My favorite increases your movement and attack speed if you land hits while avoiding damage, letting you punish bosses greatly when you expose their weakpoint. In addition to that, there are also a variety of different hats to purchase that offer helpful boons which can alter the way you approach combat. If you manage to land four hits without taking any damage, you’re rewarded with a super attack that also changes depending on the direction you’re holding, what secondary weapon you’re using, and whether you’re in the air or on the ground. If you want to do a big AOE smash attack that knocks enemies away you could hold down, or you could just jump in the air and use your aerial attack to bounce on enemies, Shovel Knight-style. Basic attacks can be modified by the direction you’re holding – for example, if you want to do a quick combo without a lot of range, you can just mash the attack button without holding a direction, but if you need a little more reach, you could hold forward as you strike. Its combat, while simple, feels extremely good at a fundamental level thanks to how impactful your blows are and the variety of attacks you have at your disposal. The harpoon isn’t the only thing that makes Olija’s gameplay stand out. There are many secrets hidden this way throughout Olija’s world, and being rewarded for your curiosity when you throw your harpoon into a suspicious-looking gap in a wall always feels great.
While Olija’s levels are segmented much like a Metroidvania, with the camera only showing what’s in the room you’re currently in, you can still chuck your harpoon into an open room off screen if it hits something that you can teleport to, you can instantly warp over to that unseen spot. In combat, the use of this is obvious: it allows Faraday to instantly close the distance between himself and a foe, and that means there’s a quick and snappy pace for every encounter – but it’s also a super fun tool to use when it comes to exploring the world. Much like Noctis from Final Fantasy 15, Faraday can throw the weapon and teleport to whatever it punctures. That harpoon is what drives the design of Olija, and it's a large part of why combat and movement are so much fun. The only problems in his way are creepy black goopy creatures, hostile natives, and monstrous beings that have been awakened thanks to Faraday taking possession of a magical harpoon. But even if you lack that frame of reference, Olija stands on its own as a 2D action game with exceptional combat, a chilling atmosphere, and a small handful of great boss fights that go a long way toward elevating its otherwise disappointingly short adventure above your average retro-themed platformer.ĭeveloped by Kyoto-based Skeleton Crew Studio, Olija is a game with a story that’s simple but well told: our hero, a penniless lord named Faraday who finds himself marooned in a mysterious land, needs to rescue his shipwrecked crew and find a way back home. Its striking minimalist art style is complimented by a fluidity of movement and realistic animations that will immediately bring to mind games like Flashback, Another World, or the original Prince of Persia. If you have nostalgic love for old Amiga and MS-DOS sidescrollers, Olija is a game that practically demands your attention.
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