Developed by Moon Studios, Ori and the Blind Forest is a video game that combines platform-adventure and Metroidvania features. The game became available for Windows and Xbox One in March 2015, and for Nintendo Switch in September 2019.

Gameplay

Ori and the Blind Forest is a 2D platform game, also known as a Metroidvania, that focuses on exploration, collecting upgrades and items, and backtracking to previously unreachable areas. The game features Ori, a guardian spirit in white, and Sein, the Spirit Tree’s light and eyes. As Ori, players must use various abilities such as jumping and climbing to navigate the game world. Sein can shoot Spirit Flames to fight against enemies or obstacles. Ori must interact with the environment by solving puzzles and jumping from platforms while facing different enemies. The player’s goal is to assist Ori in gathering health cells, energy cells, new abilities, and upgrades. The game unfolds to the player in a Metroidvania style, where new abilities allow access to previously unattainable areas.

Players are given the option to create “soul links” as checkpoints while playing the game, in addition to the save points scattered throughout. However, the creation of these soul links requires energy cells that are not readily available, and players must collect them during gameplay. Ability points can also be earned by players, which can be used to upgrade Sein’s Spirit Flame and gain other benefits. These upgrades can be accessed at any soul link location, provided the player has enough ability points to learn the desired skill. Experience can be gained by killing enemies, destroying plants, and finding spirit light containers or ability cells, which instantly award an ability point. Skills must be learned in a specific order from one of three ability trees to unlock the next skill.

Story

The story of Ori, a guardian spirit who fell from the Spirit Tree during a storm and was raised by Naru, is narrated by the voice of the Spirit Tree in the Nibel forest. The forest suffers a catastrophic event, causing Naru to die of starvation and leaving Ori to explore the forest alone. After collapsing near the Spirit Tree and being revived by it, Ori meets Sein, a small orb who helps Ori on a mission to restore the forest. Sein instructs Ori to find and restore the light of three essential elements that maintain the balance of Nibel: Waters, Winds, and Warmth.

How long is Ori and the Blind Forest?

In terms of the main goals, the duration of Ori and the Blind Forest is approximately 8 hours. For gamers who aim to explore every aspect of the game, it would take around 11 and a half hours to achieve a 100% completion.

Reception

Ori and the Blind Forest received high praise for several aspects, including its gameplay that was both easy to approach and challenging, its well-crafted controls, captivating storyline with unexpected twists, stimulating exploration, enchanting music, stunning environmental design, and the creatively designed challenges that demand players’ innovative thinking skills.

Ori and the Blind Forest turned profitable for Microsoft in just one week after its launch on Xbox One and PC. Korol also mentioned that the game became profitable for the studio itself in a few weeks.