OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood Reviews
A superbly crafted and challenging technical skating game.
Although 'OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood' doesn't reinvent the wheel as the original game did, as a continuation of last year's skating brilliance it definitely succeeds.
OlliOlli2 remains very faithful to the template its forbearer set, down to the additional Spot and Daily Grind additional modes that focus attention on deliberately brief scoring challenges. Cautious as its updates initially seem, it is another superb twitch game, obsessed with the currencies of difficulty, speed and score. Best of all, it manages to capture so much of the movement and feel of skateboarding without ostracising players who have never touched a board in real life.
It's tough, unforgiving and initially overwhelming, but hey, that's skateboarding. OlliOlli2 is a glorious platform for self-expression when you nail it, but often it's a bit of a grind.
The additions to this addictive series don't radically change what it is about, but rather plug into what the series is already doing so well
It has a feel that no other game really captures, and a flow that's hypnotic within mere seconds of starting up a new track.
OlliOlli2 adds few changes to the original game's formula, but "more of the same" is enough to make this excellent sequel a consistent joy.
It's always good when you can see exactly where a game has improved over its predecessor, and even better when every part of the game has improved in some way. OlliOlli 2 fits into the latter camp, bringing some brilliant new mechanics to the table and creating a much faster-paced, better flowing, and downright addictive game with some slick presentation and awesome new environments.
Despite those minor gripes, Roll7 has easily outdone itself with this one. OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood is a massive step up from the original game. It's a gorgeous, worthy successor that's even more absorbing and difficult to put down. Get ready for your next gaming obsession.
With easy to learn, hard to master controls that build up as you progress through the game, and an addictive scoring mechanic that is always pushing you to master the game, OlliOlli 2 is a great addition to any PC gamer's library.
Cinematic in name and in nature, OlliOlli 2 nails everything that a sequel should aspire to be: iterating on the core concepts of its predecessor by offering a more refined and enjoyable experience. Not only that, Roll7 has crafted a second album to be proud of, one which takes seconds to learn and possibly an eternity to master.
OlliOlli 2 is a great example of a sequel done right. The developer has been very astute in identifying areas that could be expanded on, tweaked and refined, while leaving the excellent controls, campaign and daily challenges untouched.
Would a game like this ultimately steal months of my life, like some bigger titles? No. But it is super fun to play as the casual – yet deep – game that it is.
Who needs blockbusters when your local indie theatre is rolling out releases like this? OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood doesn't re-invent the wheel, but its subtle tweaks result in a vastly improved experience; Tony Hawk's promised Pro Skater reboot will certainly have its work cut out if it wants to top Roll7's latest take on the genre. Tight controls, top-notch levels, and tons of content ensure that this sequel makes a clean landing – the only stumble being that its excellent local multiplayer mode isn't quite ready for prime time yet.
Bolder than ever before, Olli Olli returns with new stages, tricks and a superb tutorial and practice system for folks who may have been dissuaded by the steep learning curve of the original. While no ground-breaking alterations have been made to last year's game, Olli Olli 2 still effortlessly proves itself as the finest skater in years.
In short, Olli Olli 2 is everything a great sequel should be: across the board improvement that builds on the solid foundation of its predecessor without losing the magic that made it special in the first place.
Olli Olli 2 may be incredibly difficult at times but it is also non stop fun. It takes everything that made the first game great and made it even better. If you missed out on the first game, you really can't go wrong with this one. This is a game that I feel that anyone can enjoy and especially those who need an extreme skateboarding fix since Tony Hawk and Skate are now dead. If there is an Olli Olli 3, I anxiously await to see how they are going to top this one.
If you enjoyed the original OlliOlli, then this sequel is an absolute must-have. For those who didn't play the original, OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood is the better of the two beasts and will have you kickflipping and grinding all day long. Multiple modes, lots of replayability and a wicked soundtrack create a perfectly addictive little combo.
After 10 wonderful hours with OlliOlli 2 and taking in everything the game has to offer, there's only one reason why you wouldn't buy the game on release; if you don't have a PlayStation 4 or Vita. While other games may offer a laborious grind to the end, OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood brings you a new kind of grinding that never gets old and keeps the sparks flying for hours to come.