Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee

It really sucks having to rate Munch's Oddysee so low – this version has obviously been made with care, but as the old saying goes you just can't polish a... well... you know.

It is fairly obvious, based on the data discussed above, that platforming turns more into a chore. If we add to the equation the bad AI of the creatures the player is trying to save, the scale keeps tilting to the negative side.

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee adds one more dimension, but throws what made the original a classic out of the window. Not only this doesn't have the beautiful visuals of the PlayStation duology, or its fantastic atmosphere and narrative strength, but it's also far from a fun, cinematic puzzle-platformer - in fact, it's not even a puzzle-platformer, but just a collection of boring tasks sewn together, and masquerading as an adventure.

Ultimately, Munch’s Oddysee as a game hasn’t aged particularly well. It shows very plainly that it was made in a transitional era, when 3D adventure games were still coming into their own and finding ways to create purpose for themselves. The charm of the Oddworld franchise is here of course, and performance of the game is excellent. As far as ports go, this is about as solid as you could ask for, but all of the improved performance mostly serves to center the shortcomings and frustrating mechanics of this awkward duck. For longtime fans of the Oddworld series, this is a fine way to revisit Munch’s Oddysee, but I don’t know that there’s much joy to be had here for anybody who isn’t a staunch fan, an avid collector, or a dedicated archivist.

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee on the Nintendo Switch brings back this chapter in the Oddworld series and while the gameplay mechanics are solid and the Oddworld universe remains attractive, it's clear that there was not enough work in this conversion to make it appealing enough beyond fans of the original game, especially when it comes to its visual environment and to its frustrating controls.

When Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee released on the original Xbox, it came with high praise and was one of my personal favorite titles from that system. The game was mind-blowing at launch, but almost two decades later, a lot of it is rough around the edges. The cutscenes, world-building, and storytelling hold up to this day, but almost all of the gameplay elements are out of place compared to modern games, with the wonky, tough-to-handle controls taking the cake.

Munch's Oddysee is still the worst Oddworld game and his new remastered version for Nintendo Switch doesn't change that. The result of this last port is a game that is truly mediocre.

Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee offers a varied and enjoyable experience, though it is guilty of showing its age in multiple facets of its design. The controls and the camera are the worst offenders and I can imagine that they’ll cause a few frustrating moments for some players. Still, with each character’s varied skillset, the clever puzzle design, and the charming and quirky world, there’s also plenty to love about Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee. It might not necessarily hit the heights of its 2D predecessors, but it still manages to offer a neat adventure that’s more than worthy of the Oddworld name.

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee HD encapsulates a time in gaming when 3D puzzle platformers were still in their infancy yet its campaign is undeniably fun and full of variety. However, many facets of its adventure simply don't hold up well with today's standards in mind.

Although it was good in 2001, Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee is let down on Nintendo Switch by awkward camera angles, frustrating controls, and bland environments.