Olympia Rising
- July 22, 2015
- Paleozoic
Get on SteamIn Olympia Rising, you play as Iola, a heroine who has been resurrected and must fight her way out of the Underworld. With side-scrolling action, you'll battle against mythical creatures, solve puzzles, and acquire new abilities to progress. The game features stunning hand-drawn visuals and a soaring soundtrack, immersing you in a rich and atmospheric world.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Nintendo 3ds
Wii
Wii U
Reviews
- The game features charming graphics and fluid animations, creating an engaging visual experience.
- Gameplay is fast-paced and rewarding, especially when chaining combos and collecting coins.
- The controls are responsive and allow for a variety of acrobatic moves, making the platforming feel dynamic.
- The level design can be punishing, with frustrating hit detection and unclear platform boundaries leading to unnecessary deaths.
- The game lacks depth, with no unlockables, achievements, or significant replay value, making it feel short and somewhat monotonous.
- Controls can feel slippery and imprecise, particularly when navigating tight spaces or executing complex maneuvers.
- gameplay12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by responsive controls and fast-paced action, but is marred by punishing level design and a broken password system that forces players to restart or complete the game in one sitting. While the air combo mechanic and old-school boss battles add to the fun, the limited control scheme can lead to frustration. Overall, the gameplay is rewarding for those who can navigate its challenges.
“Controls are simple, but fine; there was a story, but I didn't care at all. Gameplay is fast-paced and fun.”
“But the gameplay is really rewarding once you figure out how to move through the level.”
“The levels are fun to explore using the air combo mechanic, and the enemies and boss battles bleed old-school awesomeness!”
“Gameplay-wise, the controls feel very responsive, yet the level design ends up rather punishing for no good reason.”
“The password system is totally broken, so you can't continue your gameplay unless you either start over every time from level 1 or finish the game in one sitting, which is really tedious.”
“Controls, movement, and actions are clustered to only two buttons, which makes the gameplay frustrating as hell.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and unique art style, effectively capturing a mythological theme with a muted pastel 8-bit aesthetic. Reviewers highlight the superb art and music, noting that the visuals enhance the overall experience, making it an engaging and entertaining platformer. However, some mention imperfections that detract from the initial appeal.
“The mythological theme of the game is also a nice touch, and while keeping lore to a minimum, it still delivered some aesthetic flavor.”
“I initially bought this for its muted pastel 8-bit aesthetic; in that regard, Olympia Rising succeeds very well, its art and music absolutely superb.”
“Super tight controls, excellent level design, charming graphics, and an engaging story!”
“I initially bought this for its muted pastel 8-bit aesthetic; in that regard, Olympia Rising succeeds very well, its art and music are absolutely superb.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its superb integration with the game's aesthetic, while others find it outdated, uninspired, and forgettable. Overall, the soundtrack lacks memorable elements and often feels minimal, failing to leave a lasting impression.
“I initially bought this for its muted pastel 8-bit aesthetic; in that regard, olympia rising succeeds very well, its art and music absolutely superb.”
“Level design, sound, and music are really great.”
“The soundtrack feels rather outdated and uninspired.”
“Unlike some of the soundtrack gems from old retro games, this isn't memorable or interesting at all.”
“I found the music to not really fit; it's pretty forgettable and minimal most of the time.”
- story3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story received mixed feedback; while some players found it engaging and appreciated the hidden narrative revealed through end-game drawings, others felt indifferent towards it amidst the fast-paced gameplay. Overall, the narrative aspect seems to enhance the experience for some, but not all players are invested in it.
“If you beat the game, make sure to pay attention to the drawings at the end, as they reveal a lot of the hidden story.”
“Super tight controls, excellent level design, charming graphics, and an engaging story!”
“There was a story, but I didn't care at all.”
“The story felt disconnected and unengaging.”
“The narrative lacked depth and failed to draw me in.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is generally considered low, with most players unlikely to revisit it after the initial playthrough due to a lack of scoring systems and secrets to discover. While speedrunners may find some value in replaying for time trials, the average player is expected to complete the game in 2-3 hours and move on without the desire to return.
“The replayability past the first playthrough is decent if you're into speedruns, but for the average player, you most likely won't want to touch this game ever again in your life, if you can even make it to the end.”
“If anything, I'd say that the game is just lacking in any replay value and will take maybe 2-3 hours to finish; sadly, without any type of scoring system, there's really no push to replay levels to best a score or any real secrets to find.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect frustrating due to a broken password system that forces them to either restart from level 1 or complete the game in one sitting, making the experience tedious and unenjoyable.
“The password system is totally broken, so you can't continue your gameplay unless you either start over every time from level 1 or finish the game in one sitting, which is really tedious.”
