As Al Murray would probably say, “British Indie Developers are the best in the world!” Maybe that’s going a bit far, but among my favourites are the BAFTA winning team at UK-based Roll7, the developers behind OlliOlli – the skateboarding game that changed many pre-conceived notions that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater engrained in gamers for years.
Their library of four games ranges from a bunch of platforms. While it’s highly unlikely that iOS game Gets to the Exit will see ports on other platforms, (trust me, they were just starting out and it’s nowhere near their best) their other development has largely focused on Sony’s platforms first and foremost, with other ports later. Step in Team17 to handle the Xbox One ports of both OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood, and Not A Hero.
As far as the ports go, Not A Hero: Super Snazzy Edition and OlliOlli 2 XL Edition both run as well as they should and feature all of the content available on previous versions. OlliOlli 2 XL Edition still has the Spots Mode, Daily Grinds, unlockable Pro levels and Rad Mode and the Combo-Rush modes that challenged players to get the highest scores possible. Not A Hero: Super Snazzy Edition has all the levels, characters, and humour in tact.
So they should. After all, Not A Hero was always a rather basic looking game that could probably run on a toaster if they put their mind to it, and OlliOlli 2, despite featuring far more refined 2D art, is still not a game that would test the Xbox One in terms of performance. So they both run flawlessly, and as an indication of how good the games are, I’d direct you to the reviews for OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood and Not A Hero, as they’re both still just as relevant to these releases.
However, as part of Team17’s push for the Xbox One versions of both games, each gets new and exclusive content that’s unlocked from the get go. In the case of OlliOlli 2 XL Edition, a new Free-Skate mode allows players to skate in five extra-long levels, without the pressure of getting anything other than an Okay rank landing. It’s a pretty simple addition, that let them see just how long a level they could make, but answers calls to simply let you skate and try to master new tricks without any stress.
Not a Hero’s new mode is a little more involved. Dubbed “Me, Myself, and Bunnylord”; this three stage mini-campaign sees Bunnylord’s future self, briefing present day Bunnylord about the things he missed during the main campaign that, if overlooked could spell doom for his future. Again.
This is a fantastic little addition with some very tough levels levels, crammed full of visual easter eggs that bring Bunnylord’s political campaign right up to date (yes Thomas Hergerty, I saw that little reference. Very swill, well done) plus the ability to finally play as Bunnylord himself. The way he throws his weapon away and spawns a freshly loaded one from the ether is a nice little touch.
If you only own an Xbox One, then Roll7’s library is certainly worth looking into as they release on the console this week, despite not being the initial platform of choice for the developer. Team17 have certainly done them a solid by helping bring both games to Microsoft’s machine. While the new modes allow these ports to stand out, only the Me Myself, and Bunnylord mode is worth experiencing for those who’ve played the game before.
