Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD (2024)

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD is a first and third-person shooter video game and a graphical remaster of 2005's Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath. The game features many updated visuals, character models and remastered audio, as well as support for achievements on various systems. Stranger's Wrath HD was released on December 21, 2011 in Europe and Australia, and on December 27, 2011 in North America on the PlayStation Network. The game was later released on the PC, PlayStation Vita, Android and iOS. A Wii U version was announced on June 11, 2013 during E3 2013, but nothing has been heard of it since.^[1] On October 24, 2016 Oddworld Inhabitants and Limited Run Games announced that Stranger's Wrath HD would be re-released on physical media for the PlayStation Vita for a limited time.^[2] It was announced at EGX 2018 by Oddworld Inhabitants that Stranger's Wrath HD would be coming to the Nintendo Switch.^[3] It was announced on January 8th, 2020 that French Publisher Microids would be co-producing the Switch port alongside Oddworld Inhabitants^[4]. The game released digitally on the Nintendo Switch console on January 23rd, 2020. ^[5] On March 13th, 2020 it was announced by Microids that a limited edition physical retail version of the game for Nintendo Switch was due to be re-released on May 26th, 2020 in the US and May 28th in Europe.^[6] On the 11th of February 2022, Stranger's Wrath HD was ported to PS4 and Xbox One, allowing for the game to be further enhanced with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S upgrades.

Story and setting[]

Changes[]

Characters[]

All 84 character models have been updated with increased polygon counts and higher resolution textures. This includes all three variations of Live Ammo: those in the environment, those on the crossbow and those in the General Store. Wolvark Sloghandlers now release Slogs instead of Slegs. Professor Dimble now has glasses and an academic tome. The leader of the Grubbs is voiced by a woman.

Environments[]

All environments have been given higher resolution textures. Most vegetation has been updated with increased polygon counts and/or higher resolution textures. A lot of environment is now reflected in water where it didn’t before. Pipes and barrels rounded. Added Blisterz Booty’s broken crud gun to the floor by his bola’d body, as it is in the opening CG Cinematic. Sekto’s Office has been changed to more closely resemble the one seen in the CG cinematic.

Audio[]

All game audio (voice, sound effects and music) have been upgraded to 16-bit 44KHz from 8-bit 11KHz or less! Support for 5.1, Dolby Digital and DTS. New female voices have been recorded for two characters.

Display[]

Everything now runs at 720p, 60 FPS, widescreen. All UI menus have been updated with a new design based on original unused concepts. Textures added to stamina and bounty bars. Save game GUIs replaced with standard PlayStation 3 interface. New posters now occupy the inventory menu when no bounty is accepted. MLAA – Full screen PS3 only anti-aliasing

Difficulty[]

All armor upgrades now actually increase Stranger’s health. Added difficulty levels to the game: Easy, Medium and Hard. In easy mode, Stranger has twice the health; enemies have half the health and stamina, and their stamina recovers half as fast. In hard mode, Stranger has a third less health and enemies take a bit more to kill.

Unlockables[]

Main article: Achievements (Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD)

37 trophies: 23 bronze, 8 silver, 5 gold, 1 platinum. Unlockable concept art and movie extras for completing each region of the game.

Development history[]

In April 2010, Just Add Water Ltd. and Oddworld Inhabitants were asked to release a port of Stranger's Wrath for the PC. However, due to countless glitches and compatibility errors encountered after the games release, the port received overwhelmingly harsh criticism. With reactions to the game being the complete opposite of what they expected, CEO Stewart Gilray stated that the dev team "had their arses ripped a new one." Also stating that it, "got under his skin. He didn't sleep for two weeks." Gilray later pitched the idea to Oddworld Inhabitants to release a remake of the game on the PlayStation. When contacting Sony, they enthusiastically welcomed the return of the Oddworld franchise onto their platform. However, after waiting weeks for a response from Microsoft, it was discovered that Microsoft rejected the request to have Stranger released on the Xbox 360. It was also confirmed that a port of Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee would be released on the PlayStation Vita. ^[7]

Physical media re-release[]

On October 24, 2016 Oddworld Inhabitants and Limited Run Games announced that Stranger's Wrath HD would be re-released on physical media for the PlayStation Vita. The box features a reversible cover and includes a set of poker cards and a fold out map of the Mongo Valley. The game version on the cartridge is pre-patched so no large updates are required. No release date is yet known.

On May 26, 2020 The game received a Limited Edition Physical release on the Nintendo Switch console, this included the game, a limited edition box complete with a lenticular art piece on the front, a rubber keychain of a Fuzzle ready to attack and a complete set of limited edition stickers featuring the many Live Ammo used in the game.

Gallery[]

References[]