Oddworld: Soulstorm announced, due out in 2017

Oddworld Inhabitants has announced Oddworld: Soulstorm, a new title in the Oddworld series in co-development at Oddworld’s own internal teams in California and the U.K. in conjunction with Frima Studio in Quebec.

Due out in the latter half of 2017, Oddworld: Soulstorm is a followup to Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty and picks up on Abe’s genesis and directly follows on from the overthrow of RuptureFarms and liberation of his blighted workmates.

Here’s a brief overview:

Having defeated Molluck The Glukkon, his former boss and RuptureFarms’ meanest inhabitant, Abe soon finds himself – along with 300 newly emancipated Mudokons – without food, water or a place to call home. Stranded alone in the desert, they find solace in a strange new brew – a delicious drink that has insidious ramifications for their newfound freedom.

• Witness Abe’s horrifying conflict with a terrifying new machination.
• A fresh narrative – a complete story retake inspired by our original tale.
• A big visual and cinematic leap aiming to break new ground for Oddworld.
• Intelligent new mechanics, twisted new devices enabling highly explosive deviousness.
• A dark parable that tells an epic tale of a volatile society pushed to its limits.

The game promises to “continue to chew up the themes of environmentalism, capitalism, consumerism and addiction” that Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty was known for.

Here are some comments from the game’s staff:

Lorne Lanning, Series Creator

“There was a deeper, darker, and more sinister story that we never got to tell. Soulstorm gives us the opportunity to flesh out more meat on the bones of an original spine, but re-tell the fable from a very different angle. Abe has a long way to go and plenty more adversity ahead. Soulstorm is going to be a much heavier trip for him.”

Bennie Terry, Executive Producer

“We can’t wait to show you what we’ve got planned for Soulstorm. We think Oddworld fans are really going to dig what we’re brewing, and we’ve got some great surprises in store this time around we don’t think anybody’s going to predict. I’ve been tasting it, and it’s definitely got twice the twisted flavor.”

Visit the official website here.