Ori and the Will of the Wisps for PC is the sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest. It retains much of the stunning scenery but offers fresh access to new, previously unfound areas. There are new, bigger, and tougher villains to fight, more skills to master, and more characters to become attached to, with the same emotional pull waiting to grab you.
A new adventure begins
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a 2D Metroidvania platform game emphasizing exploration, collecting items and upgrades, and backtracking to previously inaccessible areas. The player controls Ori, a white guardian spirit. Players must jump, climb, glide, and swim between various platforms to solve intricate puzzles. New abilities and upgrades allow players to unlock previously inaccessible areas of the map. The foundational gameplay elements were inspired by the Rayman and Metroid franchises.
Like the original, the action is side-scrolling, over areas familiar to fans, with plenty of new features to explore. Given the cunning design of the earlier game, players should explore anything that catches their eye or seems unusual. Unlike its predecessor, Blind Forest, Will of the Wisps relies on autosaving rather than manually placed “soul links”. The sequential upgrade system has been replaced with a system of “shards” (inspired by the Final Fantasy series’s “materia” system), which can be purchased or found throughout the game to upgrade or modify Ori’s stats and attacks. Ori’s attacks can be managed via a convenient radial menu, and orbs to increase Ori’s health and energy can be found throughout the map. Unlike Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori does not travel with Sein.
Metroidvania Elements
The game, like other Metroidvania titles, offers tightly controlled action and character development, encouraging players to become invested in the game and attached to characters from NPCs to their own avatars. The emotional connection forged between player and character should not be underestimated.
Metroidvanian games are usually side-scrolling but this is not a hard and fast rule. One of the ‘rules’ of Metroidvanian games is the practice of keeping players contained in certain areas until they have mastered the skills and weapons they will need for future levels. Occasionally, a secret shortcut is discovered from a higher level, allowing the player to return to earlier levels for nostalgic practice or easier ‘grinding’ for resources.
What’s New?
This version of the game focuses more on Ori’s skills, putting more emphasis on the player learning new skills for a more absorbing and engaging play-through. Look out for:
- Swords: Close-range flurry attacks are a new skill that you must master before moving on to the boss battles, which are bigger and more intense than ever before.
- Bows: Overcome your enemies from a distance with a ranged attack of arrows or darts to weaken them before moving in for the kill or onto the next enemy.
- Explosive projectiles: There is something decadently satisfying about lobbing a bomb or grenade at an enemy or troop of enemies and seeing them go flying in all directions, clearing the way ahead for your advance.
- Exploring: This game takes you outside the forest where the previous game was limited. The gameplay area is approximately three times larger than the Nibel Forest, due to this escape from the forest and the new features that allow the player to explore, fight, and battle through buildings, shrines, and other features along the way.
A new mode called Spirit Trials was revealed at Gamescom 2018. This mode challenges players to race to a goal in the fastest time possible. To enhance competition and strategy, players can see the best times and the routes taken by other players. Will of the Wisps also introduces side quests from NPCs to earn collectible items such as Gorlek Ores, which are used to expand the game’s hub area.
That’s all, folks! Happy gaming and take care!
Ori and the Will of the Wisps takes everything that made the first game special and elevates it with stunning visuals, emotional depth, and tight gameplay – it’s a must-play for anyone who loves beautifully crafted adventures.