New in the Definitive Edition. One of the most beautiful games on the current gen gets even bigger and better, and we can just celebrate it. The forest of Nibel is dying. After a powerful storm sets a series of devastating events in motion, an unlikely hero must journey to find his courage and confront a dark nemesis to save his home. Ori and the Blind Forest tells the tale of a young orphan destined for heroics, through a visually stunning action-platformer crafted by Moon Studios for Xbox One and PC. Featuring hand-painted artwork, meticulously animated character performance, and a fully orchestrated score, Ori and the Blind Forest explores a deeply emotional story about love and sacrifice, and the hope that exists in us all. One of the most beautiful games on the current gen gets even bigger and better, and we can just celebrate it. Stay in Touch. By signing up, you'll receive the latest news and updates about everything Ori! You can unsubscribe at any time. For US residents only. Privacy Policy. Ori and The Blind Forest. Latest Stories. Ori and the Blind Forest Soundtrack Coming to Vinyl. The Witcher 3 Wins SXSW 2016 Game of the Year. Ori and The Blind Forest Review. About This Game. Summary Game Editions. Join Ori, the last spirit guardian, as he discovers the mysteries of a dying forest while escaping the evil clutches of Kuro, the dark owl. Play through a beautifully created environment while combating Kuro and completing in-game puzzles to help Ori save the blind forest. Games You May Like. Platformer Xbox One. Latest Videos. Latest Image. IGN.com: Content Team Standards & Practices Send Us News Site Map International: IGN World Map Adria Africa Australia Brazil Benelux Canada China Czech Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary India Ireland Israel Italy Japan Latin America Middle East Norway Pakistan Poland Portugal Romania Russia Southeast Asia Spain Sweden Turkey United Kingdom United States. Copyright 1996-2018 Ziff Davis, LLC An IGN Entertainment Games site. We have updated our PRIVACY POLICY and encourage you to read it by clicking here. IGN uses cookies and other tracking technologies to customize online advertisements, and for other purposes. IGN supports the Digital Advertising Alliance principles. Learn More. Ori and the Blind Forest. Get the original Ori and the Blind Forest for free with the purchase of Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition! The forest of Nibel is dying. After a powerful storm sets a series of devastating events in motion, an unlikely hero must journey to find his courage and confront a dark nemesis to save his home. “Ori and the Blind Forest” tells the tale of a young orphan destined for heroics, through a visually stunning action-platformer crafted by Moon Studios for the Xbox One. Featuring hand-painted artwork, meticulously animated character performance, and a fully orchestrated score, “Ori and the Blind Forest” explores a deeply emotional story about love and sacrifice, and the hope that exists in us all. Thanks for your order. We'll try to push-to-install this on your home Xbox One. If you’ve blocked automated downloads, you might want to enable them. On your Xbox One, go to Settings > System > Updates > Keep my games & apps up to date . By the way, you can find this and anything else you’ve installed in My games and apps . Trying to install on your home Xbox One. We'll try to push-to-install this on your home Xbox One. If you’ve blocked automated downloads, you might want to enable them. On your Xbox One, go to Settings > System > Updates > Keep my games & apps up to date . By the way, you can find this and anything else you’ve installed in My games and apps . Get an Xbox Live account. To play this game, you need an Xbox Live account. Get one here. Friends who play this game. Mild Fantasy Violence. Ori and the Blind Forest. Screenshots. Description. Get the original Ori and the Blind Forest for free with the purchase of Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition! The forest of Nibel is dying. After a powerful storm sets a series of devastating events in motion, an unlikely hero must journey to find his courage and confront a dark nemesis to save his home. “Ori and the Blind Forest” tells the tale of a young orphan destined for heroics, through a visually stunning action-platformer crafted by Moon Studios for the Xbox One. Featuring hand-painted artwork, meticulously animated character performance, and a fully orchestrated score, “Ori and the Blind Forest” explores a deeply emotional story about love and sacrifice, and the hope that exists in us all. Available on. People also like. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition. Rare Replay. Yooka-Laylee. Song of the Deep. Mighty No. 9. Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna) KALIMBA. Game clips. Broadcasts. Additional info. Approximate download size. Mild Fantasy Violence. Install on your home Xbox One console plus have access when you’re connected to your Microsoft account. Thanks for reporting your concern. Our team will review it and, if necessary, take action. Sign in to report this game to Microsoft. Ratings and reviews. To rate and review, sign in. Your review. Thanks. Your review will post soon. There was an error posting your review. Please try again later. All user reviews. General thoughts. This game is one of the best games known to man. This game has such a great story with amazing gameplay and the music is godlike. This game can be tough on the average player at times but in the end it's worth every cent. *warning tears ahead* 19 out of 19 people found this helpful. The art and story line on this game are amazing! Along side that you get multiple abilities wish keep the game fresh! Totally gonna play it for a second time. 12 out of 12 people found this helpful. Must own title. This game is amazing. Soundtrack 10/10. Graphics 8.5/10. Story 9/10. This game is extremely challenging but fun. Give it a try. 1 of my favorites. 11 out of 11 people found this helpful. Beatiful Art and Creative story. I've loved this game since the day i started playing it! I've recommended it to lots of people for its breathtaking art and creative story. It's challeging and really fun. 8 out of 8 people found this helpful. Outstanding Ori. It has bbeen soometime since I have played a game that has capttivated me the way this one has. I enjoyed playing through this, and found it hard to stop playing. Even through the most challenging moments, when I failed repeatidly, I perservered. The story was compelling and the gameplay was a fresh and fun, that I could not just turn away. The score is equally as amazing. When you are experiencing an epic part of the story the music builds up and through those moments making them even more spetacular. This is one game I would surely recommend everyone to try. Well done Moon Studios, and thank you for the experience! 7 out of 7 people found this helpful. Truely an amazing game. Has a wounderful story that draws you in with it awstounishing art. The begining of the game is a bit long but its absoulitly worth the watch. 7 out of 7 people found this helpful. One very small problem. Absolutely my favorite game ever with a good plot and fantastic music that really helped with my deppresion and put the biggest smile on my face the whole way through. The only problem is that you have to download the whole game again to play the extra story in the definative edition if you got the regular version. Otherwise, it's perfect in my opinion. 11 out of 13 people found this helpful. Amazing story line. The plot is by far one of the best I've seen. It digs down into the emotions of the player which further improves the story. The puzzles are really fun as well since the game doesn't flat out tell you what everything does so you have to experiment. 8 out of 9 people found this helpful. this game is so beautiful and so much fun and at night it's amazing. you have to try this game. 3 out of 3 people found this helpful. xVx SP3CT3R xVx. How games should be made. Love the challenge, artwork, soundtrack and gameplay. Just perfect. 5 out of 6 people found this helpful. Translate to English. Язык Microsoft Store: United States - English. Вас интересует язык Microsoft Store: Россия - Русский? Перевести на русский. You are shopping Microsoft Store in: United States - English. Are you looking for Microsoft Store in: Россия - Русский? Upgrade offer for Ori and the Blind Forest owners on Xbox One. If you already own Ori and the Blind Forest for Xbox One, you can upgrade to the Definitive Edition of the game for a discounted price. The Definitive Edition enhances the award-winning original release with new content, including new areas and abilities, more story sequences, multiple difficulty modes, fast travel between areas, and more. To upgrade to Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition on Xbox One: From the Xbox Home screen, scroll right to Store . Scroll down and select Search games store . Search for “Ori” and select “Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition Upgrade” from the list of results. On the game description page, select the Buy button, and then complete the purchase. Troubleshooting. If you don’t see the upgrade available, go to My games and apps . Then, under Games , make sure that you see Ori and the Blind Forest. If it's not displayed there, scroll right to Available to install . If you see it there, this means that you own Ori and the Blind Forest. If you don’t see Ori and the Blind Forest installed or available to install, you don’t own it. Someone else using your console and a different account may have purchased it or redeemed the code to download it digitally. Check to see if that account is able to purchase the Definitive Edition at the discounted price. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition on Windows 10 FAQ. Get answers to frequently asked questions about Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition on Windows 10. On this page. You need Windows 10 running version 1511 or later to download and install Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition. Additionally, your device must be running a 64-bit version of Windows 10. If you have a 32-bit version, you will not be able to play Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition. To check if you're running an appropriate version of Windows on your device, see How to find out if a game will work on your Windows device. Yes, you need to have DirectX 9.0c or later installed to play Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition. However, for the best experience, we recommend that you have DirectX 11 or later. To check which version of DirectX is installed on your device, see How to find out if a game will work on your Windows device. The following table lists the minimum, recommended, and ideal configurations for Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition on Windows 10. AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600 2.8GHz. AMD Radeon HD 6570. AMD Radeon HD 6770. AMD Radeon R9 390X. To check if your Windows 10 device has enough available disk space, find out which graphics card is installed, and view other important details about your device, see How to find out if a game will work on your Windows 10 device. Some devices with dual GPUs may show a black screen after loading if you change the resolution. To resolve this, move the mouse to the top or bottom of the screen and this issue will correct itself. We recommend that you check the device specifications first to make sure your device meets the minimum requirements. For more info, see How to find out if a game will work on your Windows 10 device. If you've already purchased the game, you can try adjusting the in-game graphics options. They can usually be found in the settings of the game, under graphics or video . Start with the lowest setting to see if this improves your gameplay. If the game still doesn’t run correctly on your device, you can request a refund within 5 days of purchase. For more information, see the Microsoft Store - Returns page. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition requires a minimum of 11 GB of free hard drive space to download. To check if your device has enough available disk space, see How to find out if a game will work on your Windows 10 device. The download time can vary depending on the speed of your Internet connection. On average, it takes about 1.5 hours to download 11 GB over a 20-megabits per second (Mbps) connection. While you're downloading the game, do not cancel the download or shut down your computer. The Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition tile will appear on your Home screen once the download is complete. Note You may be subject to additional Internet fees while you download the game. If you're experiencing a slow download of the game, try the following: Make sure that you're not downloading more than one game, app, or update at a time. If you have any other devices on your network that might be using bandwidth (for example, streaming a movie), you should pause them until your download has completed. Check for any Windows 10 updates available for your device. Go to Settings and then select Update & security to see if there are any updates available. Troubleshoot potential connectivity issues by visiting the Windows Fix Network Connection issues page. You can use a mouse and keyboard or an Xbox One controller. If you use a controller, you'll need either a USB cable to connect it to your device or an Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows. You'll need a Microsoft account to play Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition. If you already play games on Xbox 360 or Xbox One, you can use the same account you use for those games. For more detail, see the Microsoft account FAQ page. If you’re planning to be in an area with no online coverage, such as a long-distance flight or a sailing excursion, you can prepare your Windows 10 device to allow you to play Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition offline. For details on how to configure your Windows 10 device for offline play, visit Play games offline on Windows 10 using Offline mode. If you play offline, some features, such as the ability to purchase additional items from Microsoft Store, will not be available. Additionally, any leaderboards will be unavailable while you're offline. If you earn any achievements while playing offline, they will sync to your account the next time you sign in to Xbox Live on your device. Your game save progress will also sync when you sign in to Xbox Live. You also won't be able to use the benefits of Xbox Live while offline. See Why should I sign in to Xbox Live with a Microsoft account? below for details. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition on Xbox One and Windows 10 are the same version of the game. This means that you’ll earn achievements on both, and that they’ll carry over between platforms. Game saves will also work cross-platform, meaning that you can start playing on Xbox One and continue playing on Windows 10, and vice versa. You’ll need to be signed in to the same Microsoft account on both Xbox One and Windows 10 for this to work. If you do change platforms, there may be a delay of a few minutes while the saved progress of your game synchronizes. For more information and troubleshooting steps, see Cross play on Windows 10 and Xbox One. You can download and install Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition on up to 10 different Windows 10 devices using the same Microsoft account. When you connect Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition to the Xbox Live service, you get the following benefits while you play on your Windows 10 device. Note You must connect to Xbox Live through the Xbox app to launch Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition. See Do I need to be online or connected to the Internet to play?, above. Stay connected to the Xbox Live community, view achievements, watch game clips, and more. Store your saved games in the cloud and continue playing on a different Windows 10 device right from where you left off. Play with your Xbox Wireless Controller on Windows 10 using the Xbox Wireless Adapter. Easily record, narrate, and share your most epic gaming moments with built-in Game DVR. To launch Game DVR while playing, press Windows logo key + G. To manage your Game DVR settings, launch the Xbox app, go to Settings and select Game DVR . Any game clips that you capture while playing Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition can be accessed via the Xbox app. See Benefits of running the Xbox app while playing a game on Windows 10 for more information.

Ori and the blind forest xbox one

While playing the game, press Left, Up, Right, Down, Up(3), A to randomly change Ori's color. There are many different colors Ori can change to. Alternate saved game icon. Get a 100% completion by discovering all maps, life cells, energy cells, ability cells, light spirit cells, and map pieces. Easy "Elite" achievement. Successfully complete the game without spending any points in the ability tree. It is possible to get all collectibles and secrets without the use of an ability. Easy "Immortal" achievement. There is a short window after the death animation begins and when Ori respawns at the last saved game point. You can quickly quit to the menu. If done correctly, when you resume the game it will not count your death. As long as your respawn count remains zero in the top right corner of the pause screen, you will still qualify for the "Immortal" achievement. Try to use multiple save slots to avoid losing your progress. Easy "Juggle Master" achievement. Later in the game, you can obtain the "Bash" ability. Find one of the two bashable rocks. They are located at Sorrow's Pass and Mount Horu. You must interact with both of them to progress, in order to block sand blasts and lava. Use Bash, and aim Ori down so that the rock goes up. Repeat the process four additional times without allow the rock to hit the ground to get the "Juggle Master" achievement. Easy "Master Guardian" achievement. Collect all 12 health cells to get the "Master Guardian" achievement. The Forlorn Ruins contain one cell which must be collected before you free the wind, as this prevents you from returning later. The remaining 11 cells are in the open area and can be found at any time before you enter Mount Horu. Some will not become available until you have certain skills. All will become available after you have the "Charge Jump" skill. There is an ability which shows cell locations on the map, but some are hidden in secret areas. Easy "Master Of The Forest" achievement. The percentage explored is displayed under each area on the map screen. The secrets found or collectibles obtained will not matter. Visit 100% in all areas to get the "Master Of The Forest" achievement. Map sections that are unexplored appear darkened at the map screen. Note: Certain areas are only accessible by finding secrets. Also, explore the boundaries between map areas to make sure they are counted as explored. Be careful, as you cannot return to the following areas to fully explore after the listed progression: Mount Horu: Once entered, you cannot return to any other part of the map. Ginso Tree: You cannot return after freeing the waters. Misty Woods: You cannot return after removing the veil of darkness. Forlorn Ruins: You cannot return after freeing the wind. Additionally, some of those areas have two paths that take you to the same point. Thus, you must return and take the other path. Easy "No Stone Unturned" achievement. You must find 42 out of the 43 possible secrets to get the "No Stone Unturned" achievement. Secrets are areas that will fade away after Ori passes through them. The following areas have secrets that must be found before you progress far enough and lock yourself out from returning there: Mount Horu: 6 secrets Ginso Tree: 4 secrets Misty Woods: 4 secrets Forlorn Ruins: 3 secrets. The remaining secrets are in the open area and can be found at any time before entering Mount Horu. Some will not become available until you have certain skills. All will become available after you have the "Charge Jump" skill. There is an ability which will shows them as semi-transparent areas. Easy "Powerhouse" achievement. Collect all 15 energy cells to get the "Powerhouse" achievement. The following areas contain cells that must be collected before you progress far enough and lock yourself out from returning there: Mount Horu: 1 cell. Note: You must have 14 cells collected before entering. Ginso Tree: 1 cell Misty Woods: 1 cell. The remaining cells are in the open area and can be found at any time before entering Mount Horu. Some will not become available until you have certain skills. All will become available after you have the "Charge Jump" skill. There is an ability which shows cell locations on the map, but some are hidden in secret areas. Easy "Safe And Sound" achievement. There are Spirit Portals that can be missed after escaping from two areas that cannot be revisited. One of these is in Ginso Tree, and the other is in Forlorn Ruins. Save the game at the portal in both areas before completing them. Easy "World At Your Feet" achievement. One of the map stones is found in Forlorn Ruins and cannot be revisited after escaping from it. There is no fragment in that area. Make sure you have one map fragment available before entering the Forlorn Ruins. Accomplish the indicated achievement to get the corresponding number of Gamerscore points: The Journey Begins (20 points): Complete the Prologue. The Ancient Being (20 points): Meet the Ancient Being. Get back here! (20 points): Discover the character in the shadows. Lets be Friends (40 points): Make an unexpected friend. Rotten Inside (20 points): Enter the Ginso Tree. Run for your Life (60 points): Cleanse the Ginso Tree's Heart. Close call (20 points): Escape a dangerous situation. Obtaining Clarity (30 points): Clear the haze from the Misty Woods. Solid Ground (60 points): Restore the winds of Nibel. Fight to live another day (20 points): Have a close encounter. Top of the World (40 points): Climb to the top of Nibel. Into the Fire (20 points): Enter Mt. Horu. Rekindle (60 points): Fan the flames. Love (20 points): A beloved bond. The Journey Ends (100 points): Complete the game. Life Saver (10 points): Create 50 Soul Links. Deadly Detonation (10 points): Kill 4 enemies simultaneously using Charge Flame. Deadly Deflection (10 points): Kill 25 enemies using Bash to reflect projectiles. A New Path (10 points): Break open 5 shortcuts using the Charge Flame. Choices Choices (10 points): Use your first ability point. Deadly Dash (10 points): Kill 5 enemies with Charge Jump. So many secrets (5 points): Find your first secret. Seasoned Explorer (10 points): Find 50% of all secrets. No stone unturned (25 points): Find all secrets. Marking the way (5 points): Restore your first Map Stone. Halfway There (10 points): Restore 50% of all Map Stones. World at your feet (25 points): Restore all Map Stones. Good Eye (10 points): Find the lost corridor in the Misty Woods. Safe and Sound (20 points): Save at every Spirit Portal. Master of the Forest (10 points): Visit 100% of the map. Power Player (15 points): Collect 200 Energy Shards. Soul Master (15 points): Earn all Efficiency Skills in the Ability Tree. Utility Master (15 points): Earn all Utility Skills in the Ability Tree. Combat Master (15 points): Earn all Combat Skills in the Ability Tree. Phenom (25 points): Earn all skills in the Ability Tree. Powerhouse (20 points): Collect all Energy Cells. Master Guardian (20 points): Collect all Health Cells. Juggle Master (5 points): Juggle a rock 5 times without it hitting the ground. Bash Master (5 points): Bash off enemies 10 times in a row without touching the ground. Deadly Dodge (5 points): Trick 5 enemies into killing another enemy. Flying Fury (5 points): Kill 3 enemies without touching the ground. Self Destruction (5 points): Cause an enemy to destroy itself. Crushing Blow (5 points): Crush a Ram with a Stomper. Stomp Master (10 points): Kill 50 enemies with Stomp. Blast Master (10 points): Kill 100 enemies with Charge Flame. Flame Master (10 points): Kill 500 enemies with Spirit Flame. Supersonic (25 points): Finish the game in under 3 hours. Airborne (10 points): Double Jump 5 times consecutively without touching the ground. Immortal (25 points): Complete whole game without dying. Elite (25 points): Complete the whole game without using an Ability Point.

Ori and the blind forest xbox one

by Sean Engemann. We have seen a resurgence of late with two-dimensional platfomers, from those embracing bit-era technology such as Shovel Knight to others stretching the graphical limits with modern techniques like the renewed Rayman series. Ori and the Blind Forest fits in the latter category and rests at the top of the list. The breathtaking handcrafted environments, sublime musical score, tight controls, and progressively challenging gameplay are weaved into a story that tugs at the heartstrings from the prologue, only strengthening the emotional bond as the journey unfolds. Plucked from the venerable Spirit Tree in the wrath of a great storm, the fledgling spirit Ori is whisked through the forest of Nibel, coming to rest near a sloth-like creature named Naru. A nurturing soul, Naru cares for the lost child as the two form a tender relationship. Heedless to the calls of his true parentage, Ori and his surrogate mother witness a cataclysmic blight that saps the life from the world, decaying the flora, perverting the fauna, and displacing the two in tragedy. Forced to struggle onwards in solitude, Ori's journey shapes into one of maturity and self-reliance. Their separation is disheartening on an emotional level, but it also removes the possibility of symbiotic gameplay between the two physically different characters, which could have provided an interesting juxtaposition. This criticism is quickly dismissed, however, when Ori showcases the breadth of his skills, sure to satiate the thirst of any gamer looking for a challenging platforming experience. Your trek begins with no more than the ability to jump, which itself is only for traversing the environment. You soon discover your first attack - spirit projectiles that hone in on enemies at a relatively close range. As you progress, new skills such as double and triple jumps, charged burst attacks, dash maneuvers, gliding, and more cohere into a stunning amalgamation of tools to challenge both the environment and the denizens within. The game does a masterful job of introducing each new skill and then releasing the reins, allowing you to discover how each power can be manipulated alone or in tandem with other skills. The background gracefully transitions as Ori returns life to the forest, but also delivers a world where every frame feels like one that has been newly crafted, not revisited. Whether its scaling the core of a giant tree, braving lava filled caverns, or gingerly moving through icicle pierced mountains, you'll always find a new configuration of hazards and enemies to best. Controlling Ori and using his skills is as smooth as the flowing animations. Abilities can be canceled into each other, ensuring that each success and failure is decided by your skill alone. The game delivers a beautiful balance of somewhat relaxed exploration heightened with segments of high stress action, which are wholly satisfying when surmounted. A unique and clever feature of Ori and the Blind Forest puts the checkpoint system under your control. Apart from a few fixed Spirit Wells, checkpoints are created through the use of the Soul Link ability. This save skill requires the same energy resource that is used for other abilities, thus challenging your ego on how far you will tempt Ori's resolve before setting down an updated Soul Link. Developer Moon Studios has been upfront about taking inspiration from classic platformers when creating Ori and the Blind Forest , describing its genre as "Metroidvania." Elements from both the Metroid and Castlevania series are readily apparent. The world, for one, is completely connected, save for a few dedicated "dungeons." Opening the map reveals a detailed cross section of Nibel, complete with a legend to identify important sites and items. Explored sections are nicely colored in while uncharted areas remain gray, with special Map Stones revealing new sections when obtained. There is also a steady increase in your maximum energy and life through the acquisition of Energy Cells and Life Cells. Blocked IP Address. Your IP address has been temporarily blocked due to a large number of HTTP requests. The most common causes of this issue are: Using a script or add-on that scans GameFAQs for box and screen images, overloading our search engine Running a "scraper" or "downloader" program that either does not identify itself or uses fake headers to elude detection Using a badly configured (or badly written) browser add-on for blocking content Overusing our search engine with a very large number of searches in a very short amount of time. 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What's New - New games, FAQs, reviews, and more. © 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Ori and The Blind Forest. Latest Stories. Ori and the Blind Forest Soundtrack Coming to Vinyl. The Witcher 3 Wins SXSW 2016 Game of the Year. Ori and The Blind Forest Review. About This Game. Summary Game Editions. Join Ori, the last spirit guardian, as he discovers the mysteries of a dying forest while escaping the evil clutches of Kuro, the dark owl. Play through a beautifully created environment while combating Kuro and completing in-game puzzles to help Ori save the blind forest. Games You May Like. Platformer Xbox One. Latest Videos. Latest Image. IGN.com: Content Team Standards & Practices Send Us News Site Map International: IGN World Map Adria Africa Australia Brazil Benelux Canada China Czech Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary India Ireland Israel Italy Japan Latin America Middle East Norway Pakistan Poland Portugal Romania Russia Southeast Asia Spain Sweden Turkey United Kingdom United States. Copyright 1996-2018 Ziff Davis, LLC An IGN Entertainment Games site. We have updated our PRIVACY POLICY and encourage you to read it by clicking here. IGN uses cookies and other tracking technologies to customize online advertisements, and for other purposes. IGN supports the Digital Advertising Alliance principles. Learn More. Ori and the Blind Forest Review. by Kevin VanOrd on March 9, 2015. The first ten minutes of Ori and the Blind Forest depict a beautiful and soul-crushing story of friendship, selflessness, and loss. They recall the opening minutes of Pixar's Up! in their melancholy, and like in Up! , the introduction provides an emotional foundation for the life-affirming journey that follows. It is a phenomenal opening--a short and wordless tale, playacted by two expressive characters who move with purpose and demonstrate pure affection towards each other. There's a certain elegance to the game's initial sorrow, and it translates to the way you move through this exquisite 2D platformer. Ori and The Blind Forest is, on a fundamental level, structured as so many other platformers are; It springs from the Metroid and Castlevania tradition, gating your progress behind doors that can only be opened once you have learned a particular skill. As the nimble, lemurlike Ori, you leap and flit about with fantastic grace, and as Ori's abilities improve, so do the joys of navigating his world. When you learn how to climb walls, Ori responds wonderfully to subtle movements of the analog stick, allowing you to finesse him into exactly the right place, such as a sliver of stone embedded within a sea of lava. When you earn your double-jump, Ori somersaults like an acrobat and reacts in mid-air to your aftertouch. What a delight to have such fine control over a character this agile. Don't be too distracted by the beauty: The sequence that follows is deadly enough. One by one, you learn new skills, and new challenges arrive with them. Ori can fire energy orbs at nearby foes when he isn't avoiding them completely, and those creatures can be difficult to overcome. The blobs that stick to walls and ceilings? They aren't much of a hassle, at least until they coat the surfaces you need to cross and spit acid onto the ground. They won't let you stay still: You must take advantage of Ori's dexterity, by leaping over acidic pustules, jumping from wall to wall, or putting the other abilities you have to good use. For instance, you ultimately learn how to deflect projectiles, aiming them back at your foes while propelling yourself in the opposite direction. Turning an oncoming ball of fire back towards its owner is fun, but if you don't pay attention, you could thrust Ori into a wall of spikes, or into a crow hovering nearby. Propelling yourself through the sky in this manner becomes one of Ori and the Blind Forest's most vital maneuvers. When you first learn it, you typically use the glowing lanterns that dangle from overhangs. Soon, however, you must fire Ori through treacherous areas replete with fiery spheres and those pesky crows, which hurl towards you as if launched from a slingshot. Timing is crucial, as is quickly determining the safest trajectory that still delivers you to your destination. That mid-air fling is at the heart of one of the game's most thrilling scenes: a difficult escape from roaring tides that swallow you whole should you make a single grievous error. Ancient contraptions provide an air of mystery and wonder. The trial and error this scene and others require can prove frustrating if you prefer to move on to the next area rather than discover, learn, and adapt. I admit to shouting a few expletives when unforeseen circumstances cut my attempts short, falling boulders with crystalline spikes covering their undersides and perilous geysers that spurted from the walls among them. But what a feeling it is to overcome these challenges. The tightly timed retreats that close each chapter are among the finest joys in any platformer--or any game at all--released in recent years. If Ori were clumsy, or if these sequences weren't timed so precisely, these moments would be simply annoying. But in Ori and the Blind Forest, each element harmonizes with every other. If you run into trouble, the game's save system eases the pain. You gather crystals as you play that function as checkpoints, allowing you to determine where you will respawn if you succumb to a bile-spewing frog. You must take care, however, not to drop these crystals everywhere you go, since you can only carry so many. Those pulse-pounding escapes are complemented by moments of quiet bliss. In time, Ori can break his fall with a leafy parachute, gliding across the screen like a flower petal on the wind. During these moments, it's easy to appreciate the game's visual artistry. Multiple layers give each environment a lovely sense of depth. As you cross a log that bridges one tunnel to the next, thick trees rise in the background. Embers and fire crackle behind you, giving your trek across the troubled world a sense of urgency and purpose. Luminescent blue plants alternately close and unfurl with each jump, shining and glittering even as they become your next cause of death. It is a fairy tale come to life, a description that has rightfully earned "cliche" status--yet rarely is the description so apt as it is in Ori and the Blind Forest. This is one of many sequences that combine the glee of motion with a tricky mechanic. It isn't just the vibrant art and lush orchestral soundtrack that furnish a storybook mood. It's also the story, which is infrequently told to you via subtitles, accompanied by a narrator who chants along in an unknown language, in the style of Okami, or Panzer Dragoon Orta. It is a simple fable about the renewal of a ravaged land; It is in the details that you find the delights worth prizing. A critter that absconds with an important artifact gains importance you don't initially expect, revealing loneliness, fear, and tenderness not with words, but with exaggerated bows and nods. If there is any blight on this atmospheric transcendence, it is the frame rate, which occasionally falters, ever so slightly, in the final hours. It's important, however, not to mistake Ori and the Blind Forest for being simply beautiful. It certainly is--but it is also unceasingly clever. It consistently surprises you with new tricks: gravitational divergences, new ways to move through its spaces, and carefully designed levels that require you to think quickly and respond. It is not as snappy as, say, a typical Mario platformer, seeking instead a broader gameplay arc stretching across a single, interconnected world. It's a superb and thematically consistent approach that allows Ori and the Blind Forest to build joy on a bed of heartache, adding a new layer of mechanical complexity with each ray of hope.