We players have had to wait a long time! When Ori and the Will of the Wisps was announced at E3 2017, it was hard to imagine that it would take another three years for us to return to the fantastic world of the little forest Spirit. Yet the predecessor, Ori and the Blind Forest, became a modern classic in record time.
Rightly so: The game from Moon Studios thrilled with great jumping sections, an engaging atmosphere and a story that was moving to tears. And we haven't even mentioned the phenomenal soundtrack yet! We took a look to see if the sequel, released in March 2020, lived up to its hype and was able to fix the few flaws of its predecessor!
Searching for Ku
Don't worry by the way: The game doesn't require any prior knowledge of Ori and the Blind Forest. Nevertheless, it is recommended to accompany Ori on his first adventure, not only because of the high quality of the predecessor. The new part picks up the story seamlessly. The forest Spirit and his friends Gumo and Naru take care of a new family member: the little orphaned owl Ku.
It is finally Ku who lays the foundation for the new undertaking. Because as soon as Ori and the little animal get caught in a thunderstorm during a flight attempt, they crash separately in the forest. Ori's mission is clear: He has to find the young owl and save it from the horrors and dangers of the darkness! What sounds like a too simple story turns out to be an impressive staging once again.
Jumping, punching and exploring
In terms of gameplay, players rely on familiar concepts. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a classic Metroidvania in new guise. So we jump with the forest Spirit through a self-contained world consisting of all kinds of forests, oases and caves. Whether colorful or pitch-dark: The many levels are individually designed and create a lively and homogeneous environment.
Friends of the first part feel immediately at home. The jumping, climbing and fighting inserts are not only intuitive, but also precise. In addition, Ori learns all kinds of additional skills to find hidden passages. With double jump or energy lasso, new level areas can be explored that seemed impassable before.
Simple and yet complex
In the Metroidvania genre, it is the fingertips that decide which clientele is served. With Ori and the Will of the Wisps, the developers of Moon Studios prove a second time that they understand the theme of balancing. Although the world appears complex and progressive, players rarely feel lost. Even when they are fighting through tricky fights or jumping through areas where a wrong click means immediate death.
Experienced Ori players quickly find their way around. Beginners enjoy tutorial-like levels that make it easier to get started. Nevertheless, nobody should believe that they have to forego challenges. Even hardcore gamers will curse the game once or twice - only to be happier afterwards that Ori has stood by them again. In just under 15 hours, both variety and excitement as well as feelings and emotions are guaranteed!
