Abe's Exoddus leaps towards the mainstream with its smoothed difficulty curve, enhanced gameplay and a dose of humour.
The game picks up where the first one left off. Abe has returned to his people and received a hero's welcome for his rescuing efforts at Rupture Farms. No sooner are he and his 99 buddies kicking their feet up, Abe has a visitation by the spirits of Mudokons past. Turns out the Glukkons are up to their old monopoly schemes again. Their newest creation-Necrum Mines-is going about harvesting the bones from ancient Mudokon burial grounds, and using blind Mudokon slaves to do it! So Abe sets out with a ragtag entourage to find out exactly what's going on. Their journey leads them to discover exactly what these bones are going towards, a new beverage called SoulStorm Brew. With Abe's pals thirsty and unaware of the brew's origin, they quickly become intoxicated. It's up to Abe to escape the mines, meet up with his spirit acquaintances to try and find a cure, and hopefully save his race again. Story continues to play an important part in OAE. Though the dark undercurrents and themes of the first game are downplayed somewhat, the game more than makes up for it with its humorous cut-scenes and characters. The story in general has a bigger scope than the first game. Much like the original, Abe's mission starts off fairly small but becomes grander as new information is uncovered. A lot more dialogue is involved in the cut-scenes (Abe's rhyming voice-over has been scrapped) and some, like the "newsflash" type scenes in the later levels, are a real treat and add to the lighter atmosphere of the game.
OAE sticks fairly closely to the original's formula of side-scrolling platforming combined with timing and stealth based puzzles. Thankfully, one key new addition has been added to ease the strain from these often frustrating affairs: the quicksave. That's right folks; you can now save anytime, anywhere. If you happen to screw up, you'll return immediately to where you saved. This feature alone is enough to make OAE a far more accessible and mainstream title than its predecessor, but the game doesn't stop there. The developers have taken some time to make sure that the best mechanics of the original have remained intact. Abe's main quest is once again to save his Mudokon friends, but this time there's a grand total of 299 of them! Rescue is achieved by chanting to open "bird portals". There are now several different "types" of Mudokons, including blind, wired, angry and depressed. Each type needs to be approached in a different way. GameSpeak-the mechanic that allows Abe to communicate with different characters-is back and now includes such orders as "All o'ya!" for guiding several Mudokons at once as well as the "Sorry" and slap gestures than can be used to console different types of Mudokons. Abe can now use his unique possession skill not just on Sligs, but also on Scrabs, Paramites, Glukkons, the new Flying Sligs and even-in a bizarre twist during the latter parts of the game-his own farts. Each of these foes has their own GameSpeak which can be exploited to solve puzzles or dispatch other enemies. As a result, there are even more communication-based puzzles than the original. The game also introduces several new enemies. Fleeches are nasty grub-like creatures which swallow their prey whole and can climb ledges. Greeters are large mechanical drones with motion sensors attached which will zap anything they feel moving around. Flying Sligs move quickly through the air, throwing grenades and Sloggies are baby Slogs which act in much the same way but are slower. Fleeches are probably the most interesting of all the new creatures, but they all add a new, if subtle, touch of their own to the gameplay. The "mystic rings" systems has been expanded to include rings for blowing up bombs, invisibility rings, rings for healing sickness and, you guessed it, the Shrykull power. This is used several times in the game, but not so much that it ruins the effect. Some variety is added to the levels in the form of mine carts (for squashing everything in your path) and cover areas, where you must hide yourself from Slig fire from the background (I can't remember if this ever happened in the original, but it's pretty cool). Fans may be a little disappointed to find the whistling and bell-playing rhythm puzzles have been omitted. More noticeable is the absence of Elum from the nature levels. However, after all's said and done, you don't really mind because there's so much variety on offer.
Once again, the game remains completely HUD-less throughout. Tips and instructions are given through directories and messages within the environment. The strangely prophetic fireflies are another omission from the gameplay. OAE was made using the same engine as the original but it somehow seems to look marginally better. Perhaps it's because there is more variety in the backgrounds. They may be static, but they still look spectacular. Some of the character models and movements have been refined, particularly the Paramites. The frame rate occasionally trips when there's several explosions on screen but it's a rare thing. The AI is again top notch. It has even been improved as now Mudokons will stop before walking through drills, as well as copy Abe's movements such as running or sneaking. There are small graphical touches everywhere, from the explosions to the wells. However, it is the CGI cut-scenes that again steal the show. They are even more spectacular than the first game, with great lighting and character movement. They really are something special. There is more variety in the music and the voice-acting is excellent.
OAE compensates for its smoother difficulty curve by adding some extra playtime over the original, about 5+ hours in fact. Total game time is about 20-25 hours although it could take longer if you're new to the series. Although it may sound like an "easier" game, OAE doesn't let up on its challenge. The quicksave feature simply takes the frustrating edge off most of the puzzles. You'll be faced with many more sequences similar to the final areas of the Paramite and Scrab temples in the first game. However, they are better designed and on the whole more enjoyable than the original's reflex testers. The challenge to find all the secret areas and rescue all 299 Mudokons offers some replay value, and still affects the outcome of the game. It is neither easy nor essential to do this, but it's there.
Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus has every right to be a part of this series. Though it may not have the breakneck pace or action of a first-person shooter, it does offer a compelling, if slightly less intimate story along with some exciting and unique gameplay. There is something about this series that makes it feel less like a game and more like an experience. It is, simply put, a labour of love. Fans will love it, and will no doubt enjoy exploring the expanded elements from the original. Newcomers may be a bit hesitant, but the likeable characters, friendlier difficulty and overall charm of a game like this can't be resisted for long. There is real reward in completing a game like this. It is something not to be missed. However, don't discount Abe's Oddysee from your bargain bin collection; it makes a fitting partner when combined with its sequel…sorry, off-shoot. I have every confidence that the future of Oddworld is in safe hands, and will deliver another diverse experience hopefully not too far down the track. Simply stunning.