Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the sequel to Moon Studios' successful Ori and the Blind Forest. Not only was this game highly praised when it was released, but some have even claimed this game to be even better than its predecessor. That’s a lot of expectations to put on a game whose previous entry was already quite amazing to begin with. Nevertheless, it is with great pleasure that I say that the reputation of this game shows in its final result with an even more engaging storyline and amped-up visuals that result in a near-perfect experience.
Taking place after the events of The Blind Forrest, Ori, Naura, and Gumo welcome a new addition to the family, a baby owl named Ku. Ku is unable to fly due to a damaged wing by Gumo finds a way to fix it as Ori and Ku start to fly all over the forest. Sadly a storm separates the two leaving Ori to go and find Ku himself. However, along the journey Ori finds himself facing several challenges that may make it difficult to find Ku and get back home safely.
The story for this game goes to the next level as the adventure and emotional stakes are even more impactful than they were last time which is something any great sequel should do. the visual storytelling is at its most poignant and if you thought the first game’s story was sad, this game cranks up the emotions to eleven as it is almost impossible not to feel any emotions while playing through the game's story. Its narrative challenges many usual storytelling conventions but also carries a boatload of charm that makes the world of Ori feel lovely and endearing. The friendly characters you meet along the way are adorable and the story wastes no time in being super charming and lovable. Storytelling for video games has come a long way and this in my opinion is the pinnacle of how to tell a lovely and engaging story in a video game so far.
The gameplay will feel familiar to those aware of The Blind Forest's gameplay, but there are enough twists and tweaks that keep things interesting for seasoned players and newcomers alike. The whole game introduces us to difficult but fair gameplay that challenges you into wondering what move to make next to get to the next area of the forest. Much like before, you only start with a few abilities but gain new abilities as you play on that will help you to make your way through the more difficult sections. One different thing is that you can upgrade your character to gain smaller abilities that may help you in the long run. There are even separate challenges (Such as time challenges) and side quests that when completed will earn you a special award that will also upgrade your character. Unlike last time, this game features new boss battles that do take effort and strategy to beat. It's a new direction for the series but is nevertheless a welcomed challenge that only adds to how unique this game is to its predecessor gameplay-wise.
I may have mentioned before how amazing the visuals are in The Blind Forest, The Will of the Wisps in some cases an even more beautiful game with its combination of 2D and 3D animation to create an unforgettable experience. Ori is still as visually cute as ever and the other character designs especially the bigger characters like the villainous Shriek are so wonderful to look at. The backgrounds can leave a multitude of impressions be it the beautiful lush forests or the hard and barren wastelands. Each section of the forest introduces a different color palette to set the mood for what to expect. Everything feels like a true work of art and since the game uses mostly its visuals to tell the story, you are most likely to expect beautiful visuals to explain what is happening in the story instead of heavily relying on dialogue to do all the taking. This is artsy at its finest and some of the best game graphics I’ve seen from Moon Studios so far.
Gareth Coker returns once more to score the music for this game and it is as beautiful and as deep as ever before. Most of the music is very light and cheery but sometimes the music wastes no time in becoming epic and threatening when evil is around the corner. Each piece of music can stand on its own even if you have never played the game and you could almost assume that the score could come from a feature-length blockbuster movie.
I would have never thought it would be possible to outdo Ori and The Blind Forest, but Moon Studios seems to have found a way. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a beautiful game that has even more emotional and epic storytelling paired with wonderful visuals, great gameplay, and an outstanding music score. In case you are wondering, yes, this game is an absolute must-play for any level of gamer. It does help to play the first game seeing that this sequel takes place shortly after the events of The Blind Forest, but all in all, this game is a masterclass in making a video game that is impactful and great to play.
(Final Grade: A)