OlliOlli World is so good-looking I want to lick it. Oh, it also plays great!
Roll7 are back again with a new installment of their OlliOlli franchise and this well, it's better than ever. We reviewed the first game back in 2014 and it was a cool 2D pixelated trials-like skateboarding game. OlliOlli 2 expanded the gameplay even more with new tricks, locations, etc. OlliOlli World keeps that same DNA but improves and expands in all of the directions.
The biggest change in OlliOlli World is the switch from 2D to a 3D perspective and it elevates the gameplay to a whole new level. Now, levels don't just flow left to right. Half-pipes allow you to change directions from right to left. Nearly all of the levels have alternate and more challenging lanes or paths, aptly named "Gnarly Paths". These paths usually hide additional optional challenges or NPC you can meet which will, in turn, unlock new levels, customization options, and so on.
The gnarly paths are totally optional which is cool and very welcoming to newcomers. You can still progress through the game and unlock new levels, just by playing casually and completing the normal "easy" path. Veterans of OlliOlli games or players who want a real challenge, on the other hand, can tackle all of the alternate paths chaining together grinds, wall rides, grabs, tricks, etc. to complete all of the optional level challenges for that sweet 100% completion. Good luck achieving that 100% completion on the later levels though as they basically require you to complete the entire level in one go with one massive combo. I tried to achieve that for most of the levels and after trying and failing many times for a long time on each level, I had to boot up Dying Light 2 to, you know, calm my nerves.
After that happened a couple of times, I decided to just stop torturing myself in trying to fully complete each level. Then, absolute bliss. I was effortlessly chaining grinds, wall rides, and manuals to keep the combo going, not cause I was aiming for a high score, but just cause I was in the zone. I stopped thinking too hard about what I had to do and I just did it. That's the beauty of OlliOlli World. If you let go of the pressure of achieving perfection, you will achieve something even better, Gnarvana.
The smooth 60fps frame rate, the beautiful animations, the vibrant "I want to lick everything" colors, the gorgeous art style and detailed levels, the casual lo-fi soundtrack, the ASMR-like skate, grind, wall ride noises that come out of the DualSense speakers and that sweet haptic feedback, all combined in one place... pure zen.
I was flicking the analog stick to jump, do aerial tricks, grind, and wallride. I was pressing and holding buttons to boost, perform landings, grabs, manuals, and combo my way to the finish line. I failed many times, but I did not care that much. One button tap and there I was, trying again immediately. Everything flows beautifully.
Another thing that OlliOlli World nails are its social and community features. There are leaderboards for every level, so you can always compete against your friends or the rest of the world for bragging rights. Once you complete a level, your replay is saved and shared across with everyone else in the world. You can also watch any replay for any of the leaderboard entries. The customization options in the game are well, insane as there's a lot of stuff you can change for your character from body shape and face to clothes and even the colors of the wheels of your skate. What's even cooler is that during the loading screens, you will see the custom avatars of random players in cool poses that can inspire you to change and update your own look.
OlliOlli World is absolutely delightful and has something to offer for everyone. Doesn't really matter if you are a casual player or a hardcore one, you can play it however you want. The gameplay is always satisfying, no matter your level. And it is always a treat for both your eyes and ears to see and hear. OlliOlli World is an easy recommendation from me. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a PS5 using a review code provided by the publisher. OlliOlli World is available February 8, 2022 for PC, Playstation and Xbox.
