“This is Rupture Farms…” To gamers of a certain age, those words immediately evoke one of the most memorable, off-the-wall, and frankly odd experiences of the ’90s. These are the first words of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee, a hilariously weird platform-puzzle game that arrived to great acclaim in 1997. And now, Xbox One owners get to experience Abe’s original adventure in gloriously modern fashion with today’s release of Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty!



“We’re delighted to be back on Xbox – 2005 with Stranger’s Wrath was our last outing on a Microsoft console, and it feels great to see Oddworld up, running, and ready to go on Xbox One,” said Lorne Lanning, President of Oddworld Inhabitants. Inc. “It’s also been rather humbling to see how excited Xbox One owners are to play Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty! There’s hardly been a day go by that we haven’t faced a question about our release dates from an excited Xbox owner, so it’s great to have this opportunity to return to the platform.”



One thing that Lanning is keen for people to realize is that the developers have addressed a lot of issues that some people had when the first released in 2014, including two optional ‘old-school’ control settings – Button To Run and Button To Jump – that really make the game a lot better to play. They’re a big improvement!



In preparation for Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty!, let’s take a look back at the franchise’s long and storied history.



Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee (1997)



Part platformer, part stealth game, part puzzler, Abe’s Oddysee was something entirely new. Starring a galumphing “Mudokon” named Abe, the game tasked players with rescuing Mudokon slaves from a pure-evil corporation who planned to turn them into dinner. With twisted humor and hilariously imaginative character design, Abe’s Oddysee was equal parts gruesome and sweet, ugly and lovable. It was pretty much an instant classic.



Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus (1998)



With the success of Abe’s Oddysee, developer Oddworld Inhabitants quickly released a follow-up. Technically considered a spin-off, Exoddus retained the fundamental gameplay and technology of the original game while adding new gameplay refinements. Most significantly, Abe now needed to manage his wards’ emotional state; a Mudokon who watched compatriots wander into a meat grinder might become depressed, for example, and no longer have the will to escape. This added even more personal connection to a game already oozing with personality.



Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee (2001)



Munch’s Oddysee was originally planned as a prettier 2D game, but instead, it became a free-roaming 3D adventure, and one of the launch titles for the original Xbox. Munch’s Oddysee introduced some real innovation to the franchise, especially the ability to swap between two dramatically different characters (although Munch was the titular hero, players also got to control the familiar Abe). Still, the fundamental mix of platforming, stealth, and puzzles remained.



Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath (2005)



Not so with the fourth game in the series: Stranger’s Wrath presented an entirely new hero, an entirely new story, and an entirely new style of gameplay. Though the game included third-person platforming elements, it differed dramatically from its predecessors by offering first-person-shooting as well – not to mention some RPG-esque elements like weapon upgrades and purchasable items. Though new hero The Stranger lacked Abe’s adorable charm, the game was received with glowing reviews thanks to its imaginative gameplay and typically off-beat Oddworld humor.



Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty! (2015)



And with that we come full circle. Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty! presents a complete remake of Abe’s Oddysee, rebuilt from the ground up with modern technology. While it retains the 2D sidescrolling gameplay of the original, it’s set in fully 3D environments with smoothly scrolling scenes and a slightly dynamic camera. Most importantly, all the weird, wonderful gameplay of the original game remains, giving Abe a chance to sneak his way into the hearts of a whole new generation of players.



“We’re all really proud of what we’ve accomplished with Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty!” said Lanning. “The response from gamers and critics alike has been overwhelmingly positive. Abe is a widely loved character, and now Xbox One owners can experience the game too.”



Make sure you don’t miss Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty! – available now on Xbox One!