"A Sequel That Outclimbs Its Predecessor"
About
Ori and the Will of the Wisps follows a small luminous creature navigating a sprawling forest world filled with hostile creatures and environmental hazards. You traverse interconnected areas using platforming skills and combat abilities, engaging in real-time combat encounters and solving environmental puzzles to progress. The game emphasizes fluid movement mechanics and visual storytelling as you work to restore light to a darkened world.
Verdict
Moon Studios took the gliding, grappling movement of Blind Forest and bolted on real combat and real boss fights, and the result moves better than almost anything in the genre. The story leans on emotion harder than it earns, and the bosses occasionally hide their hitboxes behind the art direction, but the moment-to-moment platforming is the draw and it rarely stumbles.
You'll like it if …
- +fluid expressive movement is what you chase in a platformer
- +you want a metroidvania carried by atmosphere and visual storytelling
- +a single polished emotional arc satisfies more than endless replay
You'll dislike it if …
- −you want a story that breaks new ground rather than retreading familiar beats
- −backtracking and fetch-quest pathing wear you down
- −you prefer the endless replay pull of a roguelike
Breakdown
- +Bash, dash and grapple combine into genuinely expressive moment-to-moment traversal
- +Real melee combat and boss fights finally give the series offensive teeth
- +Platforming rarely stumbles across twenty-plus hours of consistent quality
- −Boss hitboxes hide behind art direction, reducing visual clarity in key encounters
- −Some combat abilities are used once and forgotten, creating bloat in the arsenal
- +Difficulty modes and collectibles provide incentive to return after completing the story
- −Guided metroidvania structure with fixed emotional arc plays through once for most players
- −Backtracking and fetch-quest pathing drag across the back half
- +The ending lands hard for many players and carries genuine emotional impact
- −Story retreads the original without meaningful new ground
- −Characters lack the room to develop, feeling almost cut from the script
- +One of the most beautiful 2D games ever made with enchanting world design
- +Soundtrack functions as the game's emotional engine and resonates as top-tier for most players
- −Ori and enemy attacks occasionally vanish into the gorgeous light and color
- +Fluid controls and gorgeous presentation remain mostly immaculate across the experience
- +Twenty-plus hours of substantial content for under eight euros represents strong value
- −Controller support quirks and occasional glitches prevent flawless execution
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