Here's a fresh look at Vita exclusive OlliOlli
Something to finally oust Spelunky from your handheld?
Yes, yes, yes, the PlayStation 4's all super-exciting right now but let's not forget its portable sibling the Vita. It's been a bit quiet on the handheld front of late, though that's set to change with the release of Tearaway at the end of next week and, a couple of weeks later, roll7's OlliOlli.
It's understandable if you're not too familiar with the latter - the work of a small New Cross team making its debut on dedicated gaming hardware, it's a score-minded skating game with a savage difficulty backed up by some elegant mechanics. It's probably best not to think of it as a lo-fi successor to Tony Hawks, but rather the bastard-hard combination of Joe Danger's score attack and Super Meat Boy's tendency to catch you up in fraught and engaging loops.
I got to play it for an hour or so earlier this week, and was left very much impressed. There's no shortage of indies on the Vita right now, but OlliOlli deserves a place alongside Spelunky and the yet to be released Luftrausers as amongst the best.
We'll be able to bring you a full review nearer OlliOlli's full release towards the end of the year, and hopefully to tell you a little more about roll7. I think they're ones to watch out for - like FuturLab before them, they're a smart, talented bunch that's going some interesting places with a little help from Sony.
