Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty is a game that is sure to make faithful fans of the series happy and bring in new fans too. It’s a unique 2D platforming puzzle adventure that the community needed a good reminder that it exists. Although the controls can get a little out of hand even after playing for a while, the story and gameplay give the game a unique charm that I haven’t seen in most platforming games for a long time. Abe and the Mudokons are some wacky characters that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
When the original Oddworld: Abe’s Odysee was released in 1997, I was only just born into the world. I never knew much about the series growing up, except it was about aliens and food and watched my stepdad play it, and always wondered what the hype was about. Little did I know, the Oddworld series has always been known for being weird and wacky, but that’s what makes it special. Not only that, it is probably one of the most unique and challenging 2D platformers to date and now it has finally been another cool series to be brought back from the 90s.
Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty was originally released back in 2014 for the PlayStation 4 and Oddworld Inhabitants made a very smart decision to port it to the Nintendo Switch. After hearing the boss of Rupture Farms, Murlluck the Glukkon, say that Abe and the rest of his alien species are next in line to become tasty and new treats that their factory makes. Abe decides to try and escape from the factory before he gets to be the first to be chopped up and have a label thrown on him.
Got the Munchies for a Good Platformer Puzzle Adventure?
If you’ve been starving for a unique puzzle and platform adventure game, New ‘n’ Tasty is sure to fill you right up! What makes the game challenging and fun is trying to solve puzzles and platforms while rescuing Abe’s kind, the Mudokons,, from also being turned into food. When introduced on the title screen, I noticed that there was an option to play around with Abe speaking, sort of like twisting Mario’s face in all sorts of ways in Mario 64. I soon realized that Abe’s ability to speak would come in handy very early in the game. Instead of being told downright what to do, you have to read signs. Not paying attention to the trap door under its feet, I pulled a lever and caused one of my fellow Mudokon to fall to his death and the death counter increased by one. I instantly regretted my mistake, had horrible flashbacks of losing all my Pikmin in battle and mourning their deaths, and reset my game to the beginning. I knew that I had to rescue as many of the Mudokons as I could! But, to do that, you have to use Abe’s ability to speak to guide them to birds flying in a circle and teleport them to safety. Although I wasn’t able to collect all of them, even on easy mode, I still feel like it gives you a challenge no matter what level you play on.
The protagonist, Abe, is also a very enjoyable character. When I first started up the game I was surprised at how humorous the game is, even though it involves the slavery of an alien race. Going back to accidentally killing a Mudokon, when he fell to his impending doom, it was almost cartoony. When enemies fall to their death there’s a loud crash and boom almost as if I’m watching a Saturday cartoon. I’ll admit, when I accidentally pulled the lever and watched him fall and watched the death count go up, it was unexpected and I couldn’t help but laugh. I know… I’m awful! But that’s what makes New ‘n’ Tasty so special! The story is very enjoyable and I’ll be remembering Abe for a long time.
Overall, the puzzles throughout the game are unique and challenging while still staying fun and they feel rewarding to complete, especially when you manage to save all the Mudokons and help them escape. Usually platformers have you performing simple tasks and pushing forward to the next area, but with New ‘n’ Tasty it is a much more slower and enjoyable experience while still feeling like you’re trying to quickly escape from Murlluck.
Tummy Ache Incoming!
Although New ‘n’ Tasty was enjoyable, it still had some problems that left me with a bit of a tummy ache. For starters, when I first began I found it hard to run and jump at the same time. The controllers seemed to get stuck and I found myself missing my jump and landing right into explosive mines multiple times. Even after getting used to the controls, I found them a little confusing and never really got used to them. Instead of jumping on a ledge using a button, you use the left stick to move upward. I also found myself falling off ledges and running right into traps. A quick solution to this could be to use the D-pad instead, making it easier to control Abe. Abe just feels a little too slow even though he’s supposed to be running for his life before he gets turned into dinner.
The Mudokons are also not very smart. Many times they would run into traps if I didn’t tell them to wait or they’d be shot down because they’re not very good at hiding. I wish that there was an easier way to start a section and try again once you get the hang of it, but once a Mudokon dies in an area they don’t respond. Having an option to restart an area instead of auto-saving your mistake would be easier and a little less stressful when you’re trying to make sure you save everyone so that you can get a happy ending for Abe.
Conclusion
Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty is a game that is sure to make faithful fans of the series happy and bring in new fans too. It’s a unique 2D platforming puzzle adventure that the community needed a good reminder that it exists. Although the controls can get a little out of hand even after playing for a while, the story and gameplay give the game a unique charm that I haven’t seen in most platforming games for a long time. Abe and the Mudokons are some wacky characters that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon and hope to see more remakes and new installments from Oddworld Inhabitants soon! But for now, Oddworld: Abe’s Odysee really is New ‘n’ Tasty!
