ORI AND THE WILL OF THE WISPS BOSSES SERIES

That level of finesse is necessary, because Ori and the Will of the Wisps introduces a series of massive boss battles, each more complex than anything in Blind Forest. Around the mid-game I realized I had become adept at stringing together platforming and combat skills, air-dashing and bounding between threats with balletic rhythm and barely touching the ground until the screen had been cleared. While I felt awkward and imprecise in combat at the start, slashing my sword wildly at even the mildest of monsters, my comfort level grew as I gained new platforming skills. The combat does take some getting used to, though, in part because it's built to work in conjunction with Ori's nimble moves. The story progress provides a sword and bow, with other optional weapons for purchase, and you can map any combat moves to X, Y, or B. Thankfully, the combat system has been overhauled to match the elegance of the platforming.

Rather than the passing nuisance of the occasional enemy, Will of the Wisps introduces myriad threats that are a near-constant presence. The reduced emphasis on exploration seems to have been replaced by a major expansion of combat.

I was glad for the freedom to pursue the critical path without artificial barriers, but I also plan to go back and plumb the depths simply to spend more time in the world. The sidequests are almost entirely optional. These upgrades are largely cosmetic, so it's mostly a visual showcase of having collected the specialized items used for it. Eventually you open up a hub area that can be built into a small community for the forest denizens. Most of the wanderlust comes in the form of plentiful sidequests, like delivering a message or finding a knick-knack for a critter. Your objectives are usually clear, straight lines, and shortcuts littered throughout the environments get you back to the main path quickly. While Ori is ostensibly a metroidvania, Will of the Wisps is less focused on exploration and backtracking than is typical for the genre.

ORI AND THE WILL OF THE WISPS BOSSES PATCH

A day-one patch significantly reduced the freezing and fixed the map issue altogether. Usually these were a simple nuisance, but once in a while it would come mid-leap and throw off my sense of momentum and direction. Playing on an Xbox One X, I encountered visual glitches like screen freezes on a semi-regular basis, and the map would stutter. The picturesque vistas seem to be pushing the hardware hard, however. Still, those old standbys still work well and make the improvisational leaps and bounds feel as great as ever. Some of them are lifted directly from the first game, which can be disappointing next to the excitement of discovering a shiny new ability. Exploration becomes especially engaging as you unlock more abilities and become increasingly adept. Ori's suite of acrobatic moves makes delving into new areas a thrilling treat. Ori is often swallowed up by these sweeping environments, emphasizing just how small the little forest spirit is compared to their massive surroundings. But if it's meant to be ugly, you wouldn't know it from many of the lush backgrounds-especially in the case of a vibrant underwater section. The theme throughout the story is the encroachment of the Decay, a creeping evil that overtook this neighboring forest after its own magical life tree withered. After a while, Will of the Wisps opens up to more varied locales, like an almost pitch-black spider's den or a windswept desert. They're beautifully rendered again, but a little samey if you've played the first game. The painterly imagery is comforting, especially in the opening hours as you explore similar biomes. Soon the two are swept off in a gale to a new forest deep with rot, which begins the adventure in earnest.Д«ecause this setting is disconnected from the one in Blind Forest, the geography is new, yet familiar.

The family is happy and loving, but Ku wants to fly and Ori wants to help her. Will of the Wisps picks up almost immediately where Blind Forest left off, with Ori's patchwork family unit welcoming a new member, the owlet Ku. Now Playing: Ori And The Will Of The Wisps Video Review By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's

Ori and the will of the wisps bosses