPS gameplay. 3.) Characters and storyline are as engaging as ever. CONS: 1.) Gets off to a really slow start. 2.) Impatient gamers may get frusterated with the trial- and- error boss battles, but most will enjoy the challenge. PERPLEXING: 1.) How is a guy supposed to come up with 20,000 bones in Oddworld? It's a world in deep, cheap- skate recession! MISSED CONNECTION: Through Stranger shares the same world and mythology as Abe and Co., the later doesn't appear in the game. Or do they? Hmmmm.... TOTAL SCORE: 8.7 out of 10 yay! Stranger Wrath review! I personally don't trust that score, though, as they gave MO a 9 out of 10. |
MO was a great game and I think it deserved that score. Could it have been better? Yes. But it is still the only game I play over and over again on the xbox.
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Yes, I agree. I've only just started to replay it, for about the 18th time...
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Bones equals Moolah. It's U.S. slang.
I'm sure that transcript has been posted twice before, along with an explanation of ‘bones’ each time. |
Ok folks...EDGE in the UK (a very hard reviewer, and particularly critical of poor design) gave it a whopper....here are the highlights of a 2 page review for your delictation:
EDGE score 9/10: "IT'S FRIGHTENING TO THINK OF HOW ANYTHING IN THIS CURRENT GENERATION CAN LEAPFROG IT, REALLY. BUT, ULTIMATELY, THAT'S ALL THE MORE REASON TO ENJOY IT" "On playing the game, there's a feeling of freshness, invention and accomplishment, partly down to how much of the games considerable bulk has been revealed to date. But it's mostly down to something else: Stranger is a magnificent game, not so much a revolution as an evolutionary bound over other combat-heavy console titles." "It's a shockingly violent game, from exploding bodies to the sheer brutality of enemy firepower, never revelling in gore but also never shying away from the viciousness of pitched combat." "Last months preview drew favourable comparisons with Manhunt........upon getting deeper.....a different association soon pushes through: Halo" "The latter half of the game......is a more action oriented gallop, but the game compensates by handing you some maniacally ammo types, and segues smoothly into a blazing, breathtaking series of gunfights" "Fable, Sudeki, Riddick and Halo were all praised for pushing graphical envelopes, but there's nothing there that can touch Stranger's final straight. This dazzling technical feat is mirrored with some terrifyingly fast loading times, with no in-game loading" "But perhaps the worst thing of all about Stranger is just how effortless it feels: everything is so incredibly assured, the game engine never, EVER creaks despite bearing an unbelievable load on its shoulders, it's actually funny, sleekly designed, rigged with imaginitive characters and fizzles with life." |
Someone on the GameFAQs message board copied your transcript, Gungrave. They gave you credit, though, and linked to the Forums, which can't be bad.
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This is wonderful! Can anyone scan this review? I don't know when the next EDGE will be out in the U.S.
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Very good review from the respected people at Gamespy: 9.0 (4.5 Stars)
Gamespy Review I cannot wait any longer!! |
The Australian Edge gave SW 9/10 aswell, but I don't have the copy on me to transcribe the review.
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Awesome, Oddworld is gonna rule this world.
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I don't know if this review has been mentioned yet, its another great review:
TotalGames.net |
Yup, another great review, only I miss the rating?
Well, the last sentence makes everything good: And if the lack of multiplayer is all that can be thrown at it, then we reckon EA is on to a possible game of the year winner with this one. |
MM220, the second one isn't new...
but the first one is, very nice found! |
gamesTM magazine in the UK gives it a 9/10.
I can scan if you so desire. |
I desire :p
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3 new reviews!!!
>>Gamespot Review with 13 new screens! They are usually pretty hard on a lot of games, but Stranger got an 8.5. I'm very happy now! Review Video Review "Stranger's Wrath is a great game that brings together a few styles of gameplay startlingly well." >>TeamXbox Review: 9.1 baby! A bunch of new sweet screenies. Review "Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath is easily the best we’ve seen from the Inhabitants." >>IGN Review: 8.8 (highest score they have ever given to an Oddworld game) Review 9.0 Presentation Superbly designed in gameplay and in presentation. Stylish and eccentric throughout. 9.5 Graphics One of the best looking Xbox games to date. Lush environments, great animation and cutscenes, and unique character designs. 9.0 Sound Top notch voice recording, acting, and dialog. Good, likeable music. 8.5 Gameplay A distinct-playing FPS with platform and adventure elements. The dual camera works very well, and mirrors the game's hybrid gameplay. 8.0 Lasting Appeal Once through, you'll be done, but the story is well told, it's got a big whopper about 2/3rds of the way through and the game is 15-plus hours. Not bad at all. |
Dammit Mojoman, I was about to post that GameSpot stuff! Anyhoo, I do have something from 1UP, a review:
http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3137899&did=1 Alcar... |
Good find Alcar and to everyone else I haven't thanked for posting links to the Stranger reviews. I don't like the fact that they said it has an unfulfilling plot though. Although I'm sure SW does have a good plot.
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careful ladles and gellyspoons, we could be hyping this one up for a fall. Be aware that it is a short game....savour it, dont rush it
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Xbox Advanced is doing a week long special of Stranger's Wrath features. I think they're doing it because they can do nothing but gaze in awe at the games awesomeness ;)
http://xbox.advancedmn.com/article.php?artid=4036 Alcar... |
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As usual, all credit goes to Oddworld Universe.
GamePro have just written a review for Stranger's Wrath. A member of the GameFAQs forums, Genki Katchum (http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/use...topic=18925366) decided to post two scans of the article: Scan 1: http://img149.exs.cx/img149/6962/odd...gpartcl8az.jpg Scan 2: http://img149.exs.cx/img149/1673/oddwrldpics7iz.jpg Furthermore, Team Xbox have just written their review on the game, which can be found at: http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/885...gers-Wrath/p1/ Alcar... |
Alcar, mojoman has allready provided the teamxbox review...
but thanks for those 2 scans! |
WorthPlaying just put up their review. They gave it a 9.2 out of 10 and rewarded it with Editor's Choice.
Review |
Highest score now!!
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