OlliOlli World: Void Riders - Review

When all the OlliOlli World launched earlier this year, I didn't give it the most favourable review, there wasn't anything particularly bad about the game it just didn't gel with me because I felt it was missing things. Now that the first expansion has released for the title does the inclusion of new abilities and platforming elements make up for the initial shortfall, or is the series banished to the void forever?

Although OlliOlli World had an interesting premise as far as story goes - the skate wizard was retiring and you were aiming to be their replacement, it gave a connective tissue as to why you were skating across the world and also allowed for the quick reset functionality to exist. With Void Riders, it has an entirely different story that takes place before the events wrap up from the main story, so in terms of continuity it feels a little out of order. The basic gist is that aliens have descended upon Ralandia in attempts of discovering cool things for their overlord, the Nebulord. They have determined that we Mike-man's, instead of Hugh-mans, are entertaining and that our method of getting around on skateboards could be what they need. It's a simple premise but one that allows for some pretty different goals, at least compared to the main game and some of these will challenge you like nothing else before.

In order to access the Void itself first you will need to have cleared at least 50% of the third section of the map, so if you're coming in fresh just be aware of that fact. Once the Void has unlocked for you, you can't actually jump straight into it, because in order for you to enter you need to be escorted and in order for that to happen you have to prove yourself to the three beings who you constantly interact with. This allows for the game to present some very unique level design, and they really do take full advantage of the games newest mechanic, tractor beams. The beings in question are Pftangxi, Khehvyn and Sair’Rah (Tangy, Kevin and Sarah), with each of them hosting their own little section of levels in different parts of the map. In order to get escorted you need to complete at least two levels of the three from each of them, once you achieve that you'll be given one final task.

These are the tasks that made me swear in frustration, sigh in acceptance and place down the controller only for me to pick it right back up again. One of these tasks is pretty simple, you just have to pop a whole lot of cow shaped pinatas, the catch is that in order to get them all you have to make use of the tractor beam technology the aliens of brought, in order to boost yourself up higher. One of the others requires you to race the creature from the black lagoon, or the non-copyrighted version at least, in a race that has no checkpoints. While each of these sound simple you're constantly having to juggle the inclusion of the tractor beam, whilst maintaining speed and ensuring you still clearing jumps and landing safely, pretty much everything else that the game requires. The tractor beam sections can be narrow strips, or wide sections, covering up most of the screen and while simple to use, you do have to account for the exit of them, all the while ensuring that you don’t smack into the top of them.

Elevating yourself is pretty simple, you just need to pull any grab and you will rise up, the moment you stop holding the grab, is when you start to fall back down to the ground. The challenge is in ensuring that you have enough speed to move to the side, whilst rising up, because if you don’t have enough speed, you will have to keep grabbing and releasing and it can really slow you down. As far as new elements go though, that is really it on the gameplay side and while they don’t modify any existing tracks, there are a bunch of new earth-based and space-based options to put through their paces. If you are someone who spends a lot of time ensuring that the swag you rock reflects your skater personality, there are new items to earn and wear, which should keep you replaying levels to unlock them all.

Void Riders is a fun add-on for OlliOlli World, its new mechanic, the tractor beam isn’t something that complicates the levels it appears in, but rather just makes things more fun. If you are someone who doesn’t worry about completing all objectives on all the tracks, the total playtime may be on the shorter side, but even then, it is still a great time. The Void is worth visiting, the new characters are entertaining, the levels are inventive and while some may frustrate, they are still fun in the long run.

The Score

8.0

Review code provided by Private Division

The Pros

+The new mechanic really elevates the tracks that it appears in

+Some tracks don’t have checkpoints, which will really test your skills out…

The Cons

-… but one or two appearing, after a large number of failures wouldn’t be a bad thing

-Overall playtime can be on the shorter side, if you don’t care to 100% each track included