Soulstorm

I dunno.

So not too long ago I introduced this blog to one of my childhood games; Abe's Oddysee, but I only touched on the reasons why I'm interested in it now of all times. You see, few things can stir the old nostalgia bones like the budding news of an impending sequel, and that's just what we're looking at right now with 'Oddworld: SoulStorm' looming on the horizon. With so many years having passed since the last release (Not counting the release and re-release of 'Stranger's Wrath') I've been thrown right back to my childhood at breakneck speed since Soulstorm's announcement and the I'm dragging all of you with me.

To that end, there's a decent gameplay reveal trailer that was published back in... June? (How do I keep missing these things?) The footage I'm looking at specifically was uploaded by IGN, everyone's favourite site..., but it does come along with a very interesting discussion with series creator Lorne Lannin so I'd encourage enduring their presentation style if that sounds interesting to you. For me, all I was really there for was to get a good look at this new title in order to start forming an opinion on whether or not I'm on board with where this game is going and now that I've seen it I'm... torn, to say the least.

Firstly, I want to circle back to one of things that I loved about the original two games like I mentioned in my previous blog; the similarities that this style of play has to solving a puzzle. This is due to many factors that all work in tandem to create that type of play experience and I'm not sure if that legacy is being held up in Soulstorm. For one there is the tempo of play, which takes its time and doesn't rush the player unnecessarily, then there is the complexity of the problem, which requires some thought but can be solved without having to go digging around for some other items. You could be in a situation where you have to save a group of Mudokons from a room crawling with trigger-happy Sligs or must cross a no-man's-land of mine summoning search lights. Every problem you are faced with in the game can be overcome with significant thought and planning, and that is a legacy that I'm not sure if being done ultimate justice.

Soulstorm's gameplay tempo has been significantly upped from previous titles with action happening on multiple screens and consecutively in a manner that makes the events hard to follow at times. Plus, there is a crafting system in the game which requires players to scrounge about for resources in lockers and lootable corpses (although the game seems to call that 'pickpocketing' for some reason. Pretty sure they have to be alive to pick their pockets) in order to craft tools that help you deal with enemies or simply just to get needed key items. This brings the game in line with many modern games that borrow the 'take everything' style of play from freeform RPGs, however I can't help but wonder if the casualty of this 'evolution' is some of the simple innocence of the previous games. It just doesn't feel like an Abe game right now and that might be a problem going forward.

One aspect that I'm more confident about right now is Soulstorm's presentation which borrows the well-lit, shiny industrial look from 'New N Tasty', which is something that I'm okay with right now. Of course, the team aren't going to revert back to the grungy look look of the original games, (even though some of my fondest nuggets of nostalgia are formed in that murky landscape) but I don't mind it, it's an evolution I view amiably. I will say that this new visual style does illicit a distinct emotion from the creepy dread that the originals seemed to facilitate, but I don't feel it derides the overall brand. Soulstorm has a very mechanical and industrial look to it's factories, and that mirrors the mechanical puzzle elements of the gameplay, so I'll allow this change.

Another interesting change is the shift of perspective for the platforming title from traditional 2D to 2.5D. (or 2.9D, as they call it, because you actually have some control of the camera and even have a chance to enter the background locations.) Now the Oddworld series has actually dabbled with all kinds of perspectives in the past, with 2D games in Exodus and Oddysee, First Person games with 'Stranger's Wrath', and even full 3D with 'Munch's Oddysee', so it's interesting that they've decided to go for something brand new rather than regress to something they've done before. It's emblematic of this studios' dedication to improve upon their formula and it's the main reason why I can't deride any of the choices that I don't agree with too far, because I trust in this team to realise them in a manner that is ultimately right. In the IGN video, Lannin had a very interesting perspective on this... perspective, when he basically said that this choice was a compromise between telling a story with a guiding hand (which is what he wanted) and allowing the players to become the character. (which is what the fans wanted.)

What really interests me about this title, however, is what Lannin had to say about the story of it all. Now, being a child when I first played these games, I just excepted everything that I was shown without thinking of the artist's intent or their desire to tell a narrative, but now I'm being told that the Oddworld mythos was actually supposed to encompass a 5-part story. I'm unsure how this translates to the games we've had access to for the past 20 years, afterall there have been 5 games in the Oddworld series so does that mean the story has already been told? Well, apparently not because Lannin mentioned (rather vaguely) how their original plan didn't quite work out. So, does that mean that only 'Abe's Oddysee' and 'Abe's Exodus' count? Well, he did say that Odysee's remake, New n' Tasty, was closer to their original vision but that they decided not to remake Exodus and do Soulstorm. So is Soulstorm a sequel to Exodus or a reimaging? (That would make sense considering that Soulstorm brew is the drink which made that game's abilities work in their unique fashion.) I just need a little clarification.

There's quite a lot that I'm actively dubious about when it comes to Soulstorm and in fact some of the choices I find antithetical to the spirit of Oddworld; but I understand that it has been over 20 years since this franchise began and I shouldn't be confrontational about the mere prospect of change. Remember, I grew up with this game as a child so there'll always be some irrational part of me that flare's his nostrils everytime something new is offered, I just hope none of that blinds me to the potential for this title. This coming E3 I hope to get more of a concrete idea of how this game excels with it's specific style, but until then I will attempt to remain positive despite my bubbling discontent. This is the revival of a franchise that I thought long dead,  I just hope it's time in limbo hasn't washed everything familiar away in the rivers of Lethe.