Another World 20th Anniversary Edition – Review

Anno 2013 we take a cinematic gaming experience for granted. Think about it; Call of Duty has successfully added interactivity to the blockbuster action flick, while enormous rpg’s like Dragon Age offer more drama than any sitcom could manage.

And let’s not forget about various camera tricks the industry picked up from modern cinema; or about all those well-written stories that are sadly all too often neglected.

Nowadays, those features are standard features for any self-respecting game. It all began during the nineties though. Cutscenes thrived and added the first cinematic elements to videogames and stories grew more intricate.

Back in 1991, Another World came closer to a full-blown sci-fi movie than any game before it. The game almost immediately achieved cult-status and twenty years later we once again get the chance to play one of the best -and most ruthless- adventure games in human history.

Story

The story of Another World starts with Lester Knight Chaykin, a physicist meddling with forces best left untouched. In this case he sets off a particle accelerator, which subsequently gets hit by lightning. Turns out quantum physics were right as Lester finds himself trapped on an alien world, one whose inhabitants have yet to discover the meaning of the word hospitability.

Things start off rough, take a turn for the even worse and before our makeshift hero has even set one foot on this brave new world, he’s already running for his life.

Graphics

During its release Another World was breathtaking. Primitive 3D-models filled a world that, despite its simplicity, managed to be detailed enough to create a living, breathing world.

Normally, you’d expect such games from the early nineties to look dated by now. You’d be wrong.

Time has been kind to Another World. Whether you’re playing the remastered edition or opt to disable the graphical overhaul, you’ll get to experience a game that proved once and for all how important art direction is.

This remastered edition finally adds the necessary graphical oomph to playing Another World on a wide flatscreen. Animations look crisp and fluid; yet manage to sustain their original alien charm.

What’s more; the blocky characters and the chunky backgrounds, in all their simplicity, manage to bring cubism -that’s an art style in case you didn’t know- to videogames.

Sound

Simplicity is key to everything that makes this game brilliant. Needless to say, this goes for the audio as well. The soundtrack is used sparsely, with sound effects only chiming in when it’s absolutely necessary.

Anytime the audio makes itself heard, it’s absolutely spot on.

As with the graphical side of the game, it’s left to players themselves to choose between the original score or a remastered soundtrack.

Gameplay

Another World might remind you of another timeless classic; the first Prince of Persia. In case that comparison means nothing to you, well, you’ve got a whole lot of gaming history to catch up on.

Essentially this means you’ll be running, jumping and battling your way past all kinds of obstacles.

Initially Lester can only count on his own two feet to out-run his foes. Soon enough he’ll find a plasma gun and some grenades to improve his chances at survival.

It’s necessary though, because Another World is a cruel and harsh game. Hesitate for even one split-second and you’re almost certainly fail your quest.

In other words: you’re in for a bout of trial and error, a mechanic churned in our modern day, but exploited once to many times during the early days of the industry.

Once you’ve figured out every proper reaction to whatever the environment throws at you, it’s possible to complete Another World in less than an hour. Make one mistake though, get Lester -or later on, his companion- hurt, and you’ll be transported right back to the most recent checkpoint.

Conclusion

Even now Another World proves it most certainly earned its praise. With this remastered edition, a timeless classic enters the lives of a whole new generation of gamers.

Don’t be afraid to offer up some patience though, in return you’ll be getting a game that knows how to create the right sci-fi mood and that still manages to teach modern games a thing or two about cinematic storytelling.

Gromple

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