The way you do this is simple, at least in theory. The rhythm and flow of the game is completely different to that of any standard platformer, as the impetus remains firmly on chaining tricks and nailing perfectly-timed landings in order to keep your momentum - and your combo score - heading in a positive direction. You'd think, then, that the game would lose something of its skateboarding theme, instead feeling like a platformer in which you just happen to roll around on a four-wheeled plank. Unlike most skating games, here we have a level-based format and a 2D side-scrolling perspective. No celebrity endorsements, no ridiculous plastic peripheral, no fetishisation of YouTube-friendly boarding accidents a la Skate's 'Hall of Meat' - just a return to the days of shuffling your thumbs around to simulate the perfect 360 hardflip. OlliOlli 2, like its predecessor, is skating brought back to basics. The developer here plays the role of a friendly but hands-off coach, who gives you only the information you need before trusting you to use it wisely, independently, and skilfully. Restarting a level takes pretty much no time at all, and the feeling of getting slightly better each time is gently encouraging. Failure here is just a cruel yet inevitable stepping stone on the road to the perfect run. It could so easily parade your failings in front of you, Super Meat Boy style, but it never does. It's a game in which you can pull off an incredible level-long combo and feel like Tony Hawk, while conveniently forgetting the thirty minutes of faceplants, sloppy landings, and abortive half-attempts that preceded it. OlliOlli 2 is a skateboarding game that wants you to feel good.

Olliolli2 review