Though this isn't entirely cutting edge, we do have some good, deep information on two new PlayStation 2 games. The odd folks in charge of Oddworld Inhabitants are at it again with two new games of their new PlayStation 2 games, Hand of Odd (an RPG/strategy), and Munch's Oddysee (Abe in 3D).
Epic in scope, Munch's Oddysee has been in development for two years, and will be in development for the next two years. Operating under the premise that games are "the most important art form in the history of man kind," Oddworld is seeking to create a complete world with fully defined individual creatures, each of which will be interacted with using the game's "Gamespeak" function, used in the first two Oddworld titles.
Gamespeak will now comes in four flavors: compliment/insult, positive/negative. Unlike in the first two, in which the character only spoke a few rudimentary words, now the characters will speak whole sentences based on the player's choice of interaction. This may not sound like a wild new venture that's pushing the PS2 to new degrees - and in that line, few games will for years to come - but for Abe and the gang, it's an exciting new development. The ultimate goal is to create a game of social puzzles with challenges the player will need to overcome, such as getting a group of workers to go on strike. With a new currency, one of status, characters react more positively to you according to how cool you are. For instance, a slig is more likely to take you seriously if you have a really big gun, or now how to speak cooly to him, etc.
The other game, Hand of Odd, is a realtime strategy game set in Oddworld. Pitting the forces of merciless capitalism against those of ecology, the game prompts players to decide where to dump their toxic waste, and will use industrial accidents as weapons. Eighteen months out, with landscapes in full realtime 3D that Lanning promises is "photorealistic," Hand of Odd looks to be a bizarre but interesting PlayStation 2 title.
