Ori and the Blind Forest (PC/Switch - 2015)

Ori and the Blind Forest is not an indie game. Sure, you may not have ever heard of the Austrian video game developer Moon Studios, and if you haven't played Ori and the Blind Forest or it's sequel, you haven't played another game they made. The thing is, Ori (and the Blind Forest) has the initial look, feel, and price point of an indie title. It's not. Why does this matter? I dunno I needed intro that turns your world upside down before I gush about how great this masterpiece is.

"Video games can never be art"

~Roger Ebert, a very wrong, lying, son of a bitch.

Roger Ebert. Fuck that guy. Did he take it back? I thought he took it back. I'm not going to bother looking that up.

As I mentioned, Ori and the Blind Forest was developed by Moon Studios, and published by Microsoft Studios. At first glance, and the fact that it's on Steam, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One, you might think it's an artsy indie title.

Disclaimer: There's absolutely nothing wrong with indie games. Some of my best friends are indie games. Many indie games are incredible, and I'll definitely be reviewing them in droves as I rake my fingers across my backlog.

The distinction for Ori, however, makes it somewhat of an enigma. It's a game published by a major publisher that is also a 2D side-scroller metroidvania with very challenging platforming, and a very ambitious art style? Where's the in-game currency? Where's the microtransactions? Why isn't this exclusively on the Xbox One?

Thank the maker that Ori is widely available and doesn't stink with the taint that so many modern games have.

Disclaimer: There's absolutely nothing wrong with modern games. Some of my best friends are modern games. Many modern games are incredible, and I'll definitely be reviewing swarms of them as I caress my cheeks across my backlog.

[wps_icon icon="gamepad" background="#3366cc" color="#fff" size="32" padding="10" radius="0"]Gameplay: 9/10

Ori and the Blind Forest is a metroidvania. What's a metroidvania? Dear, sweet, innocent child. Your naiveté amuses me.

A metroidvania is a game that... I dunno. It's sort of like Metroid. Or it's sort of like Castlevania. It's a metroidvania. Metroidvanias are games about exploration, and earning new capabilities or finding new permanent power ups that will help you further explore the world. Most metroidvanias involve you running across a path you can't reach, or a door you can't open. Later on, you find the thing that will help you reach the path or open said door, and you can work your way back to discover new areas and find more abilities. There's usually a fair amount of back tracking in a Metroidvania, but usually each time you have to revisit an area, you are more equipped than you were the first time you were there. Older areas feel more familiar, and you feel safer and more in control, which makes newer areas feel even more foreign.

Ori takes the metroidvania mechanic and adds very precise platforming (it almost, almost feels like Super Meat Boy) and makes you jump, wall jump, bash, and dash through beautiful, complex areas in order to collect objects, solve puzzles, and work your way through.

As you adventure and defeat enemies, you collect Spirit Light, which is sort of like an XP system. As you collect Spirit Light, you get Ability Points to spend on new moves and upgrades.

You are accompanied by Navi the Fairy Sein the light fairy who helps guide you, and does all of the attacking for Ori. Sein can fire little arcs of energy at enemies that are near Ori. It allows you to focus on Ori's position and movement without worrying about aiming at enemies.

As the game progresses, and Ori and Sein gain more abilities, players need to use everything they learn to navigate the more difficult areas.

[wps_icon icon="book" background="#3366cc" color="#fff" size="32" padding="10" radius="0"]Story: 8/10

The game starts with a tale about a tree, and how the tree lost it's child, who, guess what, is Ori.

Ori gets adopted by gentle creature that looks like a Snorlax wearing a Shyguy mask. This creature raises Ori as its own, and we see them enjoying life together in a beautiful glade.

Unfortunately, something happens and the forest becomes blighted. Ori and her big chubby friend struggle to survive, and Ori is left alone in a twisted, dark forest once more.

Here, don't let me mess it up. Just watch and enjoy.