Developed by: Moon Studios GmbH
Published By: Microsoft Studios
Date of Release: September 27, 2019
Price: $19.99
As I sit here, the tears have finally dried. Why was I crying? Maybe it was the beautiful artwork. maybe it was the flowing narrative. Or maybe it was the sheer Bambi-class heartbreaking feel-trip from the prologue of Ori and the Blind Forest. Yeah, definitely the feel-trip. The game starts out swinging with the emotional narrative, and keeps it up through the entire experience. By the time you're done you'll probably need to re-hydrate. Now all of you know how much I love a good platforming romp of the Metroidvania persuasion. I could sit and play said genre happily for the rest of my life, and I can definitely say that Ori and the Blind Forest is a worth addition to the hall of Metroidvania fame. I will warn you though, it does pretty much start with a nut-punch right in the feels, but don't let that detract from your enjoyment of the game. Just put a little ice on it.
The first thing that struck me about Ori and The Blind Forest is how much work went into the visuals. The entire game looks like a surreal moving painting, with the artwork flowing around like sands on the wind. The sound design is also quite up to the task, painting an aural canvas that is as pleasing to the ears as the visuals are to the eyes. The voicework is amazing as well, being in it's own fictional language with subtitles. There's a deep and rich story masterfully woven into this game, and the plot pacing is utterly superb. All in all, everything that made this game amazing on the Xbox and PC have made the journey to the switch completely intact, in fact the switch version actually runs at a smoother framerate than previous iterations. That's a pretty significant feat on it's own.
Of course the gameplay is also an important part of the package, and you can definitely compare Ori and The Blind Forest to stalwart classics such as Super Metroid and Castlevania Symphony of The Night. Ori however takes a more organic feel to the whole system of upgrading and backtracking, giving it perhaps a more natural feel than other titles. All in all it is an extensive meaty experience that has aged extremely well since it's original launch some 4 years ago, with plenty to offer genre veterans and newcomers alike. Ori and The Blind Forest is a must have for any Switch owner who enjoys a good adventure, as well as a truly emotional roller coaster ride.
