OLI

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"OLI" is one of literally thousands of retro 2D platformers infesting Steam and lowering the average quality of all video games everywhere... and I'm not kidding. Searching for "platformers" on the Steam store page yields over 17,000 results! Is this one of the best of those? Absolutely not. This is a poorly made and objectively failed 2D retro puzzle platformer where many gameplay elements, and the entirety of the visual style are direct, creatively bankrupt ripoffs of Limbo from Microsoft Game Studios. It's never nice to see this kind of creative bankruptcy and I'm sure that, along with the quality problems, were the leading causes of failure here. Platforming is an old, mostly dead genre, and this lacklustre experience, while it doesn't have an upfront cost, isn't saving the genre... it's no surprise this failed to capture any attention from gamers in the era of immersive 3D gaming. This looks a lot like it was designed for consoles, but released on Steam instead by mistake. While this is on PC, it has all the hallmarks and deficiencies of a console game, from the clunkier than needed control scheme to the less than cutting edge graphics. There's 10's of thousands of P…

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One of the most impressive aspects of Oli is its level design. Each level presents unique puzzles that are cleverly crafted, requiring players to think creatively and strategically. The difficulty curve is well-balanced, ensuring that the game remains challenging yet accessible to players of all skill levels.

Full Gameplay Video: https://youtu.be/S-wyYaeEgEI

Its main quality is that it's free, but it's still a solid little game. Inspired by great titles but can't quite get there itself. The camera is the biggest chore.