Why You Should Play Ori and the Blind Forest

One of the best platformers of recent years?

Simon explains why you should play Ori and the Blind Forest.

Not only is that job done, but it turns out to be quite the understatement.

In fact, there are quite a few game mechanics in Ori that allow for some really intriguing puzzles.

Essentially, the game takes place on one massive map.

The View

Oriis, without a doubt, one of the finest looking games I have played.

It is absolutely beautiful.

There is nothing stolen here though its loving homage.

Its an incredibly difficult feat to pull off, and one worthy of the utmost admiration.

The reasonOrisucceeds is mostly due to this fantastic animation.

As I mentioned before, the characters do not speak, but neither are they silent.

The atmospheric sound effects are great, but the music is really magical.

Ethereal in places and rousing in others, the music for this game is a great achievement in itself.

I am not on board with this to any extent.

It is in the very nature of the best adventures that there is a struggle or hardship to overcome.

The game wouldnt be the same if it was called Ori Skips Through The Forest With Relative Ease.

Giving us an arrow to point the way almost contradicts the idea of adventure and exploration.

To have to work hard for an objective gives the achievement much more meaning.

Something given is rarely valued.

There was also some criticism about the longevity and replay value of the game.

Not just for the game, but for the story.

Make no mistake though, it is controller-smashingly hard in places.

Lucky for me then that I played with the keyboard and mouse.

Unlucky for my little finger, which was in overdrive on the shift key.

Speaking of which, I think the story is a real masterpiece.

There are no plot twists per se, but there is a wonderful narrative duality on display here.

I havent stopped thinking about it.

I particularly enjoyed the level design, which was so well thought out.

There was one area in particular that stood out for me, which involves the laws of gravity.

But when you jump, gravity will pull you in whichever direction down is for you at the time.

Stand on the right wall of the block and gravity pulls left you will fall left.

Stand on the bottom and gravity pulls you up.

Really nice design, with a few nifty puzzles thrown in.

I am always trumpeting the merits of indie gaming, andOriabsolutely encapsulates all that is great about it.

Even now Im feeling a lump in the throat just thinking about it.

It is games like these that move gaming from the everyday humdrum and out into the artistic stratosphere.

Now excuse me while I go have a moment to myself.

Ori and the Blind Forestis out now for PC, Xbox One and Xbox 360.