Olija

Critic reviews

• XboxEra

  Jesse Norris · Jan 21, 2022

  7.6

  It’s a solid 4 to 5 hours of engaging combat in a genre that rarely feels this heavy. That goes for the story as well which uses a minimalist style to tell a tale of lonely sadness. Olija doesn’t give the best first impression, but if you stick with it I think you’ll end up having one hell of a good time.

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• Softpedia

  Cosmin Vasile · Feb 11, 2021

  8.0

  Olija is a god game built for a specific audience. If you loved classic exploration and combat titles on the PC from the ’80s, then this experience has plenty to offer. The graphical style will be charming, the gameplay challenging enough but not impossible to master. The narrative is not too engaging but it will keep players interested.

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• We Got This Covered

  David Morgan · Feb 08, 2021

  7.0

  Olija is worth playing if you’re a glutton for expressive worlds and small-scale indie platformers. It had me thinking that, had this released back in the days of Xbox Live Arcade, it would’ve been a smash hit.

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• Game Informer

  Marcus Stewart · Feb 05, 2021

  8.5

  Olija isn’t a long game; it took me a little over four hours to finish even after gathering most of its collectibles. But it packs a lot of good stuff in that timeframe and never wears out its welcome. With tight gameplay, fun exploration, and an alluring atmosphere, Faraday’s disastrous voyage turns into a rewarding expedition.
• Shacknews

  Donovan Erskine · Feb 02, 2021

  9.0

  Olija is incredibly cinematic, despite its minimalist approach to art style. The game still feels fantastical thanks to an incredible attention to detail with both the visual and sound design. In addition, Olija tells a heartfelt story with important themes, while keeping satisfying gameplay at the center of it all. It becomes even more impressive when you realize the game was practically developed by one person, Thomas Olsson of Skeleton Crew Studios. Olija is a pleasant treat and likely an early frontrunner for one of the best indie titles of 2021.

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• NintendoLife

  Kate Gray · Feb 01, 2021

  7.0

  Olija is a piratical adventure that really, really pays attention to atmosphere. From its bombastic music, which echoes similarly pirate-themed Return of the Obra Dinn, to its arthouse-cinema-style sudden cuts to black, Olija is possibly the most cinematically dramatic indie game we've seen in quite some time.

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