Oddworld Then And Now: How Design Choices Can Affect a Game (Part 2)

So, that brings us to 2013. Roughly sixteen years since the release of Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, we're receiving an HD remake that does one key thing different.

Well, okay, ASIDE from having some really kick ass graphics.

The rooms are all connected. That was one of the key defining aspects of PSX Oddworld games, and clearly some of the rooms were designed around that gap stalling the Sligs from shooting you, stopping you from possessing them, or making you react to snap decisions. Exoddus' flaws came from the addition of mechanics that weren't necessary. New 'n' Tasty gives me the impression that how the game plays could be radically different.

Lets take the most basic obstacle of Oddysee: Pits.

I IMMEDIATELY REGRET THIS DECISIOOOOooooon.........

Did I say "obstacle"? I meant "integral mechanic". Pits were dual function in Oddworld: they hid secrets and they also made you do snap decisions as the screen transitioned, running for your life from a Paramite or Scrab...

One way or the other, one of these two beasts would tear into you... 

or you would make one false step and go plummeting to your doom...

But the false step only occurred from not knowing what lay ahead. With all the rooms seamless, you now have the foresight to see whats coming up. Those pit obstacles lose a lot of oomph because of this. The "secrets" may get away with this, as the camera can be focused higher up than the room itself. But what about secret ledges?

How about a different obstacle: the Sligs.

FREEZE!

"What about them?" You may ask. Well...Abe has the ability to possess them. And he could only possess them while they were on screen. Sometimes, you couldn't, as they would run off-screen. But now there is a much bigger distance to "off-screen". How far can they be for me to possess them? How close must they be before they shoot you on sight?

 We talking "sight about as good as a genome soldier" or...?

What about the security orbs, that stopped Abe from chanting? Will they have a range?

Range of your shots? Because you sometimes had to warn mudokons of your shots before you opened fire on another slig.

Remember, this is ONE dynamic being changed, and it has caused a ripple effect throughout the entire design of the original game. The limitations of the console meant that the game had to be built around loading transitions, but now that you've removed it you have to completely redesign the obstacles that Abe faced.

Now, this isn't to say that New 'n' Tasty will be bad. It probably did cross the minds of the people working on the game to update the challenges somewhat to reflect the lack of transitions.

I'm just hoping that they keep the design tight and localized to certain areas in much the same way as the original. We'll have to wait and see come the holiday season.