By: Dan Dankert
Okay, so I just want you all to know that I changed my mind 3 times on this article. I knew I wanted to do an indie game here, and at first I was going to write an article on Minecraft, which in its own right is a great game, but I thought it was out of date, and after purchasing it only recently, I already feel incredibly bored with it.
I then got about half way through an article on Don’t Starve, when I thought that though Don’t Starve is really fun its very one dimensional, and doesn’t have the same greatness factor that games like Ori and the Blind Forest has. What makes this game great? Storytelling.
A great game, is so much more than great gameplay. A great game needs something else to compel a player to keep playing. The best games I have ever indulged in: Skyrim, This is Us, Knights of the Old Republic 2, they all share a common element- amazing storytelling. Ori and the Blind Forest has the storytelling elements to match these games though I would not go so far to say it’s one of the best games I have ever played.
In the game you play as Ori (The white animal in the picture above). Ori is a white guardian spirit, tasked with the responsibility of restoring the forest of its three elements, waters, winds, and warmth (Who doesn’t love good alliteration?). The game will leave you in near tears within the first 10-20 minutes and it will continue to push and pull on your heart strings all the way until the end of the game.
The game is a 2D platform game, but it still maintains good levels of interactive gameplay. As you play, you consistently are faced with unique obstacles, and as your powers increase, you can interact with the map in completely new and awesome ways. I have found 2D platform games in the past to quickly run their course with me. But this game was able to keep me interested for 20+ hours.
Outside of the plot and the gameplay, Ori and the Blind Forest is probably best known for its art style. When I was researching the game I stumbled upon an awards list. And they won nearly every single art related award they were nominated for and for good reason. The game is wondrously crafted in terms of looks and its one of the most aesthetically pleasing games that I have come across.
The game is pretty short, and not a game that you will put thousands of hours into like League of Legends, Skyrim or The Witcher 3 but a great game none the less. Probably one of the best indie games that have come out recently, I would definitely say that every PC Gamer should give this classic a shot. It’s a great game to throw yourself into when you have a day where you don’t have any other responsibilities.
Cost: $20 though you can likely get it for $10 or less on sale during one of the big sales on Steam. I believe I got it for $10.