Is Ori and the Blind Forest Worth Playing?
Visually, Ori and the Blind Forest* looks and feels like you are playing through an interactive watercolor painting, and at the time of its release, you would be hard pressed to find anything like it. The story, while minimalistic, is told exceptionally well and emotionally impacted me within the first five minutes in a way no media has been able to do since Pixar’s Up. However, once we get into the gameplay, Ori and the Blind Forest begins to struggle. Ori and the Blind Forest is best described as a Metroidvania-like, a genre that focuses on exploring, getting power ups, and re-exploring. Initially Ori’s controls feel a bit loose, but as you gain additional abilities, you are able to compensate for this minor inconvenience. What never improves, though, is the combat, which is very simple and not all that fun. You will often find yourself in a battle of attrition instead of skill. Had the game focused more on platforming rather than combat, I think it would have been for the better. Regardless, if you are a fan of the Metroidvania genre, you will enjoy this game.
Rating: B- The story, art and music are great and the platforming is enjoyable. However, the lackluster combat system drags the game down
*Author’s Note: I played the Definitive Edition of this game
Title: Ori and the Blind Forest
Released: 3/11/2015
Genre: Platform-Adventure; Metroidvania
Developer: Moon Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Systems: PC; Xbox One; Nintendo Switch
Rating: E
Amount Played: Completed Campaign on Normal, 95% Map Exploration on Switch
Tags: Is Ori and the Blind Forest Worth Playing; Is Ori and the Blind Forest Good; Ori and the Blind Forest Review