Episode 60: Another World

Retro Spectives

When Another World was first released in 1991, it blew everyone’s minds. The lengthy cutscene that introduced the game and the cinematic quality of its presentation was close to unheard of. It fused dynamic and lethal laser combat with the rotoscoped platforming that was seen in Prince of Persia. And it did it all in a time and place utterly unlike Earth, bringing to life a setting that truly felt like Another World.

But 30 years have passed since Another World’s debut. The features that were once revolutionary wouldn’t even make a footnote on the back of the game box. Instant death and trial and error are now dirty words, and action and puzzles very rarely combine well together. Has Another World, the vision of a single person, kept up with all the innovations and modernisations of adventure platformers? Or is it outdated and frustrating, making a mockery of its once forward thinking design?

On this episode, we discuss:

• How well does Another World set a sense of place? Did we truly believe we were on an alien planet as we ran through its weathered halls?
• Is there any place for guesswork and trial and error in a video game? Or is it a fundamentally flawed concept, one that we should be glad rarely sees the light of day?
• How well does Another World control, and how do the controls impact the overall experience? Are there situations in which clunky control schemes are justifiable?

We answer these questions and many more on the 60th Episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Another World OST: Jean-François Freitas

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Are we heretics for criticising this sacred cow of video game history? Does the Caves/Palace sections make more sense than we’re giving it credit for? Does the spiritual sequel Flashback solve the problems we had with Another World? Let us know what you think on our community discord server!