If there was an award for people’s favorite video game alien of all time, there would be a lot of nominations, and someone somewhere is bound to be upset with the winner. It’s undeniable though, little Abe from the Oddworld series would be right up there with the best of them, and speaking of Abe, we have some positive news to bring you as the Nintendo Switch release date for Oddworld: Soulstorm – Optimized Edition has been revealed, with the game being released in Europe on October 27 and November 8 for North America.
This announcement has been long in the tooth, with the news first being revealed back in July. And along with this news is a gameplay trailer for the Nintendo Switch release which you can watch below.
Oddworld: Soulstorm was originally released for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One back in 2021, but the game’s developer, Oddworld Inhabitants, wanted to bring the experience to Nintendo’s number one console, and it hopes to be a huge success as it has been on the other platforms. Alongside the announcement, Oddworld also unveiled Limited and Collector’s Editions for the games as well, which look to include a lot3 of good stuff.
What do these special edition games include then? The Limited Edition for Oddworld: Soulstorm includes the game, a collectible metal case with 24 cartridge slots, and three lovely little art prints. The Collectors Edition on the other hand will include all the Limited Edition items, as well as a unique collector’s box, a 9-inch silver figurine of the loveable protagonist, a 160-page artbook, a Mining Company keychain, Mudokon stickers, and Abe’s hand tattoo. I mean, that’s a lot of stuff, a heck of a lot of stuff, they’re really treating you with this one.
The game is a sequel to 2014’s Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty as well as a sort of remake of Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus from 1998 which became a PlayStation classic. Like the previous game, Oddworld: Soulstorm is a 2.5D side-scrolling platform game where players take control of the franchise hero. Abe must rescue his fellow Mudokons from violent slave labor and exploitation at the hands of the savage Glukkons. This game has several improvements to that of its predecessor, such as massively revised gameplay mechanics that incorporate elements from both the 1998 game and Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee. One new mechanic of note is an inventory that goes along with the new looting and crafting system, which means Abe can now collect various items and craft different weapons and tools.
On the whole, the game was praised for the amount of content that was included, as well as the gameplay variety and enjoyment, while the movement system was deemed as one of the most fluid in the entire series. It wasn’t all flowers and rainbows though because the game did have a few technical issues and highly annoying menu navigation, but we might be nit-picking. Hopefully, the Oddworld: Soulstorm – Optimized Edition for the Nintendo Switch will improve on the console version of the game with great aplomb.
