Ori In The Blind Forest — An Imaginative Explorer
The world taking place in Ori in the Blind Forest is one that immerses the player in an all out adventure. The game is packed with action and a sense of drama as in the beginning of the game, the player begins by taking control of a guardian spirit named Ori who was orphaned after falling from the tree it lived in. Your goal as is to explore the forest and to inevitably save it by preventing a deadly decay from taking over everything.
This game was striking to me because of its beauty, story line, and mechanics. The aesthetic of the game is bright and glowing, creatures of light and dark take over the screen as the player must use their skills to triumph. The contrast makes for a really unique map filled with effects that caught my eye and carried my attention. While navigating the map, there are multiple moves and skills needed to unlock doors and essentially complete puzzles that will allow Ori to further his progress in saving the forest. Many of these skills are unlocked using an ability tree mechanic that allows the player more freedom in the world and more capabilities when it comes to moving and defeating enemies. In addition to this mechanic, Ori moves and attacks in a very specific way, very light and almost graceful just as the character seems to be.
Some of the main choices I had to make in this game were which way to go in the map and which skills to level up before others. I liked having these choices because in a less intense way, it reminded me of playing Skyrim and having access to many different abilities at once, leaving it up to me to deem which were most important at that point in the game. I found being able to have some freedom in the map is something I like because it really adds to the sense of adventure the game advertises.
Overall, Ori And The Blind Forest made me feel as though I was a part of a magical world where my existence was essential to save the rest of my kind. It made me think about how certain games like this make the player’s character the most important part of the game, even before defeating an enemy or saving another character. I liked the skill tree mechanic because it made me feel as though I had to work to really excel at the game and to be able to complete my goal. The game does an excellent job an putting the player into a unique and fun world where although there are clear goals, you still have power over what happens.
