I actually like this style.
Some differences I see are yes the eyes, they are less protrusive and a bit smaller but also appear less cartoony more expressive. His skull looks shorter or maybe at a different angle like pulled back instead of up?
Then his skin also looks thicker and smoother and not so loose like designs before, it makes him look younger- but no issues with me there (one would need thick skin in oddworld ). His stictches look a tad higher, I guess and his nose mound looks more beaklike, however to me that makes since muds are desended from birds.
I also mentioned before that I love what they did with his hair as you can see individual feathers hint again at his birdlike ancestry. The only problem I have is that the ponytail is shorter ( I was actually hoping it'd be long like from old concept art) but the sparse out/spikey look of it is starting to grow on me. (Looks a scrab made off with a piece of it jk) The shortened style seems more practical.
As a whole I think he looks more expressive still sympathetically adorable and still very "Abe". This look actually gives me that alien Exoddus feel I first felt playing the game about a weird alien.
I find it a definate improvement from the NnT design for the gritty atmosphere that Soulstorm is made out to be.
I would really like to see OWI's colored version of this and far more so to see this Abe in action, farts, interactions and all
(But I hope to Odd they tone down the dazzling aura thing during his chant I miss the blue orbs)