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Ori & The Will of the Wisps (PC & Xbox One)

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Developer – Moon Studios

Publisher – Xbox Game Studios

Director – Thomas Mahler

Producer – Blazej Zywicyriski

PEGI – 7

Following on from the success of Austrian developer Moon Studios’ debut title Ori & The Blind Forest, Ori & The Will of the Wisps is another expansive Metroidvania title making use of wonderfully crafted hand-drawn visuals. And adding new gameplay elements building on the concept perpetuated by the first game. Personally, I was hooked on this game from start to finish. And whilst I have my nitpicks to address, I was far from disappointed with it. 

Graphics – 10/10

The visual style of the game once again makes use of a hand-drawn art style. Taking place in new forests separate from that of the first game called Niwen. Like the last game, it has a variety of different land biomes. Including snowy mountains, barren deserts, and dark spider-infested caves. It once again also makes use of a traditional orchestral soundtrack. Albeit each individual track does better than Blind Forest to suit the tableau of each different area. 

The game in terms of visual style is certainly a lot more varied than the first. As Blind Forest’s individual areas were mainly different sections of forest with some exceptions. Such as Mount Horu. But in Ori & The Will Of The Wisps, there are areas like Luma Pool, Baur’s Reach, and Windswept Wastes that perpetuate far more of a sense of variety than in the original game.

Gameplay – 10/10

Another area where variety is a lot more prevalent than in the first game is in the gameplay. The combat system has been given a massive overhaul with Ori being given far more combat options than in Blind Forest. Including a sword for fast-paced combat and a hammer for players preferring power over speed. A lot of the older abilities acquired in the first game are also added for good measure. But they’re acquired earlier on to reacquaint players with classic mechanics in preparation for the introduction of new mechanics throughout the rest of the game. 

Another very welcome addition to the series with the second game is the inclusion of boss fights throughout. They present a level of challenge that wasn’t seen with Blind Forest and add even more depth to the gameplay that is more prevalent. And reminiscent of other Metroidvania titles such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Guacamelee. There are also various sidequests to be undertaken throughout. This is something else that was desperately needed for improvement over the first game. It all makes it even more enjoyable to play than Blind Forest and less of a criminally fleeting experience 

Controls – 10/10

Players will be able to move from the first game to the second without skipping a beat; the core mechanics are the same as what they were in Blind Forest. But even with the introduction of a plethora of new mechanics, the game’s control scheme presents no issues. In this game, it was even more vital for the developers to have gotten the control scheme right with the introduction of time trial sequences involving a lot of intricate platforming. And the developers did a flawless job of getting the controls right. 

Lifespan – 6/10

To complete the game 100% takes slightly longer than its predecessor. Clocking in at just over 15 hours of gameplay. Although there is the inclusion of so many new gameplay features, I think more of the same could’ve been added to pad out the game even further. But again, my biggest criticism of this game, as it was with Blind Forest, is that it doesn’t last anywhere near as long as it had the potential to do. Although it’s less of a fleeting experience than the first game, it’s still not long enough of an experience in my opinion. 

Storyline – 7.5/10

Picking up where the last game left off, Ori, Naru, and Gumo are now caring for Ku. The baby owl that hatched from Kuro’s last egg at the end of Blind Forest. After repairing Ku’s damaged wing with one of Kuro’s stray feathers, Ku flies with Ori on her back and the pair crashland into the forest of Niwen. Ori then becomes embroiled in a quest to restore balance to the forest of Niwel by seeking out forest spirits called wisps. Whilst also confronting new threats, including a deformed and hateful owl named Shriek.

The story of Ori & The Will of the Wisps draws a great deal of comparison to that of its predecessor. With Ori Basically having to do the same thing as what she had to do in Blind Forest. Just within another forest. Although the themes of loss and tragedy are present and are presented in different ways from the original, there are other elements that are a lot more straightforward than they are in the first game. There’s not much moral ambiguity involved in the second game like in Blind Forest; the player will know who the hero is and who the villain is. Where Kuro was a much more sympathetic villain, Shriek, whilst having underlying reasons for being the way she is, is a lot harder to empathize with.

However, there are certain plot threads throughout the story. Especially around the mid-way point, which contribute to the narrative in extremely positive ways. And whilst not being anywhere near as unique as the first. Certainly make for an enjoyable story overall. 

Originality – 7.5/10

The game’s originality was probably the hardest aspect of it for me to cover. In certain areas, it does stand out from other Metroidvania titles, such as its combat system and inclusion of sidequests. But in other aspects, it fell short of other aspects in which the first game excelled in. Most notably the story. Overall it was a fairly unique game. But I can’t help but feel that there is still a lot more untapped potential for this series overall. Without spoiling any details in regard to the ending, all the signs seem to point to there being a third game sometime in the future. And I think that there is still room for improvement in both the first and second games. 

Happii

In summation, however, regardless of the amount of criticism I’ve given Ori & The Will Of The Wisps, I still think that it is fractionally better than Ori & The Blind Forest. The one aspect that it excels in compared to its predecessor is the gameplay, which is, after all, the most important aspect of any game. Its story is unoriginal compared to Blind Forest and it’s relatively short lifespan can still leave players wanting more at the end of it. But that’s not to say that it isn’t worth playing through from beginning to end.; it certainly is. 

50/60

8/10

(Very Good)