Oddworld: Soulstorm

Oddworld: Soulstorm is a very compelling game, which veers on the verge of being an all time classic.

The original Oddworld quintology didn’t go to plan. The storyline ground to a halt after three games, although there was a fourth spinoff title. Now Oddworld Inhabitants is having another go. Following the success of Oddworld: New ‘N’ Tasty, which was a remake of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee, the team remade Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus. The result is Oddworld: Soulstorm, although it feels less of a remake and more like a completely different game altogether.

Oddworld: Soulstorm is a fantastic modernized remake of one of those side-scrollers that we remember as great but the original doesn’t hold up. Although it can be an aggravating slog to get through its escort quest-heavy levels, it’s also a unique, delightfully bizarre, and utterly rewarding experience with a fantastic story and a lot of heart. Of course, it also has far too many bugs that force restarts to circumvent, and that can turn the frustration of a good challenge into the bad, controller-throwing kind, and the sound design is all over the place.

There’s plenty to love about Oddworld: Soulstorm, but it’s a recommendation bundled with caveats. The occasionally bad design and frustrating bugs hold it back from the blockbuster Abe adventure it strives to be, but if you can stomach the annoyances, there’s a compelling, puzzle platformer here which breathes new life into Oddworld’s charms.

A highly enjoyable platform puzzler, with some cleverly complex set pieces and great presentation – but it lacks that final layer of polish that could have made it something really special.

Oddworld: Soulstorm clearly comes from a very passionate, dedicated group of developers. Although it is very rough in places, there are parts of it that really do stick out as excellent examples of both gameplay and storytelling. With more refinement this could have been a shining example of what ground-up remakes could be, but it just falls a little short of the high standards set elsewhere. It’s still charming and funny, just like the Mudokens you’re trying to save, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating.

Oddworld: Soulstorm, like its name implies, is an odd game. It’s somewhat of a remake of 1998’s half-sequel, half-spin-off Abe’s Exoddus, but also new enough to avoid actually being a straight remake. Such roots plant some parts of Soulstorm in the past, while others put it right on the cutting edge, resulting in a uneven experience with more than a fair helping of bugs.

A beautiful presentation, but glitchy in a frustrating way.

Oddworld’s newest revival looks incredible, but its classic stealth-platforming feels old-school in all the wrong ways.

In that image lies the appeal—and for some the off-putting twinge—of Oddworld: a bleak and black-hearted concoction, laced with snickering humour and shot through with hope.

Oddworld: Soulstorm is a free PlayStation Plus game on PS5 at the time of this writing, so PS Plus subscribers have no reason not to download it and give it a go for themselves. After all, there's still a lot to like about the game, like its dark story and engaging puzzle/platforming gameplay. However, those on other platforms who have to actually pay to play it may want to hold off until Oddworld Inhabitants fixes some of its more serious bugs.

This flashy remake of Abe's sequel is gorgeous to look at, but it rarely captures the excitement or feeling of the Oddworld forebears.