Last year with the launch of Ori and the Blind Forest on the Xbox One and PC, Moon Studios not only managed to win the hearts of many gamers but also set new standards for the side-scrolling exploration platformer genre. This year Moon Studios look to further polish the experience with the release of Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition, this new package has lot to offer which is bound to impress new as well as older fans.
What’s New
It is rare to see a developer get an opportunity to go back and re-visit their game and make changes based on player feedback after launch on consoles. Moon Studios took the opportunity seriously to craft and makes changes to an already amazing game that was Ori and the Blind Forest to make it even better . New abilities and areas are seamlessly integrated into the base game and can be accessed from the ‘Spirit Wells’ in the game.
The Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition offers two new areas for players to explore. The first being Black Root Burrows which challenges the player in a new way, throughout this area darkness prevails and you would have to use the light around Ori and certain objects to navigate throughout the area. This new area not only adds a new layer of challenge but once again highlights the art and design of Ori and the Blind Forest’s environment. After completing this area players will acquire a new ‘dash’ ability, which does exactly what the name suggests, letting Ori cover short distances with a quick dash.
Lost Grove is another new area added to the Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition. It is very different from the Black Root Burrows not only in its aesthetics, but the gameplay also varies considerably, adding more freshness to the game. This new area also introduces a new ability called ‘Light Burst’ which itself is a necessary ability if you desire to explore the area properly. This ability can be used to hurt enemies or solve puzzles and even combined with other abilities to create new and impressive combinations.
Besides adding more depth to gameplay these areas also develop on certain sub plots in the game such as providing more information and cutscenes on why Naru helped Ori in the beginning of the game. These additions expand the heart-touching story of Ori and the Blind Forest and give the player another reason to appreciate this masterpiece.
Another new feature that Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition introduces is that it allows players to choose the difficulty level. For the seasoned Ori players, you now have one life difficulty, where you are only given one chance to beat the game and for the ones who will be visiting Ori’s universe for first time, an Easy option has also been added, making the game more accessible than earlier.
Conclusion
Ori and the Blind Forest was one of the best experiences I have had in this generation and to see the game being updated with new content only enhances that experience. It tells an emotional tale which is going to live with players for a long time. Whether you are a fan of platformers or not, Ori and the Blind Forest is a must buy because it is just so good.
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Images used in this article are supplied by Microsoft.
