Ori and the Blind Forest (Xbox One/Win10/Switch) - Switch version out now.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:09 pm
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: Moon Studios
Formats: Xbox One, Windows 10 & Nintendo Switch.
Release Date: Definitive Edition March 11th 2016 for Xbox One and April 27th 2016 for Windows 10/PC. Original version came out 10 March 11th 2015 for Xbox One. 27th September 2019 for Nintendo Switch.
Price: £15.99ish.
Switch - https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/o ... on-switch/
Xbox One - https://store.xbox.com/en-US/Xbox-One/G ... 810990a8ee
Steam page - http://store.steampowered.com/app/261570/
Size: 9.8 GB on Xbox One.
What's new in the Definitive Edition?
New story content - Discover the origins of Ori’s adoptive parent Naru.
New environments - Explore two new areas of Nibel, Black Root Burrows and Lost Grove, each with a new visual presentation and play mechanics.
Two new abilities - Dash and Light Burst.
Additional music tracks - New tracks by the original game’s composer Gareth Coker.
Gameplay/technical Improvements - Fast travel, improved backtracking, ability to continue to playing after completing the game and full 21:9 widescreen support for PC.
Added difficulty modes - Play through the game on a new easy mode or, if seeking a greater challenge, tackle the new hard and “one life” difficulty modes.
New making of video content.
Reviews (For the original version)
Gamespot 9
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.
http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ori-and ... 0-6416053/
IGN 8.5
Bigger and tougher than it looks, Ori and the Blind Forest is a beautifully realized, brilliantly designed, and at times brutally difficult sylvan Metroidvania-style platformer with enough charm to leave a lasting impression. It's often frustrating and sometimes confusing, but its spectacular platforming, memorable world, and engrossing story wash those concerns away.
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/03/10/o ... est-review
Polygon 9
Ori and the Blind Forest is a rare realization of fantastic design and production values in a space where I wasn't expecting to find it, displaying a spectacular level of confidence in what it is and what it does. And here's where we come back to wishing I hadn't reviewed it as quickly as I had to. It's a game that provides so much to explore and appreciate, and I would have liked to have taken just a little more time than I was able.
http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/9/8180595 ... box-one-PC
Destructoid 9.5
From a mechanical standpoint, Ori and the Blind Forest isn't an evolution of the genre, and you've seen most of what's on offer here before. But aesthetically it's in a league of its own, and everything it does, it does well. If you're looking for a metroidvania, I'd consider this a new classic.
I wish Moon Studios the best of luck on its next project. I'm looking forward to it.
http://www.destructoid.com/review-ori-a ... 8779.phtml
USGamer 4 out of 5
While it stumbles over its own ambition far more than it should, Ori and the Blind Forest bursts with both detail and passion. At times it's less a game you play than one you force your way through despite your better judgment, but the parts where it all works together make it worth the pain. And wow, does it look good.
http://www.usgamer.net/articles/ori-and ... is-cruelty
Gamesradar 4 out of 5
Equal parts charm and challenge, Ori and the Blind Forest makes some harsh demands but pays off with its stellar presentation. Its atmosphere is phenomenal, with the kind of universal appeal that's rarely found in games - from the way the backgrounds feel like living environments, to the uplifting music and touching cinematic moments. Completing Ori's six-to-nine-hour journey will certainly leave you feeling warm, fuzzy, and accomplished - just be ready to dig in for some particularly trying segments.
http://www.gamesradar.com/ori-and-blind-forest-review/
Gameinfomer 9.5
Ori and the Blind Forest is one of the best games of the year, and should be a no-brainer for anyone looking for an exciting new adventure to dive into. That said, it comes with a warning: Expect to be humbled by its difficulty. Death comes quickly. Over and over, you’re going to watch an adorable little creature perish because you had a moment of indecision or your skills failed you. Again, nothing about this experience feels unfair. Some of the long scripted sequences are enormously challenging – to the point that you’ll likely repeat every swear word that you know.
My wife periodically poked her head into my game room to ask if I was having a nervous meltdown, but I instead told her that I haven’t had this much fun with a game in a long time.
http://www.gameinformer.com/games/ori_a ... death.aspx
Kotaku YES
Ori and the Blind Forest isn't amazing. It's not bad, either. Again, it's just...pleasant. It's an endearing diversion of a video game that's very difficult to say anything negative about. Does that mean you should play it? Sure, by all means. Use it, like I did, as a palate cleanser between the other, bigger games that demand more of your time and energy. Or play it for a few hours of good solid fun in its own right. Just don't expect it to change your life along the way.
http://kotaku.com/ori-and-the-blind-for ... 1690445610
Venturebeat 9.5
I loved every second of Ori and the Blind Forest. It’s as fun as it is pretty, which is an incredible achievement when its one of the most gorgeous games I’ve ever seen. If you’ve ever enjoyed a 2D sidescroller, you’ll definitely appreciate what developer Moon Studios has done here.
If you’re a fan of Metroidvania-style games, you’ll find an experience that easily joins the ranks of Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night.
http://venturebeat.com/2015/03/09/ori-a ... per-proud/
Gamesided 9
Ori and the Blind Forest, even in its early 2015 release, is already a strong game of the year candidate. Exquisite is its composition, as the hot-cold pacing of exciting platforming action mixed with thought-enticing puzzles and exploration is a sought after quality. Small blemishes in replayability and rare framerate dips should not overshadow the bigger picture, as players can expect to be fully immersed in a somber, yet enrapturing world full of wonder.
http://gamesided.com/2015/03/09/ori-and ... s-eternal/
89% on metacritic - http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one ... ind-forest
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