ORI AND THE BLIND FOREST: DEFINITIVE EDITION: A PAINTED FOREST THAT BREAKS YOUR HEART
8.5 of 10 bananas. Moon Studios' 2016 expanded edition of its 2015 platformer: a small spirit named Ori must save a dying forest. The hand painted art, music, and escape sequences are stunning; the difficulty spikes are sharp, and the sequel plays better.
By the Alpha. Steam listing. Updated Nov 2 2026.
Honest note: This is not a fresh hands-on playtest. I built this verdict from launch reviews, critic consensus, update history, and what is known about the game today. If I put real hours in on stream, I will update the score and say so.
Platforms: PC on Steam (Windows only), plus Xbox One and Nintendo Switch (developed by Moon Studios, published by Xbox Game Studios; the Definitive Edition came out on Steam April 27 2016). The button is the Steam page, 19.99 dollars at my Nov 2 2026 check. I did not verify a fair US Amazon listing for a console copy, so Steam is the only button.
Get Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition on SteamSit with me a moment. The opening of this game made a whole room of grown gorillas go quiet. No words, just a small creature, a big heart, and a forest losing its light. Then it hands you the controller and dares you to save it.
What It Wants To Be
Ori and the Blind Forest is a Metroidvania style platformer. You play Ori, a guardian spirit, exploring the forest of Nibel to restore its light. New abilities open new paths. You save your progress by creating Soul Links with a limited energy resource. The Definitive Edition adds two new areas, Black Root Burrows and the Lost Grove, plus new abilities like Dash and Light Burst, difficulty options, and fast travel between spirit wells.
What Works
It is one of the most beautiful 2D games ever made, and Gareth Coker's score is unforgettable. Movement feels great once Ori learns Bash, and the escape sequences, like the Ginso Tree, are thrilling. The PC Definitive Edition holds an 88 on Metacritic. The story is short and simple, and it lands hard.
What Breaks
Listen well. The escape sequences have no checkpoints, so one mistake sends you back, and they can be maddening. Combat is thin compared with the sequel. If you forget to make Soul Links you lose progress. And Ori and the Will of the Wisps improved almost everything, so some players should start there.
Who Should Play
Play it if you love beautiful platformers, emotional stories, and tight movement. Pick the easy setting if escape sequences make you angry. Skip it if you want deep combat.
STRENGTHS
- Stunning hand painted art
- Unforgettable music
- Thrilling escape sequences
- Short, moving story
HONEST COSTS
- Harsh difficulty spikes
- Thin combat
- Easy to lose progress
- Windows only on Steam
Store note: the troop still needs an Amazon referral for this one. I did not verify a fair US Amazon console listing for Ori and the Blind Forest. Steam is the only button until a fair listing is real. This is not an affiliate link.