Ori and the Will of the Wisps

With Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Moon Studios have realized the full potential of their debut title, and entered the upper echelons of Metroidvania history.

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"Ori and the Will of the Wisps" is a metroidvania-style platformer featuring Ori, a spiritual guardian. The game is set in a beautiful, hand-painted world where players solve puzzles, battle enemies, and acquire new abilities to progress. The narrative follows Ori's journey to uncover the truth about the mysterious Will of the Wisps and protect the forest of Niwen.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 54,986 reviews

story9,077 positive mentions

stability780 negative mentions

story
18,429 mentions
49 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of "Ori and the Will of the Wisps" is widely praised for its emotional depth and beautiful presentation, continuing the heartfelt narrative established in the first game. Players appreciate the game's ability to convey complex emotions through minimal dialogue, relying on stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack to enhance the storytelling experience. While some critiques mention that the story can feel predictable or similar to its predecessor, the overall consensus is that it effectively engages players and leaves a lasting impact, often evoking strong emotional responses.
- “The story is beautifully crafted, filled with emotional moments and impactful storytelling that resonates long after the game is over.”
- “The heart-wrenching story pulled me in with its touching narrative, weaving a tale of friendship, sacrifice, and growth that resonated deeply with my soul.”
- “With its breathtaking atmosphere, engaging gameplay, and heartfelt storytelling, it offers an experience that is as emotionally resonant as it is visually stunning.”
- “The story is incredibly predictable and relatively weightless (despite some dark moments) because of magical resurrection (introduced in the first game but present in this one as well).”
- “The story in this one is a massive step down from the first.”
- “The story feels poorly made, and cobbled together.”
music
12,660 mentions
68 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in "Ori and the Will of the Wisps" has received widespread acclaim for its emotional depth and orchestral beauty, often described as breathtaking and capable of evoking strong feelings. Many players highlight the soundtrack's ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, with specific tracks resonating deeply during key moments, making it a standout feature alongside the stunning visuals and engaging gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a significant improvement over its predecessor, contributing to the game's status as a masterpiece in both art and sound.
- “The music perfectly embodies the spirit of the magical world and adventure you're going through.”
- “The phenomenal art style, animation, and music enhanced the storyline beautifully.”
- “The soundtrack is breathtaking, and it adds so much depth and emotion to the overall gaming experience.”
- “The music feels bland and generic, it all sounds the same.”
- “The soundtrack is a mixed bag: pieces for big fights feel a bit too derivative of the music from the original game, while regular exploration level music is new and sounds very nice.”
- “I still prefer the first game over this one, however the story/ art style and music are still very strong.”
gameplay
11,674 mentions
51 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Ori and the Will of the Wisps" has received widespread acclaim for its smoothness, fluid mechanics, and engaging combat, significantly improving upon its predecessor. Players appreciate the introduction of new abilities and mechanics that enhance exploration and combat, while the stunning visuals and emotional storytelling further elevate the experience. However, some critiques mention that the game can feel overwhelming with its numerous mechanics and that certain gameplay elements may not be as polished, leading to occasional frustration. Overall, it is celebrated as a masterful blend of platforming, combat, and narrative depth.
- “Gameplay feels super smooth and intuitive.”
- “The platforming is amazing with enough challenge to keep things interesting; bash is an absolutely amazing mechanic and fun to play around with once you get the hang of it.”
- “Gameplay is fun and challenging.”
- “I feel like I should like the game, but the mechanics/gameplay just don't feel right somehow.”
- “This unfortunately sets a stopper for my gameplay.”
- “However, the gameplay is somewhat middling and doesn't feel as innovative as the first game did.”
graphics
10,720 mentions
71 % positive mentions
28 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Ori and the Will of the Wisps" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning beauty and artistic design, often described as breathtaking and reminiscent of a living painting. Players have praised the game's vibrant color palettes, fluid animations, and intricate details that enhance the overall immersive experience, making it a visual masterpiece in the platforming genre. The combination of these visuals with a captivating soundtrack and emotional storytelling further elevates the game's appeal, solidifying its status as a standout title in both graphics and gameplay.
- “Creative, variable, fun and super cool platforming, amazing story and dear god, the artstyle and graphics... they are the best I've ever seen, bloody beautiful.”
- “The phenomenal art style, animation, and music enhanced the storyline beautifully.”
- “The graphics are stunning, the world design is beautiful, the music is gorgeous.”
- “Makes me wish my graphics card wasn't pure shit.”
- “The first thing you'll notice is the lackluster graphics, which are a far cry from what was promised in trailers.”
- “But it's not just the visuals that suffer; the gameplay itself feels like a step backward.”
emotional
4,537 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Ori and the Will of the Wisps" is widely praised, with many players noting that the game evokes a strong emotional response, often leading to tears. Reviewers highlight the game's beautiful visuals, captivating soundtrack, and heartfelt storytelling, which together create a deeply immersive experience that resonates with players on a personal level. The narrative is described as both heartwarming and heartbreaking, effectively drawing players into Ori's journey and leaving a lasting emotional impact.
- “To top it off, the storyline is beautiful and touching, making for a gaming experience you won't soon forget.”
- “An incredible game that tells an emotional tale with barely any spoken words.”
- “The stunning visuals and heartfelt story, combined with good gameplay, create an unforgettable experience.”
- “Boring story, but it made me smile.”
- “Touching.”
atmosphere
1,024 mentions
69 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Ori and the Will of the Wisps" is widely praised for its breathtaking visuals, enchanting soundtrack, and immersive world design, creating a magical and emotional experience for players. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to blend serene and dark elements, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay through atmospheric soundscapes and stunning art. Overall, the game is celebrated as a masterpiece of atmosphere, with many considering it a significant improvement over its predecessor.
- “Ori and the will of the wisps excels in creating an atmosphere that is nothing short of magical.”
- “The atmosphere, created by the colours of the scenery, the flowing movement, the simple yet thoughtful dialogue and the progressing story come together to create this basically flawless game.”
- “The music, the atmosphere, the gameplay and story are all top notch.”
- “I had several sound bugs which totally destroyed the atmosphere for me.”
- “The strange animal language used for most characters you come across just seemed out of place, really clashing with the almost spiritual atmosphere the game created.”
- “Ultimately, the thing I missed most while playing was the melancholic, lonely atmosphere.”
stability
812 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a range of bugs and glitches, including frequent freezes, audio issues, and occasional crashes. While some users experienced minimal problems and found the game generally playable, others faced significant technical issues that detracted from their enjoyment. Overall, the game appears to be in need of further optimization and patching to address these stability concerns.
- “To top it off, we live in an age where games are being released riddled with bugs, but this game is so smooth and seemingly bug free.”
- “Virtually bug free, during my playthroughs I have found only a handful of them and they were indeed too minor to fix.”
- “Oh, and after over 50 hours of playing I had no issues with the game, no stuttering, no audio issues, no glitches and crashes.”
- “A really good game, but randomly freezes and crashes, even when I have good enough PC specs.”
- “The majority of my playtime has been waiting out glitches, the game crashing, and screens failing as well as the game over and over again.”
- “This game is a buggy mess.”
optimization
704 mentions
14 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
32 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and audio glitches, particularly on high-end systems. While some users experienced smooth gameplay without major problems, others found the game unplayable due to frequent stutters and crashes, indicating that optimization varies widely depending on hardware configurations. Overall, while patches have improved performance for some, many still feel that the game requires further optimization to reach its full potential.
- “Amazing visuals, nice optimization and addicting story.”
- “The game flowed seamlessly, no stuttering, minimal load times, and runs at a butter smooth fps (mine was not capped so ran at 200+ fps), all in 4k resolution.”
- “This game is excellently optimized, I would never say this game is bad ever, because it is freaking amazing!!!”
- “I wish this game was optimized more and some gameplay focused critique were to be thrown in before release.”
- “So poorly optimized that I couldn't go 2 seconds without going to 2 fps even when lowering resolution to lowest and graphics to lowest it just won't run and my computer is good enough to run the game.”
- “I'd love to play this game, but unfortunately I have to give it a negative review, as I can't seem to get it to run without very serious stuttering that renders it essentially unplayable.”
grinding
377 mentions
2 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding certain sections tedious and frustrating, particularly in terms of navigation and boss fights. While some appreciate the game's beautiful visuals and engaging story, they often note that the need for grinding—whether for upgrades or collectibles—can detract from the overall experience. However, others argue that the game offers enough progression and exploration to minimize the grind, making it less of a chore compared to other titles in the genre.
- “Unfortunately not very replayable except for unlocking achievements - there aren't any things you can do differently to get different outcomes except perhaps not farming as much and only upgrading skills that you want to use all the time.”
- “It has different playstyle options (weapons and abilities to equip and upgrade) and it's not that hard to 100%, almost no luck involved, which actually is very good, as there's no grinding at all.”
- “However, it is not tedious at all; on the other hand, it serves to make players feel how far they have come as Ori would be able to reach places he could not before, illustrating a well-designed learning curve.”
- “The game was tremendously tedious and boring anyway.”
- “I think the escape sequence and bosses are so tedious and boring, that it made me forget about the story of the game, it dragged for so long that I just lost interest in the story.”
- “You know what to do (a certain series of jumps, say, or projectile re-directions), but actually doing it is really grindy and time-consuming and not at all fun.”
replayability
268 mentions
33 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The replayability of the Ori series is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while the games offer a rich experience filled with collectibles, side quests, and challenges, the overall replay value is limited. Some players appreciate the additional mechanics and difficulty settings in "Ori and the Will of the Wisps," which enhance replayability, while others feel that once the game is completed, there is little incentive to return. Overall, the games are praised for their engaging gameplay and beautiful design, but they may not provide enough variety for extensive replay sessions.
- “With a plethora of collectibles, side quests, and secrets to uncover, *Ori and the Will of the Wisps* offers substantial replay value.”
- “The depths of specialization this game has really add a lot of replay value.”
- “New moves, new weapons, tons of challenges and quests to complete, there's a lot of replay value for those who want to challenge themselves for speedrunning and the likes.”
- “Unfortunately not very replayable except for unlocking achievements - there aren't any things you can do differently to get different outcomes except perhaps not farming as much and only upgrading skills that you want to use all the time.”
- “Unless you are a trophy hunter or like speedrun challenges, there is basically zero replayability here.”
- “The game doesn't really have any replayability since it feels more like a chore if you decide to play it through the second time.”
humor
164 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted, with players enjoying the quirky characters, particularly the adorable and funny Moki, who provide comic relief throughout the story. Many reviews mention moments that made them laugh out loud, alongside the game's ability to balance humor with emotional depth, creating a memorable experience. Additionally, some amusing bugs and glitches added to the overall lightheartedness, making the gameplay even more entertaining.
- “The characters and the story made me laugh and cry several times.”
- “Several times I found myself laughing out loud; I was enjoying it so much.”
- “The moki in particular were adorable and funny, and provided some much-needed comic relief through dialogue.”
- “If this were to persist, well, we'd have some sort of unfunny, boring universe.”
- “Not funny”
- “Not funny”
character development
142 mentions
49 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising the emotional depth and nuanced relationships between characters, particularly with spirit companions, while others noted that character development remains limited. Many reviews highlight the improvement in character design, with a greater variety of memorable and unique characters contributing to the overall narrative. Overall, the game is recognized for its beautiful art and storytelling, which enhance the character development experience.
- “Not only the number of characters increased, every new character has a solid role and character development in the plot.”
- “The nuanced character development and the connection forged with the spirit companions, the wisps, evoke a genuine emotional investment from the player.”
- “Tons of emotion, no wasted narrative space, meaningful plot and character development in sync with the plot and gameplay.”
- “Character development is limited but cute.”
- “The weapons and merchant NPCs disturbed the immersive storytelling, while the lack of character development and distasteful ending make this supposedly sequel disappointing for me.”
- “But the character design is not that unique (if I can't say not original) and most of them look dull.”
monetization
20 mentions
10 % positive mentions
10 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively, as it features no microtransactions, loot boxes, or additional accounts, allowing players to enjoy a straightforward gaming experience. However, some users express concerns about a perceived cash grab feel and misleading advertising regarding game content. Overall, the absence of common monetization pitfalls is appreciated, but there are lingering doubts about the game's value and integrity.
- “No microtransactions, no lootboxes; just love, passion, and incredible talent.”
- “Moon Studios - in a world of microtransactions, grinding, and flash-in-the-pan mobile gaming, your games are a continual reminder of why gaming is beautiful and why we all fell in love with it in the first place.”
- “If the game is bad, it's a rip-off cash grab.”
- “But the biggest problem is definitely bugs and the cash grab feel of the game; I doubt anyone can deny.”
- “We live in an age where single player games are rarely impressive or exceed our expectations due to their overcharged price, lack of content, technical problems, or microtransactions, etc. Sequels even more so.”