Ori and the Blind Forest
An art style and aesthetic can be everything for a game, and it doesn’t need to have a ton of graphical power to be beautiful. Ori and the Blind Forest is the perfect example of an aesthetic that works so well.
Taking some inspiration from the work of Hayao Miyazaki, Ori is presented in an art style that gives it a hand drawn look. This adds a layer of fluidity to movement through levels, and backgrounds that are absolutely entrancing to look at.
The main characters of Ori have charming and cute designs, which only helps to add to some of the sad tones near the beginning of the game. Somehow the art style of Ori consistently manages to capture the emotion and feel of where the story is at. Whether that’s sad, melancholic, hopeful, or anything else. It’s a game that makes full use of its art, and can do a lot of evoking emotion just from what you’re seeing.
