Ori and the Will of the Wisps – Everything you need to know

Ori and the Blind Forest, released in 2015, won several awards and was a highly successful Metroidvania game. After the success of the original game, it was announced that Ori and the Will of the Wisps will be its sequel. The game is developed by Moon Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios and can be played on Microsoft Windows and Xbox One.  

What’s the latest news

Ori and the Will of the Wisps were first announced in 2017 and were set to be released in 2019 but after some delays, the release date was confirmed for 11 March 2020. The game has since gone gold – it is finished and burned onto its first disc and can now be distributed to consumers. In other words, Ori and the Will of the Wisps are still on track for its confirmed release date and in its final stage before its release. Fans looking forward to the game can pre-order the game or its Collector’s Edition on various platforms.  

What’s it all about

To date, we don’t know a whole lot about the story that will unfold in Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Fans have only been assured that, like the original, they will get an emotional story. Players will be able to move beyond the Nibel forest, which was the setting of Ori and the Blind Forest, so the map will be bigger with different settings and environments to explore. As the game is played more information about the lost ones will be revealed and players will also be able to discover Ori’s true destiny. 

Improvements from the original

Some key elements of the original game have been improved to make Ori and the Will of the Wisps more a lot more exciting.

One improvement has to do with the combat element of the game. In Will of the Wisps Ori will be able to equip different types of weapons that can be used in combat. These include a Spirit Sword, hammer, bow and spirit bomb. Special abilities, three of which can be assigned to face buttons, can also be used in combat. Players can now tailor their playing style and experiment with different characters builds each time the game is played. 

The enemy design has also been improved. Enemies are more complex with varied move sets and offensive abilities. Players will have to pay attention patterns and attacks and effectively strike their weak spots. A shard system will also be introduced. Players can collect shards throughout the game and equip four of them to provide unique advantages. 

Movement and traversal improvements mean that Ori has a grappling hook in Will of the Wisps so players can swing through the various environments. There is also a burrow capability that allows Ori to burrow and reach new areas. It also doubles up as an offensive capability. NPCs are also more interactive as some are vendors and others give Ori quests to complete. Spirit trials now allow players to complete courses against the clock and compete against other players for the best time. 

For more info on Ori and the Will of the Wisps or to pre-order the game be sure to check out the official website  or enjoy a look at the gameplay with one of the most recent trailers.