Olija

But for myself, who liked every aspect of Olija, the whole package is a flawed but thoroughly impressive ride. There is a lot to enjoy here, in a game which lets the player feel alienated and disempowered one moment, and then agile and dangerous the next. It wins even more points for the way that it perfects the cinematic platformer formula which has a lot of nostalgia value, but not a lot of modern interpretations. I love that Olija arrives as a palette cleanser to the Metroidvanias and the rogue-lites of the side-scroller scene, and I wish all the success for it.

A 2D pixel art puzzle platformer that is a cut above the rest. With fantastic world building and atmosphere, Olija’s cinematic experience flourishes in delightful ways, yet is restrained where it counts.

Olija is an exceptional game with style and substance in heaps. While certain aspects of the combat aren’t necessary, they can make everything you do feel a lot cooler. The story itself is a quiet romance and a dramatic supernatural tale at the same time, even if the ending is a bit flat. The soundtrack is brilliantly weird, nimbly flicking between disparate genres while consistently enhancing every interaction. All these things come together to make a game that is playful, heartfelt, and satisfying. It is a generous game in more ways than one, and I can’t wait to play it again.

At the end of the day, Olija is a voyage that is quite a blast, even though it ends quickly. Swapping out various weapons while building a combo that ends in a devastating harpoon explosion is quite a thrill. Additionally, the denizens and missing crewmates you find along the way contribute to a mysterious tale that will keep you guessing as to what is truly going on. And I enjoy any title that brings the seminal Another World to mind. As long as you don’t mind a compact trek that is a bit on the easy side, you’ll find Olija is well worth a look.

Olija is a fantastic action game with an outstanding setting that knows how to catch the player. The role of the harpoon as a weapon and that rewarding feeling when shaking enemies are extraordinary. It's a shame that the game is a bit short.

Lord Faraday needs to lighten up, but flinging his harpoon around feels great regardless. [Issue #51 – March/April 2021, p. 24]

Olija is, simply put, a great 2D action-adventure game. Developers Thomas Olsson and Skeleton Crew Studio knew exactly what they set out to deliver. This is a focused, refined adventure that’ll captivate you for a short while and provide you with a bite-sized albeit worthwhile journey.

Its staging has steadily transported us, while its cleverly designed boss fights have us fully engaged. Only, by the time we have fully assimilated its mechanics, Olija has stopped. As soon as the last gear is unlocked, the end credits take us back from the gaming systems that were only waiting for a final level to shine brightly. We would have liked to be able to test our abilities in one final twisted climb, defending ourselves from an ambush with uncertain outcome or in a final duel at the top like Genishiro Ashina de Sekiro.

A thoroughly enjoyable game that's quite unlike anything I've played in a while. None of Olija's core ideas are particularly original, it has to be said, but it delights in picking the best elements of classic 16-bit adventure games and platformers to produce something stylish, striking, and oh-so strange.

Olija's best asset, truly, is its brevity. Its story is impeccably paced. Its mechanics never wear out from overuse. From start to finish, it finds new ways to gently goad you into using the harpoon in different ways, until it says its piece. I was taken with how emotionally resonant and mechanically pleasing it could be in such a short time. Succinct and satisfying is a rare combination, and it makes Olija a rare treat.

Olija subverts the expectations of an unforgiving old-school adventure for something more fun and breezing, verging on slapstick combat, yet still dripping with atmosphere thanks to its impressionistic pixel art and excellent audio. Being a castaway makes for a good escape.

Pixel games are not everyone's cup of tea, but Olija looks quite good. It’ll be a good fit for people who miss games where you can help those in need, or simply want to challenge their reflexes. [Issue#252, p.53]

Olija is a fun, 2D action adventure that feels great if you want a break from complex, endless AAA. It’s too simple, and it’s only at the end when you catch a glimpse of all its possibilities, but we had a good time with it.

Olija is a piratical adventure that really, really pays attention to atmosphere. From its bombastic music, which echoes similarly pirate-themed Return of the Obra Dinn, to its arthouse-cinema-style sudden cuts to black, Olija is possibly the most cinematically dramatic indie game we've seen in quite some time.

Olija is a memorable 2D action platformer with great combat that is over all too soon with little reason to return.

Olija has a wonderful story to tell that takes influence from some of your favorite seafaring adventures. While the technical hiccups can be disappointing and the major portion of the gameplay can feel unexciting, the boss fights and story sections bring to life a drab and dreary world that I would thoroughly enjoy seeing more of after the patches roll out.

Solid controls and fun exploration mechanics are somewhat marred by graphical slowdown and constant darkness — both in lighting and in depressing visuals and themes.