Ori and the Blind Forest
Platform: Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC
Price: $19.99
Time to Beat: 7-10 hours
On the surface, Ori and the Blind Forest seems like a cute, quirky 2D-platformer designed for people of all ages to enjoy. However, spend a bit of time with the Moon Studios game, and you will learn that under the beautiful color pallet, endearing protagonist, and simple controls, there exists a game that is dripping with narrative depth, brutal difficulty, and creative gameplay mechanics.
Ori and the Blind Forest stands as a love letter to the Metroidvania games that precede it. A labyrinth of a map requires players to possess an equal amount of skill and patience. While the game at times has patches of extreme difficulty, death never seems unfair and the game gets you back to the most recent checkpoint quickly enough to foster the, “I’ll definitely get it this time,” feeling.
The most memorable part of Ori and the Blind Forest is the powerful narrative of restoring life to that which is dead. In the first 15 minutes of starting the game, the story grips the player without releasing them until it has been played to completion. Though the protagonist is silent, the environment, enemies, and epic boss battles speak for themselves to form an unforgettable tale. If you’re interested in finding out our full verdict on Ori and the Blind Forest, you can check out our review here.
