Abe's Oddysee
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''Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee'' is a
platform video game A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action game, action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform game ...
developed by
Oddworld Inhabitants Oddworld Inhabitants Inc. is an American video game, film and television company founded in 1994 by special-effects and computer-animation veterans Sherry McKenna and Lorne Lanning. The company is primarily known for the ''Oddworld'', series of ...
and published by
GT Interactive GT, Gt or G-T may refer to: Arts and entertainment Games * GT Interactive, an American video game developer * GameTrailers, a video game website * '' Golden Tee Golf'', golf video game * ''Gran Turismo'' (series), a series of racing video games ...
. It was released in 1997 for the
PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
game console, and computers running
MS-DOS MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few ope ...
and
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in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Emulated versions for the
PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
via
PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
were released in 2009, 2010, and 2013. It was then later released as a PS5 emulation in 2022 in Asia, and then later parts of the world. The game centers on the eponymous
Abe Abe or ABE may refer to: People and fictional characters * Shinzo Abe (1954–2022), former Prime Minister of Japan * Abe (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname * Abe (surname), a list of people a ...
, a meek
Mudokon ''Oddworld'' is a video game series and fictional universe, created by developers Oddworld Inhabitants under the direction of Lorne Lanning. The series has been released on various platforms such as PlayStation, Xbox, PlayStation 3, Game Boy, Windo ...
slave at the RuptureFarms
meat processing The meat-packing industry (also spelled meatpacking industry or meat packing industry) handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of meat from animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock. Poultry is generally no ...
factory. When he discovers that he and his fellow Mudokons are to be slaughtered to make a new product, Abe decides to escape and liberate as many enslaved Mudokons as he can. The player assumes the role of Abe as he attempts a perilous quest to emancipate his downtrodden people. ''Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee'' was widely acclaimed for having innovative
gameplay Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and pla ...
, good
art direction Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the visi ...
and engaging
cutscene A cutscene or event scene (sometimes in-game cinematic or in-game movie) is a sequence in a video game that is not interactive, interrupting the gameplay. Such scenes are used to show conversations between characters, set the mood, reward the ...
s; however, its difficult
learning curve A learning curve is a graphical representation of the relationship between how Skill, proficient people are at a task and the amount of experience they have. Proficiency (measured on the vertical axis) usually increases with increased experience ...
and system of only
saving Saving is income not spent, or deferred consumption. Methods of saving include putting money aside in, for example, a deposit account, a pension account, an investment fund, or as cash. Saving also involves reducing expenditures, such as recur ...
at
checkpoints Checkpoint may refer to: Places * Border checkpoint, a place on the land border between two states where travellers and/or goods are inspected * Security checkpoint, erected and enforced within contiguous areas under military or paramilitary cont ...
received criticism. By December 2012, the game sold 3.5 million copies worldwide, thus making it one of the best-selling PlayStation video games of all time. It was the first game in the planned five-part ''Oddworld'' series, which includes the direct sequels '' Abe's Exoddus'' (1998), '' Munch's Oddysee'' (2001) and '' Stranger's Wrath'' (2005). A
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
of the game, titled '' Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty!,'' was developed by Just Add Water and released in 2014.


Gameplay

''Abe's Oddysee'' is a two-dimensional platform game in which players take control of the character Abe to travel across separate screens solving puzzles, navigating obstacles, and avoiding enemies. Abe can die in a variety of ways, such as being attacked by an enemy, touching a hazardous obstacle, falling from too great a height or into a bottomless pit, or holding a grenade for too long. If Abe dies, he will respawn at the last checkpoint. As well as jumping to navigate areas and crouching to roll under obstacles, Abe can break into a run to jump over large gaps or escape enemies, or tiptoe to avoid disturbing enemies, adding a stealth element to the game. Abe can use throwable objects such as meat, rocks or grenades to bypass enemies or destroy obstacles, though grenades have a timer and will blast Abe into pieces if he holds one for too long.Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee game manual Abe has the ability to telepathically control Sligs, a type of enemy non-player character, but can only use this in safe areas; in most areas, flying orbs, known as chant suppressors, will stop Abe from using his telepathy by zapping him. Once Abe successfully possesses a Slig, he can control their movements to attack other enemies, use gamespeak that can only be used by Sligs, activate mechanisms too dangerous for Abe, and destroy the Slig when he no longer needs it. Abe's body is immobile and vulnerable while possessing another character, and if his host is killed, control will return to Abe. Along the way, the player encounters other Mudokons that he can rescue. By holding down the GameSpeak button and pressing various commands, Abe can command them to follow him, stay put, and activate mechanisms, as well as praise or scold them. Sometimes Abe will have to go through certain procedures to persuade a certain Mudokon, such as responding to whistles. Mudokons can be rescued by safely leading them past traps and enemies to bird portals, which can be activated by chanting. If the player rescues at least 50 Mudokons (of the possible 99) during the course of the game, the Mudokons rescue Abe in the good ending of the game.Me Odom, Sam Craig, Patricia Lesser, ''Unlock the Secrets of Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee Official Strategy Guide'', GW Press, 1997 Throughout the game, Abe is attacked by Sligs, Slogs, Scrabs, and Paramites, and Bats. Sligs will shoot on sight, but cannot see through dark areas; Slogs will bark loudly if they hear the player, and will chase them without regard for anything else. Scrabs will attack anything in their territory, including others of their own kind, while Paramites will attack when in packs or when cornered and are docile otherwise. Bats are enemies that occasionally appear, flying erratically in a small area, usually with other bats, and they can be killed with rocks.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', p. 85.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', p. 79. Elums are bipedal creatures that Abe can ride and communicate with by GameSpeak, although they will be distracted by dripping honey. Late in the game, Abe gains the ability to transform into a demigod called 'Shrykull', which can eviscerate all on-screen enemies. Abe can gain a limited number of transformation uses after rescuing enough Mudokons at the same time.


Plot


Characters

''Abe's Oddysee'' focuses on a variety of species that inhabit the game's setting of Oddworld: the Mudokons, a species with a rich history and culture who have been slowly transformed into meek, obedient slaves, leaving many who are born into captivity ignorant of this kind's past; the Glukkons, a species that covet power and money, lacking any morals or restraints on achieving these goals, and who have established large industries that have stripped Oddworld of its natural resources; and the Sligs, who have escaped enslavement by willingly serving as guards and hunters for the Glukkons. The game mostly focuses on
Abe Abe or ABE may refer to: People and fictional characters * Shinzo Abe (1954–2022), former Prime Minister of Japan * Abe (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname * Abe (surname), a list of people a ...
, a Mudokon slave employed as a floor waxer, who acts as both the narrator and the game's protagonist. Abe is described as a " klutz", and is portrayed with his mouth sewn shut, possibly to prevent his outcry.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', page 33 During his adventure, Abe is joined by Elum, a stubborn, loyal assistant. Abe and Elum were originally envisioned as beginning ''Abe's Oddysee'' together, living off the land until thrust into an industrial factory, but the developers determined that the story would be stronger should Abe come from a factory existence and gradually learn to become self-sufficient.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', page 46 The primary
antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist. Etymology The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
of this game is Molluck the Glukkon, this ruthless
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
and
gang boss A crime boss, also known as a crime lord, Don, gang lord, gang boss, mob boss, kingpin, godfather, crime mentor or criminal mastermind, is a person in charge of a criminal organization. Description A crime boss typically has absolute or nearl ...
of RuptureFarms, a massive
meatpacking The meat-packing industry (also spelled meatpacking industry or meat packing industry) handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of meat from animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock. Poultry is generally no ...
company,
organized crime Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...
gang A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectivel ...
and one of Oddworld's most profitable
businesses Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or buying and selling products (such as goods and services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for profit." Having a business name does not separat ...
. Molluck and his fellow Glukkons are often portrayed as wearing smart clothing or suits, and sometimes
smoking Smoking is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke is typically breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which have bee ...
these cigars. They rely heavily on the Sligs and a highly advanced
security Security is protection from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercive change) caused by others, by restraining the freedom of others to act. Beneficiaries (technically referents) of security may be of persons and social ...
and surveillance system to maintain and
manage Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...
control of these Mudokon
slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
.


Story

While working late at RuptureFarmsa large-scale meat-processing plant on OddworldMudokon slave Abe inadvertently overhears the plant's owner Molluck the Glukkon in conversation with his fellow Glukkons. Due to the decline in the population of animals that supply meat for the plant's productsone of which has now gone extinctRuptureFarms is losing money. To return to profitability, Molluck proposes making a new product out of Mudokons.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', pages 56–59 Frightened at learning his species will be harvested for meat, Abe decides to escape from the plant, causing him to become a fugitive in the eyes of the Glukkons.Abe: The Glukkons were scared, 'cause profits were grim, / Paramites and Scrabs were turning up thin. / But Molluck was cool—he had a plan, / A new source of meat was already at hand. / Finding New and Tasty would not be a fuss, / This new kind of meat—it was us! / I had to escape, I had to be free, but there was no escaping my destiny. Managing to overcome the Glukkons' security force of Sligs, Abe escapes and reaches the region known as the Free-Fire Zone. Upon looking to the sky, Abe sees a moon with its face in the shape of a Mudokon handprint, but becomes so focused on it that he falls down a cliff and smashes his head. A
shaman Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritu ...
of the Mudokons, whom Abe calls Big Face due to the mask he wears,Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', page 96 helps him to recover while explaining that only he can save his enslaved brethren from RuptureFarms. In order to do this, Big Face states that Abe must undergo spiritual trials in the lands of the Paramites and the Scrabs, and traverse a set of labyrinthine, abandoned temples. Upon doing so, the shaman marks Abe's hands with a scar, each representing the two species,Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', page 95 granting him the power of the Shrykull, an invincible demigod.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', page 71 With this ability, Abe returns to RuptureFarms, rescues his Mudokon brethren, and deactivates most of the factory's power. Molluck discovers this and decides to flood the entire factory with poisonous gas. Abe races to the boardroom to try to stop the gas, using his powers to destroy the Glukkon executives summoned there under the pretense of an emergency board meeting. After Abe deals with the gas, Molluck manages to capture him, and prepares to send him to a meat grinder. If the player failed to rescue at least 50 Mudokons throughout the game, Abe succumbs to his fate; if the player manages to rescue at least 50 Mudokons, the freed slaves summon magical lightning to zap Molluck, with BigFace rescuing Abe and bringing him home to a hero's welcome.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', p. 97


Development

''Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee'' began production in January 1995 under the working title of ''Soul Storm''.''GamePro'' 95 (August 1996), page 34. After
GT Interactive GT, Gt or G-T may refer to: Arts and entertainment Games * GT Interactive, an American video game developer * GameTrailers, a video game website * '' Golden Tee Golf'', golf video game * ''Gran Turismo'' (series), a series of racing video games ...
acquired publishing rights on September 12, 1996, the title was changed, first to ''Oddworld Inhabitants: Epic 1 Starring Abe'' and eventually to ''Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee''.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', page 99 The game had a private showing at E3 '96, and journalists in attendance hailed it as one of the highlights of the show. A more large-scale unveiling took place at E3 '97. Though the original release date of May was pushed back to September, the version of the game shown at E3 '97 in June was remarkably similar to the release version, and ''Abe's Oddysee'' had a reportedly smooth
development cycle In software engineering, a software development process is a process of dividing software development work into smaller, parallel, or sequential steps or sub-processes to improve design, product management. It is also known as a software devel ...
with few late changes. The first footage creator Lorne Lanning saw of ''Abe's Oddysee'' involved a pack of meeches chasing Abe. He said he was happy with the animation at the time but when development was nearing completion, the studio discovered that there was not enough disk space to include all of the species featured in the game. The meeches were removed from the final game and identified in the story as extinct. Another sequence under time and budget constraints concerned the moon that Abe witnesses after his escape from the Stockyards. Lanning explained that the CG sequence that occurs between Abe escaping RuptureFarms and entering the Stockyards was originally accompanied by footage of a
meteor shower A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate, or originate, from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extre ...
creating the shape of Abe's handprint, in order to imply "greater forces that are really behind it, that are trying to send him symbols". The budget for the game was $4 million, and GT Interactive dedicated $10 million to its marketing budget, the publisher's largest to date. According to Lanning, the "GameSpeak" mechanic was partially inspired by the audio puzzles of ''
Loom A loom is a device used to weave cloth and tapestry. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of the loom and its mechanics may vary, but th ...
''. ''Abe's Oddysee'' was the first major GT title that the UK development team, that had been taken in by GT following the acquisition of Warner Interactive, became involved with. The testing process of the game was unusual for GT Interactive as the British team did gameplay testing whilst normally American games were only tested in Europe for language and other compatibility issues. The game's soundtrack was composed by Josh Gabriel, and its sound design by Ellen Meijers. When ''Abe's Oddysee'' was in production, the developers found that an executive at publisher GT Interactive tried to sabotage production because he did not like the game being made. He took footage of the game to his boss, who loved the direction the game had, and chose to provide more funding at the expense of the executive who wanted to shut it down. Lanning later explained that in 1997 during ''Oddysee''s production, the video game industry was seen as making toys, and not taken seriously; they were "happy to make a living, but they weren't necessarily going out and bragging about it". Games began to be more about shooting and violence and blood, but Oddworld Inhabitants was "the antithesis to that" and said "we can make people feel better rather than just feel like they won". A
Sega Saturn The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...
version of the game was announced, but never released. In the initial PlayStation version of the game, upon "perfect" completion of the game — completion with all 99 Mudokon slaves rescued — an extra
full motion video Full-motion video (FMV) is a video game narration technique that relies upon pre-recorded video files (rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models) to display action in the game. While many games feature FMVs as a way to present information duri ...
(FMV) "Guardian Angel" can be viewed, which depicts a captured Abe harassed by "The Shrink": A mechanical creature with a sophisticated artificial intelligence.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', page 49 The FMV, which is absent from the PC version and later PlayStation releases of the game, introduced a new character to the Oddworld mythos. The character was reputedly part of an early advertising campaign, which included television commercials, but was eventually abandoned.


Release

The game saw its first release on the PlayStation, MS-DOS, and Windows first appearing on store shelves on September 18, 1997, before fully releasing the next day (September 19) on a day dubbed as "Odd Friday" by the developer and publisher; over 500,000 units were originally released worldwide. The Japanese version followed in October. For the release in Japan, the title of ''Abe's Oddysee'' was changed to ''Abe a GoGo'' by the publisher
SoftBank is a Japanese multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo which focuses on investment management. The Group primarily invests in companies operating in technology, energy, and financial sectors. It also runs the ...
. Other changes included the art for the "Mudokon Pops!" packaging, which originally consisted of a severed Mudokon head speared on a stick. Due to undisclosed current events in Japan, the design was changed to a more ambiguous, "happier" image of a Mudokon popsicle.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', page 58 The design for the protagonist Abe and other Mudokons was significantly altered. Certain Japanese pressure groups were offended by the Mudokons having four fingers and most of them working in a meat-packing factory, due to a historic Japanese subclass of meat packers who were looked down upon in society. Four fingers, or showing four fingers to another person, came to insinuate the other was a member of the subclass, because it suggested the meat packers who lost fingers at work. Oddworld Inhabitants had to alter the design of Mudokons to three fingers, or else face legal battles and large fines.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', page 45 Also in the Japanese version, the game does not let the player choose to play Scrabania or Paramonia. Instead, the player is forced to play through Paramonia first. Oddworld Inhabitants made the altered designs a permanent feature; subsequent versions of ''Abe's Oddysee'' released outside Japan included both the changed packaging and changed Mudokon hand. Future games and media (including ''New 'n' Tasty!'') also recognize these changes as
canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western can ...
, although ''Abe's Exoddus'' features four-fingered Mudokon sprites, and scenes from ''Abe's Oddysee'' shown in the game were not altered. The
Game Boy The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
port was released as ''Oddworld Adventures''; it was developed by Saffire and published by GT Interactive in 1998. The game is a significantly cut-down version of ''Abe's Oddysee'', with only a few similar levels and a condensed plot (Abe starts out as a native Mudokon, so the opening levels in RuptureFarms are absent from this version). An
emulated In computing, an emulator is Computer hardware, hardware or software that enables one computer system (called the ''host'') to behave like another computer system (called the ''guest''). An emulator typically enables the host system to run so ...
version of the PlayStation version was released for the
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via
PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
on October 22, 2009, in North America, on April 15, 2010, in Europe, and on November 13, 2013, in Japan. An
Onlive OnLive was a Mountain View, California-based provider of cloud virtualization technologies. OnLive's flagship product was its cloud gaming service, which allowed subscribers to rent or demo computer games without installing them on their device. ...
version was also released in 2011.


Reception

Upon its release in 1997, ''Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee'' received mostly positive reviews. ''
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'' described the game as "a tight 2D platformer that's packed with great innovative touches and some great character design".''Edge'' April 1998, page 102 ''
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' called it "the ideal platformer, balancing its action and puzzle elements perfectly to make the game intelligent, engaging, and, best yet, fun". ''Animation World Magazine'' applauded multiple aspects of the game, saying it "features some of the best graphics and animation we've ever seen" and commenting on the "sophisticated gameplay". ''
GamePro Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'' gave it a perfect 5.0 out of 5 for graphics and sound and a 4.5 out of 5 for control and funfactor, asserting that it "bursts onto the scene with the kind of unique gameplay and killer graphics that will rocket it straight into the PlayStation hall of fame." Full review text appears only in printed version. ''
PC Gamer ''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games ma ...
'' said that " hecharming and innovative ''Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee'' reminds us that any genre can be revived if you put enough care and creativity into it." The graphics struck many reviewers as being excellent. ''
PC Zone ''PC Zone'', founded in 1993, was the first magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. Earlier PC magazines such as ''PC Leisure'', ''PC Format'' and ''PC Plus'' had covered games but ...
'' remarked that "the developers have created an outstanding visual environment for Abe to leap around in." However, the imaginative AI and visual designs of the assorted creatures drew more extensive praise. ''GameSpot'' found the AI "goes a long way towards making you feel as if you're interacting with an actual world and its inhabitants." The game's difficulty, agreed upon to be extremely high, was its most controversial aspect. Some reviewers lauded the intelligent nature of the challenge and said the frequent checkpoints and unlimited lives keep the game from becoming too frustrating. ''
Next Generation Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to: Publications and literature * ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company * Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'', for example, commented that "Action gamers are likely to be disappointed by the occasionally slow pace, but speed is traded for a considerably more cerebral set of challenges that require a great amount of persistence, observation, and thought." However, others found that flaws such as sensitive controls, slowdown, and trial-and-error level designs make the difficulty frequently annoying. Though ''GameSpot'' reported that the PlayStation and PC versions of the game are "virtually identical", most reviews for the PC version directed criticism at the lack of an ability to save at any point, since this was a standard feature in PC games. ''Edge'' said that "Oddworld demands a certain level of commitment to progress", while ''
Science Fiction Weekly Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Launc ...
'' claimed the game's "innovative game play makes for a steep learning curve. This initial difficulty in figuring out how to play is aggravated by a save feature that often forces players to redo difficult sections." ''PC Zone'' stated that "progress does seem to rely on trial and error, which involves much replaying of levels and gnashing of teeth. All this can be frustrating at times, especially when Abe is plonked right back at the start of a level when he dies". ''Abe's Oddysee'' proved to be a commercial hit: Lorne Lanning reported global
sell-through Sell-through refers to the percentage of a product that is sold by a retailer after being shipped by its supplier, typically expressed as a percentage. Net sales essentially refers to the same thing, in absolute numbers. Sell-through is calculated ...
in excess of one million units by late January 1998. He noted that Europe was a top market for the game, unexpectedly surpassing the United States. , it has sold units.


Awards

The game won many awards, including the "E3 Showstopper 1997" from ''GamePro'' in August 1997 and the "Best Director" award at the World Animation Festival in 1997.Ballistic Publishing, ''The Art of Oddworld: The First Ten Years 1994–2004'', p. 98. In the
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) is a non-profit organization of video game industry professionals. It organizes the annual Design Innovate Communicate Entertain summit, better known as D.I.C.E., which includes the presentation ...
' first annual Interactive Achievement Awards it was nominated in the categories "Console Adventure Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Sound and Music". ''
Electronic Gaming Monthly ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews. History The m ...
''s 1998 Video Game Buyer's Guide awarded it Best Voice Acting of 1997, and their 1997 Editors' Choice Awards gave it "Best Sound" and a runner-up slot for "Best Graphics" (behind ''
Final Fantasy VII is a 1997 role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation console. It is the seventh main installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series. Published in Japan by Square, it was released in other regions by Sony Computer Entertai ...
'').


Sequels

''Abe's Oddysee'' received two direct sequels. '' Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus'' was released for PlayStation in November 1998, taking place directly after ''Oddysee''. The game continues the style of gameplay from the previous game with several improvements, such as the ability to use GameSpeak with different species and possess explosive clouds of wind. '' Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee'' was released for
Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
in 2001, bringing the gameplay into 3D environments as well as allowing players to play as another character, Munch.


Remake

A
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
of ''Abe's Oddysee'' was developed by UK studio Just Add Water. The game was built using the Unity game engine and was released on July 22, 2014, on the PlayStation 4 on the
PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
in North America, received a European release on July 23, 2014, and was subsequently released for the PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Wii U.


Legacy

In 2022, ''Abe's Oddysee'' was added to the premium collection for PlayStation Plus.


References


External links


Official ''Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee'' website
* * {{Oddworld 1997 video games Cancelled Sega Saturn games DOS games Eco-terrorism in fiction Game Boy games Oddworld PlayStation (console) games PlayStation Network games Saffire games Single-player video games Windows games Video games developed in the United States Video games with pre-rendered 3D graphics Video games about slavery Video games scored by Ellen Meijers GT Interactive games Games commercially released with DOSBox Genocide in fiction Multiplayer and single-player video games Video games with alternate endings Cinematic platform games Digital Dialect games