The tiny additions like ramps and a new graphical style deserve props but reverts and manuals drastically better the game by adding an abundance of new strategies. Striking that balance between keeping what works, streamlining what is there, and adding new content is tricky, but developer Roll7 did exactly what needed to be done to ensure OlliOlli 2 was the definitive OlliOlli experience. OlliOlli 2 is just about as good as it can be. It’s a kind of soundtrack that you can sit back and, say, write a review to. The soundtrack is also a highlight, featuring smooth tunes that feel right at home in a skateboarding game. I didn’t expect to be skating through a zombie roller-coaster or a Pacific Rim-esque graveyard, yet I was delighted that these unique world ideas allow for some clever visual change-ups from the usual Earthy locales. Simplicity carries the visual style since it is only made up of a few colors, however the brightness pairs well with game’s inventive fantastical worlds. No matter the trial or world, OlliOlli 2’s funky fresh visuals pack heat. Fun fact: cowboys would often settle duels at high noon by doing laserflips and darkside grinds. You don’t even have time to get mad because you’ll already be rolling on your next run. Sure, some levels require clairvoyance and path memorization, though the extremely quick restart timer alleviates any possible aggravation. OlliOlli 2 is a difficult game, yet never frustrating. I say “seek it” because most levels need to be unlocked through achieving certain hard tasks. The variability of the gameplay and the dozens upon dozens of challenges gives OlliOlli 2 plenty of replay value for those willing to seek it. On paper, it doesn’t seem like a lot, but knocking out challenges one by one takes multiple runs through levels that already have splitting paths. Once all challenges are completed, RAD mode is unlocked, which is a super hard mode for the Tony Hawk-iest of Tony Hawks. In addition to the score-heavy Daily Grinds and Spots, there are five worlds with five normal levels and five hard levels apiece. The depth will showcase to players willing to put in the time to see it, which is an easy given considering the amount of content OlliOlli 2 has. Here’s an exclusive look at Pacific Rim 2, although sadly this sequel has no Ron Perlman or Charlie Day. Including manuals, reverts, and grind switching may seem small, however they add an exponential amount of depth because each new skill becomes yet another tool to master. Grind switching, which allows the player to switch grind mid-rail, is a smaller addition, but a great one nonetheless because it widens the set of available skills and is another way to increase the multiplier. Worlds no longer have to have endless grind rails because these new moves give more ways to link combos together that don’t require a grindable surface. Manuals and reverts (which can be linked) yield ways to add to the multiplier on the ground, which gives more choice and opens up the level design. OlliOlli 2 adds some new basic tricks, but manuals, reverts, and grind switching all open up combo-extending possibilities and subsequently provides a wealth of new strategies. I hear the ancient Mayans would also nosegrind back in the day. Once you stuck the landing, your combo ended, which limited how you could rack up millions of points. In the first OlliOlli, this was only possible through chaining grinds in between tricks. Achieving lengthy combos is possible through linking tricks together and finding ways to add to the almighty point multiplier. Points are important though, because they make up the whole crux of the game. In a world where experience bars dominate each release, it’s refreshing to see an experience bar that is a bit more intrinsic. Timing, patience, and skill are encouraged with progression, and so is that rewarding fuzzy feeling of mastering something that once stood as a challenge. The more you play, the better you will eventually get at extending combos and destroying your old high scores. The pure art of OlliOlli 2 is how it forces the player to step their game up. Piling on bullet-point worthy features may sound like a boastful press release, but they each improve a game with an already incredible foundation. OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood is the follow-up coming only a year and change later, sporting a slick new look and promising a multitude of added features. A long list of increasingly difficult challenges and huge array of tricks allowed this game to have replay value, but in small chunks to fit the platform it was made for, being the Playstation Vita. Nailing kickflips and crooked grinds was a sublime way to pass the time before bed or while pooping. The first OlliOlli was the perfect arcadey skating game.
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