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GRAPHICS: A+ (10) First word that comes to mind, "Wow". You'll be blown away from the minute you see the title screen to the very end. The graphics are very similar to those found in FFVII, this is due to the fact that the backgrounds are detailed pre-rendered pictures that blend into FMV seemlessly. They are unlike FFVII though, because in this game, the backgrounds are interactive and most of the time, animated. Light-sourcing is also put into tremendous use and is sometimes also useful, such as when you need to hide in shadows. Most definitely, the graphics are the best part of the game and you're unlikely to find anything about them that seems out of place.
SOUND/MUSIC: B+ (9) Through your journey, you will need to actually interact with other creatures. This is done with a method called Gamespeak. Using Gamespeak is a fantastic new breakthrough that allows you to communicate with Mudokons (your species) by actually talking and responding. The farther you get in the game, the more different uses you will find for this, such as convicing other mudokons to follow you, alerting them of danger, and even controlling other creatures. The sound is very clear and depending on your situation, sometimes quite funny. There isn't much music worth mentioning which sort of detracts from the total score, but there is background sounds that pretty much suffice. GAMEPLAY: A- (9.25) A lot of times, there are puzzles that just seem impossible, but after trying and trying (And Dying), you find that the answer was right there in front of your nose the whole time. That is how it often feels like while playing this game, if you learn to be more observant you'll easily make it through this game. That's not to say that you'll just beat the game in a week though, because it does get much harder as you progress, and you will find yourself dying many times, for this reason you have infinite continues and the checkpoints are relatively close. This game is also very long but it never gets boring if you're the type of person who likes a little thinking in their game. My only problem was that at first the controls were kind of odd (pardon the pun) to figure out because they are so complicated. But after about an hour, you will have mastered them.
FUN AND REPLAY VALUE: B (8.75) If you're the type of person who needs to shoot at everything in sight, you will be very disappointed, there's not much of that except when you control an enemy and the ocational grenade/rock hurl. Still this is a very enjoyable game even for someone who is not even particularly interested in the genre (like me) because of the detail and the innovations put into this game. You are very likely to play it again too, because there is a bad and a good ending to be found depending on how many Mudokons you rescue (from a total of 99). It will take you a while to beat and you can always go back and do better. You won't be dissapointed by the length.
WORTH BUYING: YES This game is definitely worth buying for people who enjoy playing long, challenging games, especially for side scrolling fans. It has enough replay value to keep you coming back and trying again and you won't be able to put it down. It also has the best FMV in any game. Action fans however stay away as this game is not for you. But it's still worth renting at least, you may like it, try it. OVERALL: A (9.50) This game is worth buying, if you can find it in a bargain bin or something, go for it. If not you should definitely consider it, and if you're a fan of the genre you should go out and get it right now. It is above average in every category and deserves a place in your collection. To order Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, click on the button
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