OlliOlli2 Review
You push off to get some extra speed. You jump, pulling off a great move in the air, maybe even working in a spin. You grind on a handrail, jump again, try to land, and...whoops. You hit the analog stick as if you were trying to grind instead of land, which sends you flying off your board and down several flights of stairs.
These moments can be frustrating, but with the tap of a button you're back to try again, which helps make OlliOlli2 just as absorbing as (if not much different from) its predecessor.
Like the first game, OlliOlli2 is a 2D skateboarding game that sports simple controls but demands quick reflexes for success. Imagine a cross between the Tony Hawk games' tricks and the sidescrolling action of Canabalt, and you'll have some idea of what OlliOlli2 is like in motion. You automatically skate to the right of the screen and are unable to stop or go backward. As soon as you crash, your run is over, meaning that you're always weighing the risk of longer combos with the reward of a higher score.
The majority of your actions are performed with the left analog stick. When on the ground, tilting or rotating the stick in any direction essentially "readies" a trick. Let go of the stick, and you'll leap into the air and perform said trick. Grinding works the same way, with you moving the stick in any direction to perform different grinds on applicable surfaces.
Pulling off even complex tricks in OlliOlli isn't usually too difficult; it's landing that's the problem. To land, you have to hit the X button right before you hit the ground, otherwise you'll get a "sloppy" landing at best, greatly reducing any points you may have been trying to earn. Grinding requires similar timing, and the highest scores will go to those who can chain together jumps and grinds before pulling it all together with a perfect landing.
Imagine a cross between the Tony Hawk games' tricks and the sidescrolling action of Canabalt, and you'll have some idea of what OlliOlli is like in motion.
The biggest additions to the skateboarding action in OlliOlli2 are manuals, reverts, and revert manuals. Pulling these moves off requires even more concentration when it comes to landing, but doing so allows you to keep a combo going even when there are no grind-able surfaces in reach. This places a bigger emphasis on completing stages in one uninterrupted combo in OlliOlli2 than in the previous game, which is rarely easy but immensely satisfying when you finally pull it off. They're small additions on the surface, but manuals and reverts add a lot of depth to the experience, allowing you to transform a run from a bunch of little combos to one long, fluid performance.
OlliOlli2 takes you to more exotic locations than the first game (like the wild west and an Aztec temple), but its structure is exactly the same. Simply completing a level without crashing can be tricky in and of itself, but eventually, you'll want to focus on each stage's challenges. There are five in each level, and while many of them are basic point goals or item collection tasks, others will test your abilities by asking you to chain specific tricks together or forcing you to make every manual, grind, and landing perfect.
There's a particular headspace, a certain rhythm you have to get in to succeed in OlliOlli. When you're there, the action is blissful. When you've nailed the timing and are performing perfect grinds and manuals through even the most complex environments, the chase for higher and higher scores is addictive. Levels are short, making it really easy to say, "I'll just do one more of these," over and over again.
But there are also frustrations to be had, especially when you're not in that groove. It can be infuriating to struggle with a section at the very end of a level, forcing you to replay the earlier parts over and over again. There are also a few (fortunately not many) instances where level memorization is more useful than quick reflexes, which strikes me as antithetical to the rest of the experience. Being able to restart a level at the tap of a button helps alleviate these problems, but these issues can still hamper the enjoyment.
The biggest additions to the skateboarding action in OlliOlli2 are manuals, reverts, and revert manuals.
Even with its new tricks, it's hard to look at OlliOlli2 as not just "more OlliOlli." If you weren't into the action the first time around, or if you’ve already had your fill of it, there is nothing here to win you over. One of the few features that could help differentiate the sequel, local multiplayer, isn't in the game at launch (but will be patched in later), and, slight graphical improvements aside, you might be able to watch over someone's shoulder and not be sure whether they're playing OlliOlli2 or its predecessor.
If you missed the first game, though, this is the better of the two, and the tutorial will ease you into what its 2D skateboarding is all about. And if you loved it the first time around, "more OlliOlli" shouldn't sound like a bad thing. Provided you can get over the difficulty hump, you'll find a great high score chase in OlliOlli2.
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Get Updated
Upgraded versions of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are coming today.
Both the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air are being updated with Thunderbolt 2 ports, Intel HD Graphics 6000, and fifth generation Intel processors.
The 13-inch MacBook Air is also getting "up to two times faster flash."
The MacBook Pro is getting the latest processors and faster flash, as well as improved battery life and the newly announced Force Touch trackpad.
Apple's Force Touch trackpad is a much larger version than any seen on previous Apple laptops. It was announced today as a feature of Apple's newest, lightest MacBook, detailed earlier.
Apple Watch Apps Demonstrated During Apple Event
During its live event today, Apple introduced a selection of new apps that will be available for its Apple Watch. Siri can be used as it would be on the iPhone, as Apple demonstrated on stage by checking the weather, setting a reminder, and playing around with WeChat messaging.
Apple Pay was also mentioned, as it will feature in the wearable tech device. Other apps shown off during the demo included:
- Uber
- Apple Pay
- Passbook
- CNN
- Shazam
Passbook functionality includes streamlining of the airport security process for those eligible. A barcode is displayed on the face of the watch that can be scanned by security for quicker movement through airports.
You Can Answer Phone Calls on Apple Watch
During today's press event, Apple took the lid off the upcoming Apple Watch. When the device launches, Apple users can expect a number of features working in congress with the company's iOS and Mac ecosystem.
Apple claims every Apple Watch is super accurate, within 50 milliseconds of UTC. And speaking of speed, the new "Glances" feature allows you to check notifications, the weather, or even your heart rate, with just a quick swipe.
Apple Announces Its Lightest MacBook Ever
At today's Apple event, CEO Tim Cook revealed the lightest MacBook the company has ever made.
It weighs two pounds, and it's 13.1 mm thick at the thickest point, making it 24% thinner than Apple last "thinnest" computer.
The MacBook also includes a 12 inch retina display with a resolution of 2304 x 1440. That's over 3.3 million pixels.
Despite being so small, the computer includes a full-sized keyboard, with keys that use Apple's new "butterfly mechanism" instead of the traditional scissor mechanism. Apple said this results in typing that is four times more stable.
Daniel Bryan Would Love to Win the IC Title at WrestleMania
I recently had the chance to speak to WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan about the upcoming Blu-ray release of The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age SmackDown. During the conversation, I asked him a couple of non-Flintstones related questions about his current storyline in the WWE and his possible plans for WrestleMania. So I've got Bryan's answers for you here. The rest of the interview, about voicing a Flintstones-version of himself called Daniel Bry-Rock, will be posted in a separate piece.
IGN: The age range for people who watch the WWE is so big. You do an animated project like Stone Age Smackdown for the kids, but then you go out and try to entertain older fans too. You seem like someone who can appeal to both though. What are some the challenges involved in trying to reach everyone?
Apple Has Sold 700 Million iPhones
To date, Apple has sold 700 million iPhones, the company revealed today during its live event.
With last year's release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the company reports year-over-year growth of 49% for smartphones. Apple also reports a 99% customer satisfaction rate for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners.
Last September, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sales passed the 10 million mark in its first weekend on the market. For more, check out IGN's iPhone 6 review.
HBO Now Streaming Gets Price and Release Date
During this morning's Apple event, HBO CEO Richard Plepler announced a standalone service for the premium channel called HBO Now.
HBO Now has an exclusive launch partnership with Apple. The channel's entire movie and TV catalog will be available to stream on all Apple devices starting early April.
It will cost $15 a month. Subscribing lands you a month free.
Stay tuned as we follow this developing story.
Apple TV Receives a Price Drop Today
Today at Apple's event, CEO Tim Cook revealed a price drop for the Apple TV.
Starting today, the device will cost $69 USD -- $30 less than the previous $99 price.
Using Apple TV, you'll be able to access HBO Now, a new service announced today from Apple and HBO. For $14.99 a month, you'll have access to HBO's lineup of TV shows, including Game of Thrones. It's coming early in April.
Brian is an associate editor at IGN. You can follow him @albinoalbert on Twitter.
Get Your First Look at Tales from the Borderlands: Episode 2
Telltale has released the first trailer for Tales from the Borderlands: Episode 2 - Atlas Mugged.
The trailer, which you can see above, gives a glimpse at where the story's set to go next. Though we don't have a set release date just yet, we do know it's coming the week commencing March 17.
This episode builds on the events we've seen so far, with the discovery of the Gortys Project forcing you to find out what the Atlas Corporation has been up to. You'll have to hold everything together while Vault Hunters, Bounty Hunters, Vasquez and more all try to stop you.