Ori and the Blind Forest

Story

Ori is a young guardian spirit who lives with his adoptive mother Naru in the forest of Nibel. After a catastrophic storm withers the forest and leads to the death of Naru, Ori goes on a mission to find the elements of Water, Warmth and Wind to restore the forest, and meets many friends and foes along the way.

Why we chose it

A beautifully drawn scenic game, a challenging quest with a satisfying narrative

Where it came from

Mahler and Korol both love the productions of Studio Ghibli, in particular the 1997 production Princess Mononoke. They also love The Lion King and The Iron Giant, and feel that these stories, like that of Ori, are ‘coming-of-age stories’. The games they find most inspiring are the Rayman and Metroid franchises, and Ori and the Blind Forest is described as a ‘metroidvania’ game. Metroidvania is a portmanteau derived from two other game franchises – Metroid and Castlevania, and games described as such feature similar principles of gameplay and mechanics.

Where it went next

The game won over 30 awards, including a Golden Joystick for Best Xbox game, a SXSW Gaming Award for Excellence in Musical Score, and a Bafta Choice Award for Artistic Achievement. It was also nominated for almost 30 more, including a D.I.C.E for Game of the Year.

After the 2015 release of Ori and the Blind Forest for Xbox One and PC, it was released for Nintendo Switch in 2019. orithegame.com

Associated stories

A direct sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, was first announced in 2017 and released in March 2020.