Ori and the Blind Forest was a delightful game. With a gorgeous art style, wonderful storytelling, and incredible music, it was definitely one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played. But as a Metroidvania game, it left something to be desired.
But I had plenty of hope. From what I’d heard, it’s sequel was superior to the first game in just about every way. A bold claim, considering the bar Blind Forest set.
So, how’d it do? Was Ori and the Will of the Wisps the masterpiece everyone made it out to be? Or was this an overhyped letdown? Let’s take to the skies and find out!
The story begins right where the first game left off. Ori, Naru, and Gumo watch as Kuro’s last egg hatches. Welcoming the hatchling, Ku, into their family, the four carry on living happy as can be in their little treehouse.
Except for one thing: Ku’s wing is all busted up, and the little bird can’t fly. Luckily, Ori still has Kuro’s feather from the first game! So the family come together and make the chick a cast to help him take to the sky.
So, naturally, on that one day they take flight, no one looked out for a storm.
Like the first game, this opening prologue is a blend of playable segments and montage. Aside from the narrator, none of the characters speak. Powerful music, gorgeous visuals, and silent storytelling come together once again to make this opening incredibly engaging and powerful. Amazing how these games can get me so invested in its world and characters with almost no dialogue!
*Note: I seriously cannot understate how good the score is. Gareth Coker is a phenomenal composer, and he somehow surpassed the incredible work he did in the first game! Every single time the orchestra kicks in, the emotions this game invokes go so damn hard!
Knocked astray by the storm, Ori and Ku end up separated and lost in an unfamiliar land. Now it’s up to Ori, and therefor you, to find Ku and get back home. To do so, Ori must confront the darkness and fulfill the destiny, even if they don’t yet know what that is.
And that’s where my synopsis is going to end. This is the kind of story that you need to experience blind for maximum impact. It’s a beautiful, heart-tugging story punctuated by some of the best visuals and music I’ve ever experienced in a video game. The ending almost had me in tears (embarrassing, considering I was sharing said ending in a Discord call with my pals.) For that alone, I’d highly encourage you to give this game a shot if you haven’t already.
Unlike Blind Forest, Will of the Wisps is not an entirely silent adventure. Ori will meet and exchange words with a ton of characters over the course of the journey. One of the game’s largest side quests (oh yeah, there are side quests now) involves building up a village for all the NPCs to relax in. While I wouldn’t say these characters are especially memorable, they do add quite a bit to the adventure and the story.
As for the rest of the game… well…
Combat is definitely improved from the first game. Ori now has a large variety of weapons and moves to use in battle. Wanna swing a sword? Or are you more about the bow? Perhaps you prefer the slower but stronger hammer? Want the guardian orb from the first game? All of those options and more are here! You can even bounce off enemies with your weapon and equip a series of charms to improve your movement, attack, and recovery… options…
Hang on a second, is this game ripping off Hollow Knight?!
The simple answer is: probably not. Will of the Wisps was announced back in 2017, just a year before Hollow Knight came out. It is possible that the team at Moon Studios took notes from Team Cherry’s success during development, but given how long games take to make, I highly doubt they were actively trying to copy it.
With that said, as a Metroidvania game, Will of the Wisps is… just okay. Going through the map is interesting and fun the first time through. But I never felt the urge to turn the world upside down and explore every nook and cranny as I did in games like Hollow Knight, Super Metroid, or Symphony of the Night. Especially because the rewards for exploring were rarely anything more than extra health, extra energy, another combat/race challenge (which are kind of boring, if I’m being honest), or a charm I’d never use.
To be fair, though, the bosses are definitely better here than they were in the first game. Namely in that they exist. I wouldn’t say they were especially challenging, per say, but they were all so intense and exciting that I can forgive the lack of difficulty.
Of course, there are plenty of high-speed chases and escapes, just like the first game. They’re as visually stimulating and thrilling as ever. While they aren’t nearly as punishing as before, it is still frustrating when you die in one hit and have to redo the entire sequence. Even still, they never had me tearing my beard out like the ones in the first game.
The puzzles in this game are also pretty solid. Some of them really challenge not only your platforming skills, but your knowledge of the game’s mechanics. A few of these are actually pretty damn hard! But that only makes them so much more satisfying to solve.
My feelings on this game are a mixed bag. As a storyteller, I give this game a one-man standing ovation! As a lifetime Metroidvania fan, however, I’m not especially impressed. Still, in spite of my issues, it’s plenty fun to play. At the end of the day, that’s the most important thing.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a beautiful game. It’s far from perfect, but in the face of all that it does well, that is easily forgiven. Again: give it a shot for yourself if you haven’t already. The magic just might do more for you than it did for me.
After playing both Ori games, I’m definitely putting Moon Studios on my list of devs to keep an eye on. Their next game, No Rest for the Wicked, looks amazing so far. If that game captures even half the wonder of this duology, then I’m sure we’re in for an incredible time!
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