Not a fan and can't really recommend it. This is NOT a cute cyberpunk cat game 😒

I guess, I expected a nice 3D platformer in a sci-fi/cyberpunk setting with a cat. The cat is there, it is a 3D platformer, it is set in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi world, but the game is not "nice", for a couple of reasons.

First, I really didn't like the amorphous body-horror style mutant goo (the zurks). It's disgustingly graphic and unessential for the rest of the story. I believe that it's there only for the cheap thrills of chase and jump-scares. It's just my opinion, but I believe that if the game didn't have zurks and only dealt with abandoned cityscapes and good and bad robots/drones, it would be a better game.

Even setting zurks aside, while playing I constantly felt that the game has a lot of unrealized potential. There are two good areas: the slums and the midtown. There you can freely explore, enjoy the environment, interact with NPCs, and get some quests. The rest of the levels are completely linear, you run while being chased, or do some primitive platforming with a few optional collectibles. Platforming is not interesting because jumping is not free, you need to look at a place and when there is a marker, you can jump. There is some puzzle platforming, but it's very simple and feels more like a chore than a problem to solve.

I liked the world (except zurks), the potential in the characters and the story, but besides that I feel like I wasted my time on it. I wish it was either much shorter, or deeper: more explorable areas, optional quests changing the storyline, challenging puzzles and characters that you would care about.

The game is short, cute, and fun. Item gathering and application is very straightforward, and you never get lost not knowing what you are supposed to do. Puzzles vary a lot and while there were a few that weren't easy to solve, for most of them you don't really need to stop and think of a solution. You can just try different ways, retry, figure it out on the way, or just stumble upon a solution. Story-wise it feels like the game had much more potential, sort of like Gravity Falls, but has been cut short (especially the fast-forward part towards the end). It also reminds me of Tohu, same sort of cuteness and similar complexity level (but different kind of puzzles).

Very stylish, even cinematic. The story is great and has a lot of well-built suspense and unexpected plot twists. Skill-wise the game is not easy, but also quite forgiving. You can often solve the room in different ways, and while you need to be quick and use your abilities, you also need to think a bit and plan. If you fail, the retries are quick and each segment is not too long, so many retries don't feel tedious. The game feels very well-made, with a lot of details. The only downside is that it's very linear, there is zero exploration and although dialogue options influence interactions and the plot a bit, you are forced to choose them quickly, so it still feels like you're locked on the rails. Overall an awesome game that leaves a very strong memorable impression!

A pretty well-balanced puzzle game. It has two levels: main story where you move through the different parts of the game world, collect some items and use them to unlock more of that world, and some pure puzzle rooms where you solve a problem with a set of different mechanics in a sandbox setting. The items-related part might be a bit too easy because it's always obvious which item should be used where and which you need to find to unlock something.

I quite liked the world exploration: it's not completely linear, and you can run around between a few connected areas to unlock all puzzles and pieces of the storyline. Sandbox puzzles vary in difficulty, some are too easy and get solved in seconds, others are more interesting and made me think and try a few times. I wish the game had a bit more of the challenging puzzles, at least as optional challenge.

The story is a bit melancholic, but leaves you with hope and touches some deep topics. All this with some very nice, even cute narration.

P.S. the game should have been named "Forlorn". It's a cool word and is used a lot in the game

This is a near-perfect metroidvania for me. It's fun to explore, get lost, backtrack, unlock new abilities and rediscover how you can interact with each of the many diverse environments. Upon completion, I got a very satisfying feeling of accomplishment and well-spent time.

I'm a slow player, but it took me around 15h to 100% the map and get all achievements that are available on the first play-through. At first, I thought it's a pity that the map doesn't have markers, but in the end I was able to get all collectibles and discover all secrets without getting bored with repetitive backtracking or looking up online guides. Once you unlock some abilities or beat some "bosses", it becomes easier to traverse other environments, which makes it faster and less boring to go back and get some collectibles that were unavailable before.

The game is pretty well-balanced in my opinion: there were plenty of challenges that required multiple attempts and a combination of puzzle-solving with precision, but it was never so hard that I would rage-quit. I also liked chase challenges instead of boss-fights, just a personal preference, but it was more fun and less anxiety for me.

I usually play several games in parallel, depending on the mood, but once I started Ori, I couldn't stop until I finished it. Surprisingly, this wasn't because of an engaging story, but because of the fun gameplay and overall very enjoyable experience. I think the story-telling just didn't click with me (the god-like tree talking), but the animation in cut-scenes was amazing, just like watching a professionally made short animated film. The animation in the game itself is beautiful, it has an original style, detailed backgrounds and interesting character designs. I played it on a Steam Deck, but always connected it to the big TV screen to enjoy the visuals in details. And to just add to the complete experience, there is a beautiful, elaborate soundtrack, it really creates a great atmosphere and doesn't get old after playing for a while.

P.S. the "Definitive Edition" has a fascinating collection of early prototype sketches and videos of early development. It was fun to watch after playing the game and astounding to see the progress from ideation to the final result.