OlliOlli 2: XL Edition

I’m not a skater. I have trouble ice skating, skate boarding and even to ride a bike is a traumatic event for me. Yet like many, I enjoy observing the sport of skate boarding and just how amazing some people are at it. I’ve enjoyed various Tony Hawks’ games due to the fast, fluent nature of skating and the rewarding factor of performing well and even to chuckle at the failures. I know what you’re thinking; didn’t Tony Hawks bring out a new game? Yes he did and no don’t go there. It was pretty awful and since then many have left the skate boarding genre alone, until now.

There’s another chance for people to pull off those sick grinds and tricks in an all new experience, OlliOlli 2: XL Edition. This simple 2D skater that harbours a challenging and highly engaging nature that most will find fun. The design is presented to the player via a side scrolling, run and jump style of game. The playable character is in a constant forward motion and it’s up to the player to perform various actions such as jumps, grinds and tricks in order to earn points. There is no stopping or slowing down and every move you make is a fragile line between pulling off some sweet moves and completely flopping in a rather humiliating fashion.

It may remind you of many of those “running” style games but OlliOlli 2 has a few interesting elements to make it more dynamic than your average running game. Aside from the intense sense of challenge, players can admire the attention to detail that’s gone into the level design, the simple manner to learn tricks and the dedication required to succeed.

The playable character can perform tricks on their board once they jump in air and it’s all about the perfect landing to build up those combos. But other moves such as grinding become just as important in order to link combos and increase your max combo, overall improving your rating. With a simple control scheme you can learn within a short time the game eases you in nicely. But mastering those manoeuvres is another story and it’s here your skills are tested. What is also a crucial aspect to scoring big is timing; poor timing in even the slightest millisecond can land you a spectacular failure. There is a great depth to scoring points in the game and it’s fully enjoyed by engaging it fully. Half arsing it or playing easy will not only mean a low score but also lower the fun factor.

It’s a game that if you want to achieve, you need to put the effort in, perfecting timing and remembering the right actions to perform and when to use them. It’s tough, I will give the game that, but there’s something highly engaging about it. On a plus side it doesn't linger on failure like some games do; this just gets it over and done with and ready for you to try again. Besides, it’s really fun once you pull off those mind blowing tricks and the sense of reward kicks in.

Yeah it’s fun, but the nature of OlliOlli 2 is rather much a trial and error formula, meaning you’ll play and learn more about each level as you progress. The more you play the better you understand the levels and see the hidden paths, remember the best places to perform tricks and the timings you should do them at. Remembering the right manoeuvres and pulling off those tricks become one of the most satisfying aspects of playing the game. There were times the game frustrated the hell out of me due to the extreme complexities of some of the larger levels. But to also remember all the manoeuvres and perfecting the timing of them will require a great deal of effort from the player.

But OlliOlli 2 does not punish players severally nor does it demand you complete all the tasks it sets you. There are additional challenges within each level to help you earn bigger scores, yet the main goal is to get from start to finish in the most stylish way possible. There is also a huge array of game modes to enjoy including co-op, making the experience last longer for you and friends. You’ll be eager to replay the campaign once you learn all the manoeuvres over the course of the game, furthering your score and meaning more unlocks to enjoy.

OlliOlli 2 is a great little sports title with a lovable charm and engaging complexity to its gameplay. This is highly recommended to those who enjoyed the series Trails and any skate boarding fans out there. But honestly, this is a title anyone can enjoy and is well worth checking out.

+ Simple yet engaging gameplay
+ Refreshing/dynamic skating design
+ Nice visuals and soundtrack
+ Great deal of game modes to play

- Some larger levels were too complex for the trail and error format

An Xbox One code of OlliOlli 2: XL Edition was provided by Team 17 for the purpose of this review.