Having just picked this up a day ago, I’m not comfortable enough calling this an all-out review, but since it’s on the forefront of list of things I want to talk about, here we are.
The graphics are gorgeous. While I fall willingly into the “Yes” camp in the video-games-as-art argument, anyone still unconvinced need only look to Ori. Developed by Moon Studios, Ori’s animation is a beautiful blend of influences – Pixar, Studio Ghibli, even Don Bluth – every inch of the screen given over to life through the Narrator’s language, the use of color, environment, character movement and emotion, hinted history, and sound. Even the translated words are handled with care, these “subtitles” at times becoming a subtle placement of wind, at others, the text within a children’s storybook. Rarely am I immediately enthralled by any enterprise regardless of medium, but Ori struck my senses so completely and so quickly, already I feel as though I’ve missed some part of the experience during my short time in. Not since Shadow of the Colossus (and, by extension, Ico) have I been so feverish about a game.
Gameplay is a platforming mix. Early hours remind me of Metroid in its exploration versus barred-until-ability navigation. Though others have certainly come before and after, gameplay is reminiscent of Mark of the Ninja and Super Meat Boy, of all things, comparisons spawned by controls, responsiveness, quickness, and unlocked skills. I’m sure better examples exist, but it’s late and I’m struggling to find them. I’ve read the game becomes brutal in its difficulty down the line, but a handful of hours in, I have yet to experience this. While not a wholly apt genre relation, there are some RPG elements in the form of a skill tree with three branches allowing some uniqueness between experiences. Perhaps this is more customization than true RPG. Again: late.
Lastly, one final love. I’m a big fan of world-building, as I’ve mentioned before. Even if the fleshing-out of a place never fully comes, the hint of is enough to keep me chasing that bait. Ori is proving a wonderful fantasy experience with sci-fi leanings, strange artifacts and ancient monuments just begging to have their histories told through the delving of every nook and cranny. Only a handful of times have I gunned to 100% a game and unearth all its secrets, but I can absolutely see me doing so here.
Already I wish I could start my time with Ori over again and approach it anew. At $20, it’s a must. I’d have easily paid double and considered it a steal. A must play.
a review of this 