O is for... O.D.T: Escape or Die Trying

Platform: GoG

Genre: Action

Completed: 08/02/2024

I remember first getting this game back on the original PlayStation. Probably still have the disk lying around somewhere too. If memory serves me correctly, my brothers weren't into it as much as me.

Now this is where my memory gets sketchy. I felt like I had progressed quite far into the game. So when I accidentally overwrote my save file I was pretty bummed. So much so, that any attempt to boot it back up was instantly killed simply by remembering how much progress I lost.

O.D.T however never really strayed too far from my mind. And it's possibly one of the main reasons that allowed me to finally roll up my sleeves and get back to it. Another reason was that I found a copy on GoG.

Initially, I thought I would have a rough start, mainly because the control schemes were nothing like what modern games tend to have, but I was delightfully surprised to find I could configure the controls and found a setup that was as close as possible to modern-day titles.

And so I was off! I navigated my way through the prologue level; getting a feel for the controls and platforming. There were going to be some frustrations and lives lost, especially when trying to lower yourself off a ledge or jumping from platform to platform. For the former, I always struggled to find the right spot to trigger the action to climb down. Instead, I would end up either rolling to my doom or having to walk off the edge and quickly press the grab button. For the latter, there was no sprint button. Instead, the character would have to take two steps before being able to pull a running jump. Anything less and they would hop across the gap. Sometimes just barely meeting the edge to grab on. (Very tense moments there).

But, I had fully explored the level and was ready to move on with the story. And... it was all new? I could not remember a single thing from then on. So I began to question how far I had truly gotten during my first playthrough. I knew the prologue level could be long to fully explore, but was it possible I never even left it? Had I really been bummed about the progress lost when I may have not even been that far into it?

It was definitely a bit of a gut punch when I realized I had been putting this game off for so long for very little progress lost.

Now, before I go on, here's a little something that you should know. I am not ashamed to admit that I play most of my games on Easy. If developers didn't want people to play it in that setting, it wouldn't be included in their games. I have a busy enough life, that when I want to game, I want to enjoy it and not keep repeating the same segment until I "Git Gud!"

O.D.T was no different in that regard. However, after putting about 7 hours into the game, I shouldn't have to discover at the level before last, that the end game level is locked behind a difficulty setting (Normal or Hard) and therefore I am automatically set to get the bad ending. It's bad enough that I had two other ways to fail (and I'm not talking about losing all your lives.) Didn't get enough gas cylinders? Bad ending. Didn't secure all parts of the crystal container - most of which are hidden in secret areas -? Bad ending! The least I should have been granted, after collecting all of that, is access to the last level and the path to the good ending.

And speaking about secret areas! I don't know about you, but hiding level critical items (for example a keycard) in a secret area within a secret area is just cruel! That's not a secret area when you have to get there to progress!

Beyond these two complaints and a little frustration with the platforming, I did enjoy my experience. Sadly not enough to start over again on a higher difficulty setting. I could consider using a level skip cheat to get to the last level and continue from there, but I would have preferred to get there on my merit.

Next up will be - The Painscreek Killings