Absolutely Star Struck.

I went into this game with little to no expectations. I didn't even play the Blind Forest before going into this game, this was just meant to be a fun time killer for me, but this game managed to become one of my favorite games ever.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps might be the most beautiful game ever put to screen and I truly don't think it's close. This game has such a unique and awe inspiring art style that allows for amazing environments and world design. Ori also manages to use this art style to tell a story that genuinely made me cry without a single word being said. Now you add amazing metroidvania level design, fun platforming, boss fights, and combat and you have one of the greatest games ever made.

With excitement everything is an adventure

There are two types of sequel installment in video games, one is where they were planned from the start, with scripts stretching to thousands of pages like the Mass Effect trilogy. And the other one such as The Last of Us or Life is Strange, creating a more spontaneous sequel, purely thanks to the success of the first game. Having found a golden goose on your hands, it seems reasonable to bet on a successful franchise rather than risk starting with a new one. Ironically, this often has the opposite effect of the desired one, that sometimes it is very difficult to continue a story that has already ended. Even if the ending offers possibilities, it ultimately stands in its rightful place. There is no need to scribble or convert them into commas because those full stops are made to provide perfect play.

Ori and the Blind Forest is one of the first title that blew up in metroidvania genre, it's a beautiful and amazing game. Its success sparked a new wave of similar genres, including the likes of Hollow Knight and Dead Cells. After the success of Ori and the Blind Forest and winning awards, Moon Studios finally release the sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Ori and The Will of The Wisps continues the ending of the first game's story. Ku, Kuro's son who is the main enemy in the Blind Forest is now adopted by Naru and Gumo. Because his wings were damaged from birth, Ku was unable to fly like other birds. With the help of his mother's wings that Ori had used in previous adventures, Ku tested his new wings with Ori. Unfortunately, because of the storm, the two of them had to be separated and had to find each other and find their way home.

The story telling of the Will of The Wisps could be said kinda similar to the Blind Forest, this can be considered a positive or negative thing depending on your opinion. However, in this second game, more characters fill Ori's adventure. The majority are some kind of merchant which is a shame but many of them provide their own backgrounds and their influence on the world around them, giving the game a "denser" story and not just about Ori and his responsibilities. Despite being a new character with the background of being the antagonist's son, Ku is a good character to the point of being a motivational driver for you to finish the game. Ori and Ku may have very little interaction, but you will be made to feel cared for like your brother. So when he is hurt by the new antagonist, you feel his revenge. But it turns out that the antagonist also has his own background, creating a feeling of sympathy when you have to fight him. Even with the lack of dialogue in the game, Moon Studios has again succeeded in creating a story that feels like an emotional roller coaster.

The first game is already a pleasant experience with the presentation mainly visual and audio, the second game is basically an upgraded and enhanced version and that is a good thing to appreciate. Moon Studios has once again proven that the Unity engine can provide stunning visual quality like a painting. Now, Ori's character and the environment around him look more alive with a very touching character. Ori's adventure in the new, darker jungle feels very tense and gradually touches towards the end of the game. By mixing and matching bright and dark colors on the same screen, Moon Studios succeeded in creating an atmosphere that matches the theme of the story. And the same can be said with the audio. Ori is not a game with a lot of dialogue peppered with good voiceovers. However, the telling of the story feels even deeper thanks to the melancholic music that accompanies it. Moon Studios is very skilled at placing background music at the right moment. When the atmosphere is relaxed, you will find background music that soothes your heart. Likewise, in tense situations, you will be treated to music that will stimulate your adrenaline. Huge props to Gareth Coker for making phenonemal and melancholic soundtracks that truly depicts the sadness behind the beauty of the game's setting back to back.

Now for the main aspect that is probably made huge difference between the two games and that is the gameplay. Ori and the Blind Forest is a game that has inspired many other developers to make similar games. Team Cherry admitted that they created Hollow Knight because they were inspired by Ori. Now, the same thing is happening again, where Hollow Knight actually becomes the inspiration that gives rise to many new ideas to be injected into Ori and the Will of the Wisps. If the Blind Forest focuses on difficult platforming with a few combat moments in it then the Will of The Wisps is more of a 50:50 of the two. Combat now no longer just uses spirits, but Ori now has its own fighting system. Starting with a regular attack that resembles a sword, slowly but surely you will continue to add to your skill set from exploration or buying it directly from the merchant. This is different from the first game where you can only initiate limited movesets. Now here comes the biggest change in the game, the yellow spirits you get while playing no longer function like EXP, but are currency in the second game which can later be used to buy skills or shards which are passive buffs in this game. With a new directions that add more action, the combat system in the game is not groundbreaking and the majority of your time will just be spent spamming the attack button but each hit feels very satisfying because of the particle effects and sound effects that come out when your attacks hit the enemy. When you have all the skills, you can do the wildest possible combos by switching skills between the 3 action buttons, or if you're too lazy, you can always rely on the main attack.

Platforming in the sequel can be said to be easier than the prequel. Comparing it to the prequel, the adventure or platforming sessions in this game are made much easier and forgiving. Ori will not immediately die if hit by thorns or a pool of poison so you still have a chance to find a safe place.
Ori's movements in this game feel much more flexible and agile so the exploration process itself feels very enjoyable. However, you still have to be careful because the world has many traps and secrets that are invisible to the eye. In essence, your brain, eyes and fingers must work in synergy with each other in order to overcome the various obstacles that exist. While being easier could be a bad thing for many players as well as a long-time fans, i appreciate the new design that Moon Studios did on this sequel. The game may not be as difficult as before but it is still challenging because the level design is still tricky to pass.

Is Ori and the Will of the Wisps more of the same as last time? In a way, one can answer yes, but the correct answer is rather that the game is a further polish and perfection of an already magnificent concept. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a game that you will delight in for its beauty and magnificent game mechanics, and possibly bring you to tears for its sadness and melancholy. Moon Studios managed to take the experience of the previous game and make the sequel even better. It is a game that offers even more variety than its predecessor, and if you play on PC, you are also guaranteed a game that flows well and never ceases to surprise you when it comes to the visual presentation.

This sequel expands on the metroidvania elements of the original and adds smooth combat to the effortless platforming. The collectibles, challenges, and exploration are thoroughly engaging, and the overall vibe is quite relaxing. That said, there were some moments where my failure felt frustrating rather than motivating. Like the first Ori, this game's story tries to double-dip on emotional beats in a way which minimizes their overall impact. Individual characters however are charming and humorously written. Although the game is often visually stunning, the excessive bloom/glow on everything occasionally creates a confusing visual maelstrom. A highly enjoyable game, but not quite a masterpiece.