![]() Where Wisps improves on its predecessor is combat. The individual levels are magnificent in isolation - there’s a sand-themed region that makes terrific use of a new burrowing power - but I think of the ideal metroidvania as one in which the world expands with my move set, and Wisps feels a bit too modal in its structure. It’s akin to getting a cool new piece of equipment in Zelda and then never needing it after that specific dungeon. If I have one major criticism about Wisps, it’s that many of Ori’s moves are only truly useful in the areas where players obtain them. There’s an underwater level that’s an absolute pleasure because jetting through the currents hits an improbable balance of speed and precision. Even swimming, the worst part of nearly any other game, feels effortless here. Somehow the process of maneuvering this extremely nimble protagonist through complicated jungle gyms, often executing multiple special abilities in quick succession without touching the ground, is smooth and natural. I generally hate controlling side-scrolling platformers with an analog stick, yet these Ori games make it work. I repeat, Ori now has a grapple, and it’s as additive to the base mechanics as it sounds. It’s joined by a midair dash, an underwater boost, and a grapple. His signature “bash” technique – in which he can deflect himself from projectiles – is as unique and tactile as ever, serving the dual purpose of redirecting enemy attacks and allowing Ori to fling himself to higher places. Expelling the dark forces from Niwen again involves morphing Ori into an acrobatic powerhouse, and nearly every move added to his arsenal contributes to his mobility. Thankfully, Wisps is as much of a joy to play as its predecessor. But it’d be difficult not to get caught up in developer Moon Studios’ beautifully-realized spell even if Wisps was otherwise mediocre. In less capable hands, the many moments of heavy emotional payoff might come across as cheap and cloying, but the presentation totally sells it. I can’t credit the Ori games for telling particularly complex or nuanced stories, though – at the end of the day, they’re about an irresistibly cute woodland creature fending off nebulous forces of evil. I typically play metroidvanias with the sound off, but couldn’t bear to separate myself from the incredible audio here. He sets the perfect mood throughout and gives each portion of the world its own memorable melody. Gareth Coker, who composed one of the greatest videogame soundtracks of all time in the previous title, somehow surpasses his own work here. ![]() Wisps is colorful and exquisitely animated, melding 2D and 3D so seamlessly that it’s difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. To get the obvious out of the way, Niwen is an audiovisual feast. Ori finds himself stranded in Niwen, a forest suspiciously similar to the previous one, complete with another giant murderous bird whose destructive tendencies may or may not be explained by some past trauma. Ori is out flying with the owlet who survived Blind Forest’s ending when the two get caught in a storm and separated. Wisps begins similarly, in which misfortune rapidly befalls a happy family unit, though thankfully no one dies this time. It’s a worthy follow-up that’s every bit as gorgeous, fluid and emotionally ravaging as its predecessor. ![]() Its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, is the lesser game only because it didn’t come first. Ori and the Blind Forest is probably my favorite metroidvania of the generation. WTF How is the music even better this time? LOW Some of the new abilities don’t have broad use. ![]() HIGH A real tearjerker of a final reveal. ![]()
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