Having always been a fan of 2D games in general, and especially platformers, I was looking forward to playing this game, and while high expectations are often a danger, this is one of those times when the game in question satisfies them with ease. This is such a well-crafted and delightfully adventurous game, full of secrets, solid characters and great gameplay. First of all, the graphics are gorgeous, the perfect mix of details and simplicity. Equally great is the score, which overall sounds pretty good, with a few tracks that are truly amazing.
I also think the gameplay is excellent. I was expecting more combat, but once I got used to the platformer approach this game takes, I was hooked. The controls are solid, moving Ori around feels fluid and smooth, and while it sometimes felt like things happened at too high sensitivity, particularly in regards to the dash and other abilties, it's not something that really decreased my enjoyment in any way. The game has just enough different abilities to feel fresh and engaging everytime you get a new one, while also not being too complicated and messy, as games with ability systems often do. I really like how the different abilities connect and play off each other, and how you have to utilize several together to reach a goal in certain situations.
The world in this game is pretty well designed. I like how the different areas stretch in all directions, instead of just being straight lines, it makes it more fun to traverse, and finding new pathways is always delightful. The map is easy to manage and comprehend, and I like how you can unlock new things to show on it as you go along. The world is neither too big or too small, it's just the right size for this story. The fact that you can save at any time helps a lot with making it feel manageable, and it makes for more fluid gameplay, even if it removes some of the tension.
Speaking of story, I didn't expect it to be so central to the game. Maybe my time playing more soulslike games with next to no basic plot has had an effect on me, but whatever, I soon found myself very engaged in Ori's struggles, and the sorrow of Kuro and Naru really hit me harder than I expected. The story is simple, yet endearing, and filled with raw, emotional value.
Although I did have a grand time playing this game, there are a few things holding it back from a perfect 10/10. First of all, while the narration by the Spirit Tree makes sense on paper, I found it to be more and more annoying as the game went along, especially when it just stated things I could already see on the screen. Another little annoyance is how little the game encourages exploration. You always have a quest lined up, and the given path is always obvious. This isn't a problem in all games, but in metroidvanias it can often make said quests feel empty, as the world is often what you want to focus on. The fact that you can see where everything is thanks to the mapstones, and how every secret is shown on the map once you unlock those features, makes the exploration less fun, at least to me. This isn't a big issue, but I found myself wishing for less information a couple times. The game is also very short, but seeing as it's an indie, it didn't bother me too much.
The issues stated above are all minor though, this game is overall pretty fantastic, and while I don't consider it a true masterpiece, it is one of the better games I've played in recent years, and one of my all-time favorite platformers.
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