September 16th’s PlayStation 5 Showcase brought news of new titles and remakes coming to the system both soon and in the future. One of these titles was Oddworld: Soulstorm, the newest installment in the Oddworld series, developed by Oddworld Inhabitants. This is the studio’s first release since Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty, which released in 2014, and will serve as a sequel. The game has been in development since 2018, but faced numerous delays and is now releasing for Sony’s next-generation console.
Oddworld: Soulstorm follows the series protagonist, Abe, right after he frees his species from oppression in the previous title. He must lead his fugitive species to safety and escape being hunted down. The game allows players to explore new areas of Oddworld, such as Gorge, Sorrow Valley, and Feeco Depot. There are also new gameplay mechanics in this installment, the most prominent being the Scavenger’s Economy. Now, players will have to help Abe gather resources, loot others, and craft his own tools in order for him and his people to survive.
The trailer also promises that Oddworld: Soulstorm’s story will have even higher stakes for Abe and his species, and hinted at a slightly darker story than previous installments. Despite this, the game seems to retain the sense of humor that has been a series staple.
The director calls the game’s graphics “2.9D,” as they retain a 2D platforming game look made up of 3D graphics, in addition to the fully 3D cutscenes. The game takes advantage of the newest technology in Sony’s new console, including its 3D audio and the DualSense controller.
The game will be a PlayStation console exclusive, but will also eventually release on the PC. No release date for the game was given, with the studio saying they hope they will be able to provide a release estimate soon.
