Ori and the Blind Forest

Released in 2015, two years ahead of the original Hollow Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest feels like the mirrorworld version of Team Cherry’s game. Both are beautiful, but Ori‘s art is next-level, the sumptuous animation and painted backgrounds deliberately reminiscent of the art of Hayao Miyazaki. It’s constantly breathtaking to look at, and if we lived in a Star Trek episode, Ori would be the version we know while Hollow Knight would be the mustachioed evil version from a mirror dimension.

In Ori, you play as the titular orphaned fox-like spirit creature, raised by a creature called Naru who then tragically dies after an event causes the forests to wither and food supplies to disappear. The tear-jerking opener sets Ori up to venture out into the forest, teaming up with a ball of light called Sein to save the realm from its blight. The result is a game that emphasizes exploration over combat, while still offering plenty of the latter. Ability points can be assigned as you prefer, while checkpoints can be created wherever you wish (so long as you have the energy cells required), letting you tailor Ori to your preferred style, while still gaining skills that let you explore previously locked off regions. And, rather crucially, after 2016’s Definitive Edition you can do all this at different difficulty levels.

The game’s Normal mode offers a decent level of challenge without being grueling, while the Easy option makes for a game where the focus is squarely on exploring, and combat is mostly an aside. Then of course there’s Hard for those looking for a tougher time, and the ridiculous One Life mode for those wanting the ultimate challenge.

2020 saw a sequel, the equally lovely Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which repeats the magic with new twists, plus another emotionally powerful story. Both are extraordinary games, well worth getting, available on pretty much every device and bundled together with a ten percent discount on Steam.