So, what is the general consensus on SW?
 

I was just wondering, how do you guys feel about the title? Disappointed with it's inverse style? (western theme, emphasis on violence over previous games nearly pacifist attitude?) Or perhaps glad of it's stark contrast? I ask if only because rarely have I encountered a game that so steadfastly stood against it's predecessor's gameplay and aesthetics and come out so...well, excellent and relatively hate-free.

I personally believe, besides just excellent game design, that it's Lorne and Sherry's stories are always strong and connect on various levels, regardless of the aesthetics. Well, that's my two cents. What are you're ideas?

I think most people here agree that it was a great game but was horribly marketed. And therefore did not nearly receive enough recognition as it deserved.

Stranger's Wrath brought a lot back to Oddworld that I feel was missing from MO: Beautiful expansive environments, genuine mixture of comedy and tragedy, enthralling gameplay. There are numerous ways it directly contradicts with what Lorne has said about Oddworld (there will never be an FPS, the heroes are all physically weak, etc.), but in the end my only real gripe is that the characters don't come across visually as unique and inventive as in the past.

yeah, the steef and Sekto are the only ones that are especially...oddworldian looking. I like the idea of what is essentially a mammalian Oddworld creature with the steef. The clackers...ugh. Really? Chicken people? Well, Grubbs look like mini mudokans at least. And vykkers...well, theyre from a previous game so I dont think that counts.

I thought Grubbs looked pretty Oddworldy.

Personally, I think the clackers were the only bad ones...just too close to the real world for art design in an oddworld.

Why don't clakkerz receive any appreciation, I liked them.

They werent terrible, no, just...oddly earthly with the rest of the relatively nondescript races.

i felt that from munch's oddysee onward, the character design had suffered drasticly. i never really gotto play SW when it was realeased as my xbox died a few days after i bought the game (and i havnt bought it on steam as im not wasting my money on the same game twice when the remake is released on psn) so i only really saw the first bounty.... so i didnt get to see most of the characters but of what i did see(not counting live ammo) stranger was the only oddworldish character there. and the clackerz were by far the lazyest character design ever.

as for munch, 2 characters stood out for me as being... crap. most of all were the meeps... what the fuck was that about? and i didnt really like the idea of the big bro sligs neither, somethin just didnt feel right with them.

lets hope they go back to the original species design for future games.

Also, Gloktigi were pretty Oddworldy too.

Stranger's Wrath had fantastic atmosphere, the environments and music and sounds all fitted together nicely. I think it worked well.

The creatures should have been slightly more colourful, and a few more nods to past games would have been nice. Actual slogs, for example, and a scrab.

Yeah i was expecting to see wanted posters for Abe and Munch as an easter egg or something.

I checked all the bounty stores for just such posters.

Never played it, probably should.

Actually no, SW shouldn't have had those posters.
It's been explained by OWI that SW and the Abe/Munch story happen simultaneously.
Also, where Stranger lives and does his work is almost a continent away, so i think the info would take a little while to get there, seeing as how MoM has been shut down already by the time Abe is finished with Soulstorm.

I loved it... and it's by far my favorite Oddworld game gameplay wise. I do agree it didn't feel as odd and alien as AO and AE and that's perhaps a bit sad but it had a fantastic atmosphere.

I'd still like to point out that SW had (in my opinion) the best ending to an Oddworld game, it was really well made and a bit sad too. It just simply needs a sequel.

And yes, the atmosphere was indeed amazing. One thing I kinda didn't like; the outlaws were very different to what we had seen before in Oddworld. They didn't remind me of any previous characters nor did they look Oddworldy.

I agree, the story was better. But I feel that's because they left behind the cartoon silliness of previous games, for the cutscenes, anyway. And that gave it a more weighty, dramatic feel. One that I feel is missing in MO and AE. AO has it, but it is still coniderably lighter than SW. Despite the subject material in AO being pretty dark.

I dunno about looks but outlaws were pretty much the wild west version of sligs I think.

Except they had a certain degree of leadership and control that sligs lacked, on the other hand, they had no military prowess.

What STM said.

I kinda liked the appearance of certain sub-species of Outlaws - Blisterz Booty and Casteraider had pretty distinctive builds.

Shit.

I know, I never thought I'd say that.

MO had way more advertising and promos then SW, which is a shame because its a better game.

it truely is, as SW was an amazing and innovative game. Hell, it's
first to third person gameplay has been often mimicked since it's inception. Not to discredit games like MGS that have done that before, but Stranger really changed into a shooter, not just "point and shoot" then change and run.

I haven't played it but from the videos I've seen it kinda kills the oddworld genre originals IE. AO AE MO

But nevertheless it looks pretty good