The First Stranger Preview

***Alcar*** · #1 07-15-2004, 06:46 PM

GameSpot Previews Stranger First (16th July 2004)
During EA Games' press event held earlier today, Bethany Massimilla from GameSpot was among one of the first people to preview the next Oddworld title. Shortly after her visit, she made with haste to write up a decent preview on what she was shown. Overall, she was very impressed with everything about the game, and recommends all fans to keep an eye on the game as it unfolds in the upcoming months to release. After her initial preview, IGN, 1UP and GameSpy managed to produce previews with extra information.

The article can be found in both the Xbox and PlayStation 2 sections, as it should be:

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/adventu...w_6102788.html
http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/o...w_6102788.html

She sounds pretty happy and impressed with the game. Not only that, but we now know a few more things. Most intriguing is that the money Stranger is raising from capturing bounties is to fund an operation. Perhaps his horns? Although it didn't specify the operation was for him in particular.

EDIT: It seems IGN have also been to the EA Press Event. They've updated with an article as well, telling us even more information: http://ps2.ign.com/articles/530/530849p1.html

EDIT: The same for GameSpy: http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/oddworld-4/530885p1.html

Alcar...

oddguy · #2 07-15-2004, 07:29 PM

Whoa...this should really be moved to the spoiler section.

Anyway...I'll make sure to link to Oddworld-Universe when I write up my article on Oddworld-Web.

*SPOILERS!*

First off, I love the "watch where you're going" aspect. Bumping into people and having them yell at you. Great. And being able to terrorize townspeople sounds awesome.

Oooooh, and a snowy type environment was mentioned. I can't wait!

The capturing of your bounties and storing them in a small contraption sounds like a pokeball to me...but hey, Oddworld will make it waaaay cool. I feel bad for even comparing the two!

-oddguy

***Alcar*** · #3 07-15-2004, 09:25 PM

1UP has updated with a preview of Stranger as well. However, their preview is dated for the 8th of July. I think 1UP has either done this on purpose to seem like a better news reporter (having things earlier than the rest) or it is a genuine mistake.

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3133324&did=1

Alcar...

***Xavier*** · #4 07-15-2004, 10:36 PM

very well done Alcar!
I reported it on OddBlog with credit to you...

All this live amo is simply sweeeeeet!
*takes his crosbow, puts a mouse on it and shoots at his sister!

And I'm very excited about the fact you can apparently defeat an ennemy without killing him!

***Alcar*** · #5 07-15-2004, 10:45 PM

:

very well done Alcar!
I reported it on OddBlog with credit to you...

All this live amo is simply sweeeeeet!
*takes his crosbow, puts a mouse on it and shoots at his sister!

And I'm very excited about the fact you can apparently defeat an ennemy without killing him!

Ah, thankyou! Though, in the future, I'd prefer if it were credited to Oddworld Universe

(As Alcar is merely my extension on the OWF, and it was posted first on OWU). However, I am truly relieved to see we will have the chance to decide how we 'round up' enemies. Abe Babe and I are surely jumping in our seats at this news

We've been waiting for it for so long.

But! I think the following quotes are very important:

:

There are only about a dozen bounties to go after, but that's just the beginning of the game. From there, the story branches off into something far more elaborate. Oddworld Inhabitants wouldn't tell us any further plot points, but they hinted that we'll learn more about Stranger's character.
GameSpy, 16th July 2004

:

We didn't get to see any of the PS2 version of the game, though we did find out that Oddworld is working with outside studios to get that version done. With any luck, that version will come close to having the visuals being displayed on the Xbox now, but we'll have to wait to see if it can match up. Neither version will have any online features or multiplayer modes, and both are on track to ship in Spring of 2005. We'll be back with lots more on the game soon.
1UP, 16th July 2004

Alcar...

Esus · #6 07-15-2004, 11:00 PM

By the sounds of it, you can attack Clakkerz in towns, and they run into their homes - sounds brilliant.

***Xavier*** · #7 07-15-2004, 11:01 PM

aha, I knew some other studio was devlopping the PS2 version...

whoaw, I look at that quote:

:

Live Dart Ammo
Oddworld fans have seen a few pieces of art on the main character Stranger over the past year. In one of those, you can see his hat is lined with darts. Since that art was released, those darts have changed and are now a form of live ammo used for sniper shots. So basically, Stranger is running around with critters in his hat.

LOL! I love it! this mean there will be some sniper ability too! yay

***Cloverfield*** · #8 07-16-2004, 12:19 AM

*cough* They weren't first. Sorry, couldn't resist there.

Awesome!!! Some things I knew are finally public ... although I'll have to check with OWI as to what extent I'll be able to discuss, as I don't want to be saying anything I shouldn't. I'm guessing that I'll probably just be able to expand on what has been said and give my throughts about it [i.e. good, bad, indifferent, etc].

Although I think it's safe to say that I did know about how a player can decide how they round up enemies ... I had to watch myself when posting the other day and make sure I was speculating that it would be a good thing to include.

I had a feeling too that another studio would be developing the PS2 version.

Abe Babe...

***Wil*** · #9 07-16-2004, 04:38 AM

Cool, the regular live ammo sounds well good. It's the PA system and dynamite strapped to heads that sounds way too cartoony. I'm also unsure of this bounty vacuum. I hope OWI can pull these things off well. Great to see wasps! Wasn't there a wasp's nest in the swamp picture that we were speculating could be a subtle return of the bees?

Notice also there's no sign of an electrocuting live ammo.

The IGN preview mentioned that Stranger could accept bounties from Mudokons, by which I assume it means the as-yet-unnamed salamanders. This sounds very interesting, as it hints further at the undisclosed relationship between him and them.

Jacob · #10 07-16-2004, 07:18 AM

The vacuum thingy sounds interesting, although him carrying them in a large sack would have been better, the vacuum sounds more easier and possibly may be alot thooperer.

Ooohh, and the fact he runs on all fours when he picks up speed sounds thooper as well. I'm just wondering how long the game will be though, they say that you have to tackle 12 bounties, which should take a long time, but then after that the game branches out even more. So hopefully the game will be aiiiiiges long, with multiple endings and pathways.

Oddish · #11 07-16-2004, 07:39 AM

Yay!! The gameplay seems has a lot of freedom, going around the town, doing stuff.Great! So the Bee's and bat's are back. And the sory is more than capturing bountie's. I wounder if the swanp level is playble.

***Nate*** · #12 07-18-2004, 01:37 PM

its interesting that all the previews are so positive, particularly about the graphics. Most previews I read say stuff like "the graphics look crap but they promise to get them better". So I'm guessing they look great in action and people should just shut up about them.

***Xavier*** · #13 07-18-2004, 09:01 PM

I agree with NDW... at least 4 proffessionals where amazed by the graphics, that can only mean those graphics are great. Everyone seems excited about Stranger, and me even more

Can we please have an hi-ress picture of the logo?