ORI AND THE BLIND FOREST

Platforms: PC, Xbone
Platform Reviewed: PC

Rarely do we ever see games which truly entice and entrance the player into a seemingly-never-ending state of gaming bliss. Games which harbor such captivating beauty that all the player can do is be awestruck by it. Ori and the Blind Forest is an example of such a game. There have been very few games in which I was fully immersed. The atmosphere, the music, the premise all feel like works of art rather than part of a mere game.

You play as Ori, a guardian spirit who gets separated from his parent: The Spirit Tree. While floating aimlessly through the forest, a bear-like creature named Naru adopts him and raises him as one of her own. However, the disappearance of Ori triggers a strange decaying of the forest. 

The prologue starts off on a very gleeful note only to have you experiencing a chaotic emotional roller coaster ride and by the time it ends you will be left mentally exhausted, having shed many manly tears. From then on, the tale of Ori trying to get back to the Spirit Tree and thus restore the forest to its former glory begins. On the journey, he meets Sein "the light and eyes of the Spirit Tree." Sein guides Ori on his adventure and engages in combat with his foes. 

The graphics are visually stunning with the exotic hand-drawn environments really instilling unique beauty to the game's varied environments. Sein's attacks and Ori's slick movements are magnificently portrayed by some of the best effects I have seen in a game. All of these are accentuated by the game's general color scheme which is generally comprised of bright, bold colors. 

The gameplay is fast and fluid. I can safely conclude that Ori and the Blind Forest is one of the best platformers I have ever played. Mind-boggling puzzles and levels which require guile and finesse to traverse keep the game from ever feeling redundant or boring. Combat is quite satisfying as Sein's attacks do project a sense of powerful weight as he strikes deadly blows to Ori's enemies. You can upgrade Ori and Sein's abilities, opening up new gameplay avenues as each point spent triggers drastic gameplay changes.

I also think that the game's score and sound design is right up there with gaming's finest. The music is so mesmerising that I felt like I was watching one of those old Disney movies that have great music crafted by world-renowned composers. The emotional toll that the game took on me was largely due to how hauntingly beautiful the game's main score is. 

Last but not least, the production values are outstanding. The menu design, ability hints and other HUD details are very well designed. I couldn't even find a single bug during my 10 hours of gameplay time. 

Ori and the Blind Forest is a game that no gamer should miss. Even people who dislike platformers might end up loving it. I, for one, will surely return to this amazing world in the near future for more.