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LTTP: Ori and the Blind Forest - just wow (spoilers)

grmlin

grmlin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,309
Germany
Ok,
another lttp I have to get off my chest.

I played through this masterpiece the last week, it took me about 15hrs I think and I absolutely loved it. I had it sitting in my steam library for a while now, but I just don't play on my PC anymore. Thank god I bought an Xbox...

Spoilers ahead!!!

Art
IT LOOKS SO GOOD. It's beautiful, and even with games that are more impressive technically, it's one of my favorites this gen!
And the music!!!

Story
The story was fantastic! I showed my 7 year old son the beginning and he cried when Naru died. He kept asking me every morning what happened last night when I played it. I had to tell him everything.
Even I, a grown "old" man, had a lump in my throat when Ori gave his life (?) in the end, changing Kuros mind. Just wonderful all around.

Gameplay
I played many platformers and metroidvanians the last years. I didn't finish a single one. Ori on the other hand felt fucking perfect. I have no intent to replay it anytime soon to get some of these insane trophies left, but I had a hell of a great time playing it.
The jumping, the challenge, the well timed introduction of new mechanics. All in all perfect for me.
Only the escape sequences were maybe a little too much. Especially the first one felt like hitting a wall with a truck. That's what I call a difficulty spike. The instant respawn made the difference though and I couldn't go to bed until I made it.

I played through it on normal.


Now I can't wait for the sequel! In the meantime: Celeste here I come!
 
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Dancrane212

Dancrane212

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,962
Such an amazing game. Nailing the Ginso Tree on the first run was one of the best gaming moments of this generation for me.
 
Potterson

Potterson

Member
Oct 28, 2017
6,421
Yes, it's great. And Will of the Wisps improves combat so much that it will probably be perfect 10/10 game :D
 
Smurf

Smurf

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,631
Amazing game, definitely one of my favorites of this gen. I really loved the escape sequences tho, but I think I'm in the minority on that one..
 
Biestmann

Biestmann

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,413
Ori is so special to me, I don't want to play it again. It's a perfect, emotional experience.
 
DrArchon

DrArchon

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,485
Ori is a fantastic game, though the I felt the combat was a bit brain-dead at times when compared to a lot of other modern Metroidvanias (reflecting projectiles felt great though) and I could've done without the skill tree.

Still can't wait for Ori 2.
 
Cocolina

Cocolina

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,994
I was all about it, taking my time with it, ready to sing its praises from the rooftops and then...

...DO AN UNNECESSARILY PROTRACTED INSTA-KILL ESCAPE SEQUENCE

Dropped it after that, fuck that game.
 
Huey

Huey

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,242
Was neck and neck with SOMA as my GOTY in 2016. Absolutely incredible.
 
Dancrane212

Dancrane212

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,962
Smurf said:
Amazing game, definitely one of my favorites of this gen. I really loved the escape sequences tho, but I think I'm in the minority on that one..
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I liked all of them aside from the part with the falling boulders with the second(?) one. Took a good amount of deaths before I realised I needed to go down to avoid them and not find a way to squeeze up by them.
 
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OP
OP
grmlin

grmlin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,309
Germany
My gripes with the escape sequences were less about the difficulty, but more about the rng involved in some parts.
Monsters not shooting, lamps shaking like crazy, and the overall trial and error vibes.

It felt great once I managed to finish them though!
 
jon bones

jon bones

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,044
NYC
game is amazing and heartbreaking - i'm 2/3rds done but will beat it before the next game

Cocolina said:
I was all about it, taking my time with it, ready to sing its praises from the rooftops and then...

...DO AN UNNECESSARILY PROTRACTED INSTA-KILL ESCAPE SEQUENCE

Dropped it after that, fuck that game.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Ginso Tree is a GOAT platforming section
 
Crayon

Crayon

Member
Oct 26, 2017
15,580
We just started playing this last week. Irs really nice. I liked hollow knight alot but i wasn't like crazy about it. I might like this better. Not sure.
 
Dancrane212

Dancrane212

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,962
Potterson said:
Yes, it's great. And Will of the Wisps improves combat so much that it will probably be perfect 10/10 game :D
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

If Moon Studios can make combat in Will of the Wisps feel as good as the platforming it's going to be incredible.

WoPnwOF.gif
 
Wamb0wneD

Wamb0wneD

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
18,735
Weird, I found the escape challenges to be some of the better content. The weak as all hell combat turned me off the game a bit, and the leveldesign of Hollow Knight is just way better as well.

Good game though, no doubt about it.

Looking forward to the sequel.
 
Atisha

Atisha

Banned
Nov 28, 2017
1,331
It's one of those games thats so good and clean that just by booting it up and playing it, it can lift your spirits out of the grey fuzz.
 
Atisha

Atisha

Banned
Nov 28, 2017
1,331
I didn't find the combat to be the gist of the game, rather flinging your little mighty mouse around like an acrobat, and letting out your sparks here and there on rhythm. The movement, the traversal is the high art. The sweet spot.
 
Techno

Techno

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
6,424
One of the best games of 2015, probably topped by the Witcher 3 otherwise it could have easily been my GOTY. I think I've replayed it three times to completion, this game just makes you feel happy.

I can't wait for the new one.
 
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JudgmentJay

JudgmentJay

Member
Nov 14, 2017
5,233
Texas
Yeah, it's a 10/10 and in my top 10 of all time. The controls are so tight and fluid... just moving around in the world is a joy. And of course there's the top-tier visuals and soundtrack. Also, escape sequences are the best part.
 
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eXistor

eXistor

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,321
Actually couldn't get into it at all and I tried two times. I found it to be more like Guacamelee which was more a platform-challenge game than a Metroidvania. I kinda lost interest about 1 hour in the first time and 3 hours in the second time. I found something like Yoku's Island Express to be a lot more fun even if that one in particular had zero challenge in any way. Never really understood the love for it.
 
ADS

ADS

Member
Oct 27, 2017
872
I enjoyed the game but I really didn't like how linear it was. It discouraged exploration and really shoved "go here to the glowing area next" in your face.

I *really* enjoyed the last little sequence but up until then the game was also far too easy. The movement/etc was brilliant but for most of the game it didn't matter because there was no need to be any good at it.
 
xabbott

xabbott

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,065
Florida
I loved Ori. Never got around to finishing the complete edition or whatever it's called. But finished it when it first came out. I always thought it was weird how little fanfare it got outside of the Xbox community. It came out before everyone started releasing similar games too.

The only one I recall around this time was Axiom Verge, which was also good but I was into Ori more at the time just due to being a bit burned out on pixel art.
 
Wamb0wneD

Wamb0wneD

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
18,735
Atisha said:
I didn't find the combat to be the gist of the game, rather flinging your little mighty mouse around like an acrobat, and letting out your sparks here and there on rhythm. The movement, the traversal is the high art. The sweet spot.
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Then they shouldn't have put that many enemies in the game that are just beat by spamming your homing projectile.
It's boring combat, and the sequel seems to do better in that regard.
 
julia crawford

julia crawford

Took the red AND the blue pills
Member
Oct 27, 2017
35,354
Loved the game but ultimately felt like the places you explored has no history or function beyond serving the experience of the player, which personally is a something that really negatively affects how i remember a game.
 
FelipeMGM

FelipeMGM

#Skate4
Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
3,012
I only got around to this a little while ago too, and I also really enjoyed it, but I 100% agree with the criticism around the combat in this game. For a title that uses combat so often, you would imagine that their fighting mechanics would've been way better, as in this it was mostly spamming a button without any meaningful strategy or remarkable encounters

That's also why I'm really excited for Will of the Wisps, from what I played of it the combat is immensely improved.
 
oatmeal

oatmeal

Member
Oct 30, 2017
4,545
Yeah I beat it this month. Had no idea it was a Metroidvania.

I felt it was pretty much perfect until the end. I didn't feel like it was over yet, but had one more challenge (that tree in the BG) remaining.

Then the credits rolled. Oh well. Perfect length for a game like this.

When I first beat the final sequence, the final cinematic started to run at like 5fps. Then the game crashed. I didn't know that I had effectively beaten it, and when I rebooted I had to redo the final escape. Only took a few times that time, and then I realized I had beaten it when it crashed.

Was odd.
 
Mao Rome

Mao Rome

Member
Dec 22, 2018
81
I had to uninstall it after a couple of hours... I'm just not a fan of getting frustrated playing video games.
 
ArjanN

ArjanN

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,122
grmlin said:
I'm sorry then! Never heard about this before. Edited my post
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Haha, no worries, just something I noticed.

FelipeMGM said:
I only got around to this a little while ago too, and I also really enjoyed it, but I 100% agree with the criticism around the combat in this game. For a title that uses combat so often, you would imagine that their fighting mechanics would've been way better, as in this it was mostly spamming a button without any meaningful strategy or remarkable encounters

That's also why I'm really excited for Will of the Wisps, from what I played of it the combat is immensely improved.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yeah it's pretty basic, but honestly the combat more or less dissapears once you get the ability to jump off of enemies/enemy projectiles, because it essentially turns the enemies into moving springboards.
 
OP
OP
grmlin

grmlin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,309
Germany
As a side note: just tried Celeste... no, that's not fun. Different games for different people I guess.
 
SpartyCrunch

SpartyCrunch

Xbox
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
2,500
Seattle, WA
Cocolina said:
It's a shift from the game that lets you play at your own pace and it last too long. It's akin to the boss fights in Deus Ex HR how jarring it is.
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Naw. Once yo know how to beat it, the whole thing is only a few minutes long. That's what's so brilliant about it. Like the best Celeste levels. Difficult, asks a lot of you, but you can retry instantly and a successful completion isn't long at all.

Just like the best traditional boss fights!
 
Cocolina

Cocolina

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,994
SpartyCrunch said:
Naw. Once yo know how to beat it, the whole thing is only a few minutes long. That's what's so brilliant about it. Like the best Celeste levels. Difficult, asks a lot of you, but you can retry instantly and a successful completion isn't long at all.

Just like the best traditional boss fights!
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

"Once you know how to beat it"...yeah, no shit. Like everything is easier when you know how to do it.
 
Calamari41

Calamari41

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,104
Really great story, I felt so sad for that owl. They could have made a game from her perspective and it would have been easy to have her be presented as the good guy.
 
Hydes

Hydes

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
939
Ori & Hollow Knight are both amazing games!!

I also hope HK2 happens, and can't wait for Will of the Wisps.
 
JustinH

JustinH

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,413
I friggen loved this game and I'm really excited for the next one to come out.

I thought the escape sections being so intense were so much fun and satisfying when you got through them. iunno...
 
lvl 99 Pixel

lvl 99 Pixel

Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,744
escape sections were the best part of the game imo, and I didn't mind dying a lot on hard because it was never unfair
Ginso tree was a test of skill with some great audiovisual accompaniment
 
nogoodnamesleft

nogoodnamesleft

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,676
Cocolina said:
I was all about it, taking my time with it, ready to sing its praises from the rooftops and then...

...DO AN UNNECESSARILY PROTRACTED INSTA-KILL ESCAPE SEQUENCE

Dropped it after that, fuck that game.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

It's not even hard wtf and it's fun as fuck. Basically says "ok take everything we have taught you so far and use it in one go."
 
Cocolina

Cocolina

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,994
nogoodnamesleft said:
It's not even hard wtf and it's fun as fuck. Basically says "ok take everything we have taught you so far and use it in one go."
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I was doing that before then anyway, but I was doing it without being rushed/timed. I get it, it's a literal end of level exam like I'm supposed to be a student passing a test. Not fun. Oh and "It's not even hard wtf"...wow bro, you're so cool.
 
lt519

lt519

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,064
So hyped for Ori 2, the first one was really special to me. I'll be picking up an Xbox or beefing up my PC so I can enjoy it to the max.

Agree the combat was not the best but it was only forced in the arena style rooms, the rest of the enemies are just there as obstacles and things to bash off of. In my later playthroughs I barely even register the enemies, it just becomes so fluid.

I'm a bit hesitant on the direction of combat in 2. Hopefully it's just improved and not a larger focus like it is in Hollow Knight which I enjoyed less.

Cocolina said:
I was doing that before then anyway, but I was doing it without being rushed/timed. I get it, it's a literal end of level exam like I'm supposed to be a student passing a test. Not fun. Oh and "It's not even hard wtf"...wow bro, you're so cool.
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It's fine to not like the escape sequences, there's a lot of pressure and anxiety that come along with being timed and rushed, I never liked the escape sequences in Prince of Persia Warrior Within. But it's not bad game design, most games culminate in a final exam type sequence or battle. Just not your taste.

I really hope Moon and Thomas don't listen to all the vocal minority on the escape sequences. I'd much rather have them then Hollow Knight type bosses. It's possible the tree was the hardest of the escape sequences and they should ease into them in 2, but to do away with them would be doing away with the games core identity as a precise platformer.
 
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