Ori and the Blind Forest is an open-world action platformer that follows the animal-like forest spirit Ori in his attempt to save his home, Nibel. After being left an orphan by one of the cataclysmic waves steadily destroying the land, he is befriended and subsequently assisted by the powerful Spirit Tree’s helper Sein. The two diminutive creatures are a perfect fit, Ori nimbly navigating obstacles and Sein protecting him from harm. They, along with the player, will need all their skills to succeed in a quest to save their world in one of the most enjoyable, not to say surprising, titles of the year.
Two things stand out early on in Ori and the Blind Forest. The first is that the game is absolutely lovely, with everything striking the perfect note, from the creature design to color palette to animation. The second is that, even with its beautiful visuals, and at times because of them, this is one of the most melancholic experiences I’ve come across this side of Nier. Players will witness the events that lead Ori to being an orphan, and find themselves revisiting the guardian’s fondest memories as they go about restoring the forest. Each area saved brings new life to the world, but even after he begins to bring hope to the land, the sense of loss is rarely far from the surface.
This malaise is offset somewhat by the presence of Sein. Represented by a floating ball of light, it acts as a physical and metaphorical source of hope for Ori by not only guiding him on his path but also protecting him from harm. To combat enemies, players can have it release Spirit Flame in the form of short powerful blasts or charged explosions, the latter of which is also capable of opening access to new areas. Defeated enemies release yellow shards of energy, Ability Cells, that can be collected to unlock new abilities on the three-branch Ability Tree, such as additional shots of Spirit Flame and auto-collection of nearby items. The same energy can also be found in orbs scattered around the maps, but no matter how many might be found, the game cleverly maintains a delicate balance that allows explorers the chance to become powerful without breaking the flow of the game. Instead, as in Metroid, the current skill set will itself restrict players to where they need to focus. Unlocked abilities also serve as natural progression triggers, with newfound skills, such as wall-climbing or swimming, offering a clear signal that a new area can be explored. Tucked-away areas and items, from additional yellow orbs to pools of water that regenerate health and offer a save point, keep backtracking from becoming tedious while also serving as challenges for players who wish to test their abilities accessing some of the tougher-to-reach spots.
Sein’s attacks also require a collectible source called Energy Cells. These pull double duty by also serving as the means to create Soul Links, spots that allow access to a save point. This dynamic makes for some tense moments, whenever the meter is low and a difficult enemy-filled area is screaming for a checkpoint. Fortunately, enemies respawn frequently so that enough energy can be gained in order to keep the game from becoming bogged down by having to repeat lengthy segments. Soul Links also allow players to access the three-branch skill tree, but must-have abilities are doled out when needed through story sequences, so there is no worry about being unable to attain powers required to pass through an area.
Navigating the obstacles is itself a pleasure, given the phenomenal level design. The majority of areas have both environmental hazards as well as enemies. The mangled forest hosts some rather nasty overgrowth and beasts, such as poisonous water, thorny vines, spiders, and piranha. The duo must work together to traverse them, with Sein providing the firepower while Ori double-jumps, crawls on walls, swims, slams, and slings. Objects are typically placed in such a way that the proper route is easily determined, almost instinctively, but not always easy to navigate, offering a solid but fair challenge. As with the skills, hazards are introduced in such a way that enough practice can be had in overcoming them that their gradual increase never becomes overwhelming. Enemies are also integrated into layouts, with rhino-like creatures creating paths by crashing through weak structures and projectiles providing anchor points from which Ori can fling himself. Despite the increasing complexity, progress is relatively smooth, thanks to this incremental approach offering the chance for the player to adapt as well as precise controls and a simple but clear map. The game’s not a cakewalk—I respawned over 600 times during my playthrough—but I rarely felt cheated. The combination of well-designed levels and a steady pace makes the adventure as exciting as it is engaging.
The few times the game does stumble are during extended escape sequences. Unlike the rest of the world, where dangers are largely seen from the outset or telegraphed far enough ahead to allow for an appropriate response, these often have unseen obstacles that appear too late to avoid. These hazards are often instant-kill threats, especially those involving the game’s antagonist, the giant owl Kuro, who stalks the background and strikes whenever the player is out in the open. These sections feel out of place with the rest of the game, where it’s easy to intuit what needs to be done and offers a great sense of satisfaction when the plan pans out. Here, it’s simply failure after failure until the pattern is memorized and muscle memory sets in to see the player to the end. While these scenarios crop up within areas increasingly in the late game, they dominate the escape sequences. As frustrating as these can be, they primarily stand out because the rest of the levels are so uniformly excellent. And save for a few technical problems in the form of the occasional bout of slowdown and the game freezing twice, they are about the only negatives I came across in the game.
Overall: 9/10
Ori and the Blind Forest is a phenomenal action platformer with outstanding level design and a surprisingly melancholic tone. The handful of sequences that leave no room for error are too puzzle-like in nature, but they stand out in contrast to the majority of the world, which is expertly designed to offer a tough but fair challenge. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a platformer so much, and despite not having the type of collectibles or side areas for replayability, I can see myself revisiting Ori and Sein in the near future.
(This review is based on a copy provided by the publisher.)