If there's one thing I know from covering the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, it's that you should always expect the unexpected. This week was a good example of that. Mere days after announcing ten upcoming Nintendo 64 games, they turn around and give us ... three completely unexpected Genesis games? That's right, Nintendo just added Alisia Dragoon, Beyond Oasis and the run ‘n gun classic, Earthworm Jim. That's great news, but are any of these games actually worth playing in 2022? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Mean Machines Sega, Die Hard Game Fan and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games were first released. Get your swords and bubble guns ready, because this is another action-packed episode of the Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew.


In a world filled with blocky character existing in 3D worlds, Abe's Oddysee was a complete oddity on the PlayStation. It was a 2D side-scroller along the lines of classics like Flashback and Another World. Despite the old school approach (or perhaps because of it), critics quickly made Oddworld their new home, praising the epic quest and incredible attention to detail that brought this weird and wonderful world to life. This success allowed Lorne Lanning and his team to focus on a bigger, better and more ambitious sequel that continued the story. The result was Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus, and the critics and fans couldn't wait to move back in.

Already big fans of the first game, Electronic Gaming Monthly liked this sequel even more. Shawn called it “everything the previous game was and more.” While he complained about there being a few annoying trial and error sections, he liked that the game was more emotional. “The story, graphics and gameplay make for an incredible gaming experience. This one's a solid buy.” Sushi X also loved the game, explaining that most of the problems he had with the original have been addressed, “making this sequel nearly flawless.” “Incredible cinemas packed with humor and emotion blend seamlessly with the action. This is a must-have for PlayStation owners.” All told, EGM gave Abe's Exoddus an average score of 9.25 out of 10, making it one of the best-reviewed games in a very competitive issue.

If you're searching for the lowest-scoring review, then look no further than Edge, who praised Abe's range of abilities, yet criticized the overall gameplay and felt that it was too similar to Abe's Oddysee. Alex over at Computer + Video Games agreed that Abe's Exoddus shares a lot in common with its predecessor, but he definitely didn't see that as a problem. “Abe's Exoddus is just like Oddysee – a brilliant platform game. There isn't much difference between the two games, however, there are subtle changes, and Exoddus looks and plays much better. People who have never played Abe's Oddysee can easily get into Exoddus. Those who liked the first game will laugh at the new Mudokon characters' interaction, and other additions. Oddworld is definitely one of the most imaginative platform game worlds, and Exoddus is a fun game to play.” They gave it a score of 4 out of 5, which is yet another hearty recommendation for this great game. If you're a PlayStation + Premium subscriber, definitely give this Oddworld sequel a look.