Ori and the Blind Forest

[Hipolito]

The Definitive Edition is on Steam for $5. It's received so much praise over the years that I bought it sight unseen.

It's a Metroidvania. You run your cute little spirit bunny along, zap enemies, and collect their spirit energy. When you turn back because you don't have the right inventory items to progress, those enemies have already respawned so you can zap them again.

The game is pretty and takes place in a vaguely Asian enchanted forest. It tries to be emotionally stirring. But after an hour of play, I'm just bored.

It's also weird that when you bring up the map, there are hardly any icons on it. You have to buy upgrades to get icons to appear on the map. That doesn't seem right to me.

Maybe I'm just blind to the magic, but this doesn't seem to be my kind of game.

[disarm]

I played both Ori games and enjoyed them quite a bit. The story is presented in a pretty understated way, and the gameplay takes a little bit to really hit its stride because you have to unlock so many abilities as you make your way through the world, but I enjoyed both enough to reach their ends. There are some really cool ideas in the games and they become pretty challenging in later parts. If you're into Metroidvania-style platformers, I think they're absolutely worth checking out, but I can see how they're not for everyone.

For what it's worth, both games are available on Xbox Gamepass for consoles, and the first game (Ori and the Blind Forest) is available on PC...can try them out for "free" if you're already a GamePass subscriber.

[Lordnine]

The first Ori leaned heavy on platforming and combat was mostly an afterthought. I would say it was mostly an exploration platformer with a fluid level feel that reminded me a lot of Rayman Legends. I’m not sure how far you are but early on you get the ability to warp through enemies and parts of the terrain, at which point you basically never need to stop moving. That’s when the game really comes alive.

The 2nd Ori was closer to a true metroidvania game and had a much greater focus on combat with multiple attack upgrades.

[Hipolito]

Thank you both for your positive opinions on the game. You got me to play it some more, and it turned out to be better (and much harder) than I thought.

I now have the Bash ability (where you can deflect an enemy or bullet one way while you fly the opposite way). I've never seen anything like this before. The game really makes you use it once you get it, upping the challenge. I'm relying on YouTube walkthrough videos to see how to get through these crazy spike-filled puzzle areas.

I'm now trying to complete the first escape sequence. So many tries, so many dies.

[Lordnine]

The escape sequences' are basically the boss battles of the game. They get very hard. The game isn't terribly long though, if I recall correctly the first one is about 1/3 of the way through the game.

[disarm]

Glad to hear you gave it another's shot and are enjoying it more. The Dash ability definitely changes up the gameplay in a unique and challenging way. You'll get the hang of it and be flying through the levels in no time. There's a really cool flow to the game once you get the movement down.

Those escape sequences, especially the first one, can be pretty tricky. At the time the first one happens, you haven't encountered anything like it in the game yet and it's a tough surprise. They get easier (in a way) as you learn the game though. You'll understand exactly what you need to do, but making it happen is the challenge.

[Skinypupy]

I enjoyed both Ori games for a bit, but they ultimately proved way to difficult for me.

Definitely beautiful though, and certainly worth a look.

[Hipolito]

I finally made it through the first escape sequence. My heart was pounding.

I've "solved" the Black Root Burrows. That was one of the coolest gaming experiences I've had in a long time.

This game's got its thorns in me.

[Hipolito]

I just finished the second escape sequence. It took a total of 74 attempts over the course of about 45 minutes. It wasn't as hard as the first one, but it was still nasty.

[Hipolito]

I've now finished the game. The final area, Mount Horu, was huge and dreadfully difficult, built entirely out of deathtraps. I relied on a YouTube walkthrough to get the through the whole area, as it was far too difficult to footle around in.

Before finishing the game, though, I went through the previous areas to explore some of the areas I hadn't seen and get some powerups I couldn't previously get. With the majority of my abilities unlocked, it was fun to traverse the environments and fight enemies with much more ease than before.

But it was a long, hard road getting there! When I bought this game, I had no idea it was one of those brutal platformers festooned with spikes. For example:



The game was especially frustrating during the first half. The platforming was slippery; too often, I would try to firmly land on a tiny platform but slide off of it, so I'd jump to correct that but overshoot it on the other side. The game-save system was also a pain. You can save almost anywhere at any time, but only if you have enough blue energy.

Many times, I encountered an impossible-seeming jumping puzzle and told myself, there's no way I'm trying that! I'm quitting now. But something made me try it, again and again. And as I gained more abilities, my frustration dwindled. The difficulty started coming from interesting challenges rather than bad mechanics.

Sometimes the game is so beautiful that you have to just stop and take it in. I like the visual references to the original Metroid. They fit surprisingly well here. And the story ended up being a good one, with love as its theme.

So I'm glad I gave Ori and the Blind Forest a chance (many chances). I've only played a couple of other Metroidvanias (Metroid: Zero Mission and Aquaria), and I'd rank Ori above them. But I don't plan to play the sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, at least not anytime soon. If and when I play another Metroidvania, it will probably be Super Metroid (which I hear still holds up), Hollow Knight, or the recent Tales of Kenzera: Zau.

[GreenGoo]

I definitely want to give this one a try too.

Thanks for letting us know about your Ori adventures!