Olija

 Switch
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 1 out of 6

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  1. nusco
    Mar 10, 2021
    8
    Olija is a short, evocative 8-bits action game. During victorian times, an impoverished local lord and his sailors get marooned on a faraway eastern archipelago. While longing to return home, the castaways discover a lurking evil, a mysterious oriental lady, and a magic harpoon.

    PROS: - SHORT AND SWEET: Just a few hours of gameplay, but there's absolutely no fat on these bones. -    Olija is a short, evocative 8-bits action game. During victorian times, an impoverished local lord and his sailors get marooned on a faraway eastern archipelago. While longing to return home, the castaways discover a lurking evil, a mysterious oriental lady, and a magic harpoon.

    PROS:
    - SHORT AND SWEET: Just a few hours of gameplay, but there's absolutely no fat on these bones.
    - GREAT ATMOSPHERE: Between the evocative story and the brilliant sound design, Olija takes you to its world and doesn't let you go until the end.
    - STRAIGHTFORWARD, SATISFYING GAMEPLAY: Olija doesn't mess around with complicated challenges and grinding. It's a simple, straightforward action game that takes you from combat to satisfying combat.

    CONS:
    - DOESN'T LAST: Short and sweet it is, but maybe a bit too short–and once the credits roll, it doesn't give you any reason to stay around.
    - NOT MUCH OF A CHALLENGE: True, not every game needs to be hard. However, a bit more challenge might have made Olija more substantial. Even the hardest boss fights took me two or three attempts at most.
    - SLIGHT MECHANICS: The combat side of Olija could have used a bit more depth. As they are now, the mechanics encourage you to button-mash your way through most combat encounters.    … Expand
  2. Daisuk
    Apr 20, 2021
    7
    There's a lot to love about this game - it's got bizarre enemies, great soundtrack and sound fx, very interesting voice acting (although I have no clue if the language used is even real), and the story is actually quite compelling - throw in loads of subtle humor and even more weirdness and bizarre **** sprinkled in here and there - and you've got a winner. The graphics are just one of aThere's a lot to love about this game - it's got bizarre enemies, great soundtrack and sound fx, very interesting voice acting (although I have no clue if the language used is even real), and the story is actually quite compelling - throw in loads of subtle humor and even more weirdness and bizarre **** sprinkled in here and there - and you've got a winner. The graphics are just one of a kind. So lo-fi, but very original and nice. Combat is a bit on the easy side though, the only boss I needed to fight multiple times was the final one - and the game is short (4-5 hours). Original gem - would've gotten a higher score if the combat was more difficult, and the game longer.… Expand
  3. Elite_Institute
    Mar 5, 2022
    10
    "I really cannot understate how much I loved Olija. Not a single moment of the game felt wasted, nor was any of it less than fantastic. It’s a little bit of a shame that the game flies by, with rarely much chance to experiment with all the hats and weapons you acquire, but at the same time I am glad it ended when it did rather than stretching itself too thin. Skeleton Crew Studio should be"I really cannot understate how much I loved Olija. Not a single moment of the game felt wasted, nor was any of it less than fantastic. It’s a little bit of a shame that the game flies by, with rarely much chance to experiment with all the hats and weapons you acquire, but at the same time I am glad it ended when it did rather than stretching itself too thin. Skeleton Crew Studio should be really proud of the work they did with the game, and I hope it ends up being as successful as it deserves."

    https://theeliteinstitute.net/2021/02/10/olija/    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

99
#99 Best Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    May 17, 2021
    80
    Lord Faraday needs to lighten up, but flinging his harpoon around feels great regardless. [Issue #51 – March/April 2021, p. 24]
  2. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Apr 9, 2021
    76
    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]
  3. Shindig
    Mar 10, 2021
    90
    It’s that melancholy feeling that pervades every aspect of Olija that makes it so effective. This is a game about being lost, about being isolated, about being a stranger in a strange land where you looked down upon even when you’re not being outright attacked. It’s bleak, powerfully so. But it’s also a game about hope: a game about finding your own place even in such hostile and lonely world, and about how, sometimes, the most foreign land imaginable can end up being the place you call home.
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