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As a fan of the Oddworld games, I was somewhat disappointed that Stranger’s Wrath was exclusive to the Xbox; My Playstation branded hardware was of no use for continuing the Oddworld experience. Those barriers have now been broken down but has it been worth the wait?
There is a distinct Wild West theme to Stranger’s Wrath but there are no cowboys, Indians or horses to be found anywhere. Whilst the Wild West settings are very typical but the inhabitants are... well, I’m not quite sure what they are. The developers, Oddworld Inhabitants, have quite a track record in creating interesting and diverse characters and this game is no different.
Stranger is a suitably named character. On top of not knowing what species he is, we actually know very little about him other than discovering that he needs a life saving operation. We aren’t even sure what his condition is but none of that is as important as raising the funds for the mysterious operation. Stranger needs money and a lot of it. Fortunately there are some outlaws with a bounty on their head and Stranger just happens to be a bounty hunter.
A trip to the local Bounty Store will allow you to select a target. There is a bit of background information on the character, a rough idea of location but most importantly, a price. Naturally dead or alive is an accepted condition for return of the outlaw but alive is the condition that pays more. And money is very important to Stranger. Bag the bounty and bring him back to the store for your pay packet.
The game play is a mix of third and first person perspectives. On foot, the third person view is used but whip out the crossbow and the game seamlessly switches to first person.
Stranger’s Wrath brings a reality to the term live ammo. Rather than bows, Stranger’s crossbow uses insects and mammals. The ‘ammo’ is exceptionally varied and brings with it arguably more tactical play than having a variety of weapons. Using live ammo means a little touch of hunting when you need to restock the supplies. Rather than picking ammo up from fallen enemies or purchasing from stores, you’ll be raiding the nests of these creatures to stock up.
I wouldn’t normally list the ammo types but these are so unique they are worth mentioning.
Zapflies have a duel role. They are infinite in supply (for some reason) and can be rapidly fired although can only be used to stun the creatures you use as ammo as they are useless against the outlaws in this form. Let the zapflies charge up, however, and they can fire an electrical charge which can momentarily stun the outlaws or trigger some electrical switches.
Fuzzles are little fur balls with teeth. They can be used as a direct attack where they bite away while the target runs about trying to shake them off. The fuzzles can also be used as traps; stick them to walls or on the ground and they will jump at any outlaw that passes by. They don’t cause much damage but are still very useful.
Stunkz are skunk like creatures which release a foul stench which is used as a stun mechanism.
Chippunks are used for distraction or to lure an outlaw. When fired they let out a squeak which seems to annoy the enemies who will head towards the chippunk to silence them.
Bolamite are spiders who will wrap up an enemy in a web upon impact. The outlaws will struggle and eventually break free, some quicker than others.
Thudslug is an armoured bug used for a high impact hit. These can stun and will do a lot of damage but are not as freely available as the lesser ammo types.
Stingbees are the machine gun equivalent. You can spill out the bees in quick succession causing moderate damage.
Boombats are the hardest hitting ammo as they explode upon impact. Like the thudslugs, they are not as common as the other ammo types and you can carry less of them.
Probably the most diverse list of ammo in gaming and as such, this really changes how you play this game compared to other ‘shooters’. When using the crossbow, the game swaps from third person view to first person view and plays out like an FPS. There is a bit of a transitional period as you come to terms with the fact you cannot play this like a standard FPS. There is only one ammo type you can use to quick fire so pummelling the enemies as you dash along won’t get you far. A much more tactical approach is needed with the ammo available and your approach to a group of enemies.
There is a variety of enemy types to go with the ammo. The smaller enemies will stun easily whereas some of the larger ones will lose some health but won’t stun quite so easily. The enemies are not quite as well equipped as you but they are accurate with their choice of weapons and at times have a better range than Stranger.
Stealth plays a part in the action and is essential. The mini map shows enemies and their vision arc. Being in plain sight or attacking a close by enemy will attract attention. When you are spotted the enemies will concentrate on you and come hunting you down. You can hide behind buildings and scenery items as well as staying stationary in some long grass. From time to time you can take out a few enemies at once by luring them to explosive barrels or placing them under an elevated boulder before firing an electric charge at the switch to release the cargo.
Stranger is not just limited to his cross bow and can divulge in some melee action. Stranger runs on two feet but when he picks up speed he will revert to all fours and charging into an enemy head first can be an effective attack quite tricky to perform at times. When not running, he has a spin attack which can be used to beat the enemies. The melee attacks are less effective against the bigger enemies and you may find you use them purely as backup to get out of a tight spot.
To capture the bounties, Stranger sucks them up. This takes a few seconds to complete which adds to the challenge of keeping the bounties alive as the other enemies won’t just stand around and watch you capture one of their kind. Stunned enemies aren’t stunned forever so you will find yourself needing to use each ammo type and all manner of stealth and luring tricks to deal with groups. It mixes up the action well and as I found with other Oddworld games, there is quite a challenge in there.
There are no health packs but Stranger can regenerate own health by performing an action which simply looks like he is dusting himself off. This action, as with running at full speed, uses stamina which takes time to recover and you may not be always able to replenish your full health bar or be in a position to run to safety at full speed. Another couple o f items you will find yourself having to consider during the game.
Stranger’s Wrath has been given a bit of polish and transformed into HD resolution and it is still a rather attractive looking game.
To answer the opening question, has it been worth the wait? I’d certainly say so. Oddworld games do tend to bring their own unique charm and this one is now different. Time has had no impact on this one and it is a very enjoyable game. It can be challenging and the missions are essentially the same but the action is tactical and diverse locations and ammo types keep it fresh.
8
There is a distinct Wild West theme to Stranger’s Wrath but there are no cowboys, Indians or horses to be found anywhere. Whilst the Wild West settings are very typical but the inhabitants are... well, I’m not quite sure what they are. The developers, Oddworld Inhabitants, have quite a track record in creating interesting and diverse characters and this game is no different.
Stranger is a suitably named character. On top of not knowing what species he is, we actually know very little about him other than discovering that he needs a life saving operation. We aren’t even sure what his condition is but none of that is as important as raising the funds for the mysterious operation. Stranger needs money and a lot of it. Fortunately there are some outlaws with a bounty on their head and Stranger just happens to be a bounty hunter.
A trip to the local Bounty Store will allow you to select a target. There is a bit of background information on the character, a rough idea of location but most importantly, a price. Naturally dead or alive is an accepted condition for return of the outlaw but alive is the condition that pays more. And money is very important to Stranger. Bag the bounty and bring him back to the store for your pay packet.
The game play is a mix of third and first person perspectives. On foot, the third person view is used but whip out the crossbow and the game seamlessly switches to first person.
Stranger’s Wrath brings a reality to the term live ammo. Rather than bows, Stranger’s crossbow uses insects and mammals. The ‘ammo’ is exceptionally varied and brings with it arguably more tactical play than having a variety of weapons. Using live ammo means a little touch of hunting when you need to restock the supplies. Rather than picking ammo up from fallen enemies or purchasing from stores, you’ll be raiding the nests of these creatures to stock up.
I wouldn’t normally list the ammo types but these are so unique they are worth mentioning.
Zapflies have a duel role. They are infinite in supply (for some reason) and can be rapidly fired although can only be used to stun the creatures you use as ammo as they are useless against the outlaws in this form. Let the zapflies charge up, however, and they can fire an electrical charge which can momentarily stun the outlaws or trigger some electrical switches.
Fuzzles are little fur balls with teeth. They can be used as a direct attack where they bite away while the target runs about trying to shake them off. The fuzzles can also be used as traps; stick them to walls or on the ground and they will jump at any outlaw that passes by. They don’t cause much damage but are still very useful.
Stunkz are skunk like creatures which release a foul stench which is used as a stun mechanism.
Chippunks are used for distraction or to lure an outlaw. When fired they let out a squeak which seems to annoy the enemies who will head towards the chippunk to silence them.
Bolamite are spiders who will wrap up an enemy in a web upon impact. The outlaws will struggle and eventually break free, some quicker than others.
Thudslug is an armoured bug used for a high impact hit. These can stun and will do a lot of damage but are not as freely available as the lesser ammo types.
Stingbees are the machine gun equivalent. You can spill out the bees in quick succession causing moderate damage.
Boombats are the hardest hitting ammo as they explode upon impact. Like the thudslugs, they are not as common as the other ammo types and you can carry less of them.
Probably the most diverse list of ammo in gaming and as such, this really changes how you play this game compared to other ‘shooters’. When using the crossbow, the game swaps from third person view to first person view and plays out like an FPS. There is a bit of a transitional period as you come to terms with the fact you cannot play this like a standard FPS. There is only one ammo type you can use to quick fire so pummelling the enemies as you dash along won’t get you far. A much more tactical approach is needed with the ammo available and your approach to a group of enemies.
There is a variety of enemy types to go with the ammo. The smaller enemies will stun easily whereas some of the larger ones will lose some health but won’t stun quite so easily. The enemies are not quite as well equipped as you but they are accurate with their choice of weapons and at times have a better range than Stranger.
Stealth plays a part in the action and is essential. The mini map shows enemies and their vision arc. Being in plain sight or attacking a close by enemy will attract attention. When you are spotted the enemies will concentrate on you and come hunting you down. You can hide behind buildings and scenery items as well as staying stationary in some long grass. From time to time you can take out a few enemies at once by luring them to explosive barrels or placing them under an elevated boulder before firing an electric charge at the switch to release the cargo.
Stranger is not just limited to his cross bow and can divulge in some melee action. Stranger runs on two feet but when he picks up speed he will revert to all fours and charging into an enemy head first can be an effective attack quite tricky to perform at times. When not running, he has a spin attack which can be used to beat the enemies. The melee attacks are less effective against the bigger enemies and you may find you use them purely as backup to get out of a tight spot.
To capture the bounties, Stranger sucks them up. This takes a few seconds to complete which adds to the challenge of keeping the bounties alive as the other enemies won’t just stand around and watch you capture one of their kind. Stunned enemies aren’t stunned forever so you will find yourself needing to use each ammo type and all manner of stealth and luring tricks to deal with groups. It mixes up the action well and as I found with other Oddworld games, there is quite a challenge in there.
There are no health packs but Stranger can regenerate own health by performing an action which simply looks like he is dusting himself off. This action, as with running at full speed, uses stamina which takes time to recover and you may not be always able to replenish your full health bar or be in a position to run to safety at full speed. Another couple o f items you will find yourself having to consider during the game.
Stranger’s Wrath has been given a bit of polish and transformed into HD resolution and it is still a rather attractive looking game.
To answer the opening question, has it been worth the wait? I’d certainly say so. Oddworld games do tend to bring their own unique charm and this one is now different. Time has had no impact on this one and it is a very enjoyable game. It can be challenging and the missions are essentially the same but the action is tactical and diverse locations and ammo types keep it fresh.
8
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As a fan of the Oddworld games, I was somewhat disappointed that Stranger’s Wrath was exclusive to the Xbox; My Playstation branded hardware was of no use for continuing the Oddworld experience. Those barriers have now been broken down but has it been worth the wait?
There is a distinct Wild West theme to Stranger’s Wrath but there are no cowboys, Indians or horses to be found anywhere. Whilst the Wild West settings are very typical but the inhabitants are... well, I’m not quite sure what they are. The developers, Oddworld Inhabitants, have quite a track record in creating interesting and diverse characters and this game is no different.
Stranger is a suitably named character. On top of not knowing what species he is, we actually know very little about him other than discovering that he needs a life saving operation. We aren’t even sure what his condition is but none of that is as important as raising the funds for the mysterious operation. Stranger needs money and a lot of it. Fortunately there are some outlaws with a bounty on their head and Stranger just happens to be a bounty hunter.
A trip to the local Bounty Store will allow you to select a target. There is a bit of background information on the character, a rough idea of location but most importantly, a price. Naturally dead or alive is an accepted condition for return of the outlaw but alive is the condition that pays more. And money is very important to Stranger. Bag the bounty and bring him back to the store for your pay packet.
The game play is a mix of third and first person perspectives. On foot, the third person view is used but whip out the crossbow and the game seamlessly switches to first person.
Stranger’s Wrath brings a reality to the term live ammo. Rather than bows, Stranger’s crossbow uses insects and mammals. The ‘ammo’ is exceptionally varied and brings with it arguably more tactical play than having a variety of weapons. Using live ammo means a little touch of hunting when you need to restock the supplies. Rather than picking ammo up from fallen enemies or purchasing from stores, you’ll be raiding the nests of these creatures to stock up.
I wouldn’t normally list the ammo types but these are so unique they are worth mentioning.
Zapflies have a duel role. They are infinite in supply (for some reason) and can be rapidly fired although can only be used to stun the creatures you use as ammo as they are useless against the outlaws in this form. Let the zapflies charge up, however, and they can fire an electrical charge which can momentarily stun the outlaws or trigger some electrical switches.
Fuzzles are little fur balls with teeth. They can be used as a direct attack where they bite away while the target runs about trying to shake them off. The fuzzles can also be used as traps; stick them to walls or on the ground and they will jump at any outlaw that passes by. They don’t cause much damage but are still very useful.
Stunkz are skunk like creatures which release a foul stench which is used as a stun mechanism.
Chippunks are used for distraction or to lure an outlaw. When fired they let out a squeak which seems to annoy the enemies who will head towards the chippunk to silence them.
Bolamite are spiders who will wrap up an enemy in a web upon impact. The outlaws will struggle and eventually break free, some quicker than others.
Thudslug is an armoured bug used for a high impact hit. These can stun and will do a lot of damage but are not as freely available as the lesser ammo types.
Stingbees are the machine gun equivalent. You can spill out the bees in quick succession causing moderate damage.
Boombats are the hardest hitting ammo as they explode upon impact. Like the thudslugs, they are not as common as the other ammo types and you can carry less of them.
Probably the most diverse list of ammo in gaming and as such, this really changes how you play this game compared to other ‘shooters’. When using the crossbow, the game swaps from third person view to first person view and plays out like an FPS. There is a bit of a transitional period as you come to terms with the fact you cannot play this like a standard FPS. There is only one ammo type you can use to quick fire so pummelling the enemies as you dash along won’t get you far. A much more tactical approach is needed with the ammo available and your approach to a group of enemies.
There is a variety of enemy types to go with the ammo. The smaller enemies will stun easily whereas some of the larger ones will lose some health but won’t stun quite so easily. The enemies are not quite as well equipped as you but they are accurate with their choice of weapons and at times have a better range than Stranger.
Stealth plays a part in the action and is essential. The mini map shows enemies and their vision arc. Being in plain sight or attacking a close by enemy will attract attention. When you are spotted the enemies will concentrate on you and come hunting you down. You can hide behind buildings and scenery items as well as staying stationary in some long grass. From time to time you can take out a few enemies at once by luring them to explosive barrels or placing them under an elevated boulder before firing an electric charge at the switch to release the cargo.
Stranger is not just limited to his cross bow and can divulge in some melee action. Stranger runs on two feet but when he picks up speed he will revert to all fours and charging into an enemy head first can be an effective attack quite tricky to perform at times. When not running, he has a spin attack which can be used to beat the enemies. The melee attacks are less effective against the bigger enemies and you may find you use them purely as backup to get out of a tight spot.
To capture the bounties, Stranger sucks them up. This takes a few seconds to complete which adds to the challenge of keeping the bounties alive as the other enemies won’t just stand around and watch you capture one of their kind. Stunned enemies aren’t stunned forever so you will find yourself needing to use each ammo type and all manner of stealth and luring tricks to deal with groups. It mixes up the action well and as I found with other Oddworld games, there is quite a challenge in there.
There are no health packs but Stranger can regenerate own health by performing an action which simply looks like he is dusting himself off. This action, as with running at full speed, uses stamina which takes time to recover and you may not be always able to replenish your full health bar or be in a position to run to safety at full speed. Another couple o f items you will find yourself having to consider during the game.
Stranger’s Wrath has been given a bit of polish and transformed into HD resolution and it is still a rather attractive looking game.
To answer the opening question, has it been worth the wait? I’d certainly say so. Oddworld games do tend to bring their own unique charm and this one is now different. Time has had no impact on this one and it is a very enjoyable game. It can be challenging and the missions are essentially the same but the action is tactical and diverse locations and ammo types keep it fresh.
8
There is a distinct Wild West theme to Stranger’s Wrath but there are no cowboys, Indians or horses to be found anywhere. Whilst the Wild West settings are very typical but the inhabitants are... well, I’m not quite sure what they are. The developers, Oddworld Inhabitants, have quite a track record in creating interesting and diverse characters and this game is no different.
Stranger is a suitably named character. On top of not knowing what species he is, we actually know very little about him other than discovering that he needs a life saving operation. We aren’t even sure what his condition is but none of that is as important as raising the funds for the mysterious operation. Stranger needs money and a lot of it. Fortunately there are some outlaws with a bounty on their head and Stranger just happens to be a bounty hunter.
A trip to the local Bounty Store will allow you to select a target. There is a bit of background information on the character, a rough idea of location but most importantly, a price. Naturally dead or alive is an accepted condition for return of the outlaw but alive is the condition that pays more. And money is very important to Stranger. Bag the bounty and bring him back to the store for your pay packet.
The game play is a mix of third and first person perspectives. On foot, the third person view is used but whip out the crossbow and the game seamlessly switches to first person.
Stranger’s Wrath brings a reality to the term live ammo. Rather than bows, Stranger’s crossbow uses insects and mammals. The ‘ammo’ is exceptionally varied and brings with it arguably more tactical play than having a variety of weapons. Using live ammo means a little touch of hunting when you need to restock the supplies. Rather than picking ammo up from fallen enemies or purchasing from stores, you’ll be raiding the nests of these creatures to stock up.
I wouldn’t normally list the ammo types but these are so unique they are worth mentioning.
Zapflies have a duel role. They are infinite in supply (for some reason) and can be rapidly fired although can only be used to stun the creatures you use as ammo as they are useless against the outlaws in this form. Let the zapflies charge up, however, and they can fire an electrical charge which can momentarily stun the outlaws or trigger some electrical switches.
Fuzzles are little fur balls with teeth. They can be used as a direct attack where they bite away while the target runs about trying to shake them off. The fuzzles can also be used as traps; stick them to walls or on the ground and they will jump at any outlaw that passes by. They don’t cause much damage but are still very useful.
Stunkz are skunk like creatures which release a foul stench which is used as a stun mechanism.
Chippunks are used for distraction or to lure an outlaw. When fired they let out a squeak which seems to annoy the enemies who will head towards the chippunk to silence them.
Bolamite are spiders who will wrap up an enemy in a web upon impact. The outlaws will struggle and eventually break free, some quicker than others.
Thudslug is an armoured bug used for a high impact hit. These can stun and will do a lot of damage but are not as freely available as the lesser ammo types.
Stingbees are the machine gun equivalent. You can spill out the bees in quick succession causing moderate damage.
Boombats are the hardest hitting ammo as they explode upon impact. Like the thudslugs, they are not as common as the other ammo types and you can carry less of them.
Probably the most diverse list of ammo in gaming and as such, this really changes how you play this game compared to other ‘shooters’. When using the crossbow, the game swaps from third person view to first person view and plays out like an FPS. There is a bit of a transitional period as you come to terms with the fact you cannot play this like a standard FPS. There is only one ammo type you can use to quick fire so pummelling the enemies as you dash along won’t get you far. A much more tactical approach is needed with the ammo available and your approach to a group of enemies.
There is a variety of enemy types to go with the ammo. The smaller enemies will stun easily whereas some of the larger ones will lose some health but won’t stun quite so easily. The enemies are not quite as well equipped as you but they are accurate with their choice of weapons and at times have a better range than Stranger.
Stealth plays a part in the action and is essential. The mini map shows enemies and their vision arc. Being in plain sight or attacking a close by enemy will attract attention. When you are spotted the enemies will concentrate on you and come hunting you down. You can hide behind buildings and scenery items as well as staying stationary in some long grass. From time to time you can take out a few enemies at once by luring them to explosive barrels or placing them under an elevated boulder before firing an electric charge at the switch to release the cargo.
Stranger is not just limited to his cross bow and can divulge in some melee action. Stranger runs on two feet but when he picks up speed he will revert to all fours and charging into an enemy head first can be an effective attack quite tricky to perform at times. When not running, he has a spin attack which can be used to beat the enemies. The melee attacks are less effective against the bigger enemies and you may find you use them purely as backup to get out of a tight spot.
To capture the bounties, Stranger sucks them up. This takes a few seconds to complete which adds to the challenge of keeping the bounties alive as the other enemies won’t just stand around and watch you capture one of their kind. Stunned enemies aren’t stunned forever so you will find yourself needing to use each ammo type and all manner of stealth and luring tricks to deal with groups. It mixes up the action well and as I found with other Oddworld games, there is quite a challenge in there.
There are no health packs but Stranger can regenerate own health by performing an action which simply looks like he is dusting himself off. This action, as with running at full speed, uses stamina which takes time to recover and you may not be always able to replenish your full health bar or be in a position to run to safety at full speed. Another couple o f items you will find yourself having to consider during the game.
Stranger’s Wrath has been given a bit of polish and transformed into HD resolution and it is still a rather attractive looking game.
To answer the opening question, has it been worth the wait? I’d certainly say so. Oddworld games do tend to bring their own unique charm and this one is now different. Time has had no impact on this one and it is a very enjoyable game. It can be challenging and the missions are essentially the same but the action is tactical and diverse locations and ammo types keep it fresh.
8