Oddworld: Soulstorm reveals an "industrial hell" in first trailer
Oddworld: Soulstorm, the first sequel in the political platforming series since its reboot in 2014, has been shown off in a screen-busting new trailer.
It’s screen-busting because it pushes the sense of 3D depth to Oddworld’s side-on environments. Where Oddworld: New ‘N’ Tasty was 2.5D, Lorne Lanning and his team are calling this one ‘2.9D’. That’s exemplified in the trailer by a train that pummels straight past protagonist Abe towards the camera.
The footage reveals a familiar focus on herding fellow Mudokons through side-scrolling levels. If previous games are anything to go by, you’ll be able to issue simple commands to the Mudokons to keep them safe as you navigate an industrial hellscape.
While Soulstorm is the second part in a reboot of the Oddworld series, it doesn’t even share a name with the original 1998 sequel, Abe’s Exoddus. Instead it represents a “complete story retake” and folds in “intelligent” new mechanics that build on the use of explosives.
The Oddworld games are about the impact of rampant capitalism on a delicate ecosystem. In that sense, Soulstorm’s not likely to be less relevant when it comes out in 2020.