One of the hallmarks of a great studio – I’m deciding this as I type it, but it definitely sounds legit – is that they can take on surprising themes and topics and genres and still feel like themselves. This week’s game of the week had to be a Roll7 joint, and while I could have picked literally any of the team’s games – they never made anything that was less than glorious – I’ve gone for Not a Hero, which was published by Devolver Digital back in the day.
For players expecting another skateboarding game after the first two OlliOllis, Not a Hero was both a genuine surprise and something that ultimately felt just right. It’s an action game – there aren’t many games that cram in more action – and it plays out in a side view as you race through various locations, smashing windows, taking cover, picking your moment and blasting enemies to pieces.
Yes, it’s an action game, but it’s also a sports game, of the same strain as the OlliOllis that preceded it. You’re racing against the clock, but you’re also following, or trying to uncover, that magical thread that will take you from the start of the level to the finish. The rules are very clear and the fail states are very obvious. Picking up ammo and stuff like that triggers a little timer, while your rechargeable health is there to separate a one-off mistake from an approach that is just a terrible idea. OlliOlli is yet another one of those action games – there are a lot of tactics games in this category too – that really reminds me of American Football. The full-ahead approach, but with a bit of thought to it. The precision use of non-precision aggression.
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