Ori and the Blind Forest

🎮 Steam ⏳ 6 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

A Living Forest #

The first Ori entry is a visually breathtaking Metroidvania that balances emotional storytelling with demanding gameplay. From the very beginning, the game captures attention with its hand-painted art style, rich color palette, and fluid animations, creating an enchanting forest that feels alive. Accompanied by a deeply moving orchestral score, the presentation alone sets a high standard for immersion and atmosphere.

Emotion Through Silence #

The MC is called Ori, a small guardian spirit, and Sein, the “light and eyes” of the Spirit Tree, on a journey to restore balance to a forest consumed by decay. Themes of love, loss, sacrifice, and hope drive the narrative, and the opening sequence in particular is both heart-wrenching and memorable, immediately establishing an emotional connection to the world and its characters. It is impressive how the story is able to convey so many things even though it has very little dialog sequences.

Precision Platforming Focus #

Gameplay focuses heavily on precision platforming, with Ori gradually acquiring new abilities that expand traversal options, from wall climbing and double jumps to the ingenious “bash” mechanic that lets you ricochet off enemies and projectiles. These upgrades not only add variety but also encourage exploration, as hidden secrets and upgrades are scattered throughout the interconnected map. Escape sequences replace traditional boss fights, delivering fast-paced challenges where survival depends on flawless execution.

Movement Over Combat #

Combat, while secondary to movement, is simple yet effective, relying on spirit flame attacks and clever use of Ori’s mobility. Though compared to other games of the similar genre, the combat is very limited and not really the main point. The game can be unforgiving, with tricky jumps and punishing sequences that may require multiple retries, but its manual save system provides flexibility for you to set your own checkpoints.

Artistry and Challenge #

Ultimately, this title stands out as more than just a metroidvania platformer. It’s a heartfelt experience that marries artistry with challenge, rewarding perseverance with moments of pure wonder. For people who appreciate beautiful design and demanding yet fair gameplay, it remains one of the most memorable indie titles of its generation. This is truly one of the best games of all time, on each and every aspect it tries to convey, it is a must-play if you like indies to any extent, and a fan-favorite of the metroidvania genre.