Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee is a 2001 platformer-puzzle game that studio Oddworld Inhabitants created as a launch title for the Xbox and the fourth installment of its distinctive series with a strong environmental and socially critical undertone. The player alternately controls two different characters - the cute but fragile creature Munch, who can swim and use sonar, and Abe, the series' returning star capable of controlling enemies' minds through so-called possession - and the two characters must cooperate to solve elaborate puzzles and save a rare species from extinction at the hands of corporate greed. Switching between the two heroes happened instantly, and many puzzles were built on the fact that one had to open a path for the other.

The Oddworld series was always known for its strongly satirical subtext criticizing capitalism, consumerism, and environmental destruction, and Munch's Oddysee was no exception despite the characters' seemingly cute visual style. A traditional part of the experience remained the GameSpeak system, simple voice commands the player used to give instructions to the creatures being rescued and lead them to safety. As one of the first titles for the Xbox, the game made full use of the new console's graphical capabilities - detailed environments, advanced lighting, and elaborate physics - making it one of the technological showcases of the console's launch.

Critics praised the unique atmosphere, depth of storytelling, and the ingenious cooperative puzzles between the two characters, which rightfully places Munch's Oddysee among the most significant and most distinctive launch exclusives of the Xbox and still symbolizes the series' courage to tell unconventional stories in an unconventional way. Munch's Oddysee also showed that even a seemingly childish-looking game can handle serious themes without giving up its playfulness and gentle humor.