Ori and the Will of the Wisps

That finality could signal that this is the last Ori game, a farewell to the fantastical world and memorable characters that made Moon Studios such a standout developer from its very first effort. If that is the case, you could hardly ask for a better send-off. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a remarkable synthesis of artful design and beautiful moments.

The story is fantastic, the world is breathtaking, and all of that pales in comparison to the wonderfully made gameplay that soars both as a platforming and combat game. Moon Studios has outdone itself with Will of the Wisps, delivering an experience that doesn’t have any lulls, makes the player feel clever, and just keeps getting better as it goes.

With the need to go bigger, Ori and the Will of the Wisps loses some of the simplicity and innocence of the original game, but it steps up in turn with bite and refinement. It's the perfect companion to Ori and the Blind Forest, and is an early defining moment of the decade to come.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a fantastic sequel. It builds on the original with a few new ideas to deliver a complete experience.

Its steady incline of difficulty, bound to cap off eventually; early, leap-of-faith platforming sure to lose its pull or appeal in the latter half. All these concerns quickly dissipate in what is a game that continues again and again to increase in its stakes. To find new ways to impress, to shake things up in ways that will test even the most veteran of Metroidvania and precision-platformer players. An incredible unison of sub-genres and seemingly conflicted elements alike, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an absolute triumph of game design through-and-through.

A haunting journey through a woodland with a real sense of place, but its breadth of mechanics silts up the pacing.