Developed by Moon Studios, Ori and the Blind Forest is one of Microsoft’s unique indie titles, lauded for its gorgeous aesthetic and emotional story. Aside from a few trailers at E3 and beyond, Ori didn’t have much of a marketing force behind it. Now that it’s launched the review scores are in – so far, Ori and the Blind Forest is the highest-scoring Microsoft exclusive available on the Xbox One.
The bigger gaming websites – such as IGN, Kotaku, Polygon, Destructoid, and so on – got their hands on a review copy of the game prior to its release, and have posted their thoughts on how well it stands up. It seems as if the majority of those who reviewed it think it’s an incredible experience.
Game Informer’s Andrew Reiner (9.5/10) stated that, “I haven’t had this much fun with a game in a long time“; IGN”s Mikel Reparaz (8.5/10) said that the game is “beautifully realised” and “brilliantly designed“; and Destructoid’s Chris Carter (9.5/10) called it “a hallmark of excellence”.
Ori and the Blind Forest currently sits at 4.5/5 on Metacritic, which very roughly translates to 90/100 if you want to upscale the score. Other Microsoft exclusives – which, for the sake of this article, include ‘true’ Xbox One exclusives as well as Microsoft exclusives also available on the Xbox 360 and PC – come close, but none quite surpass it.
To reference some of Microsoft’s biggest exclusives: Titanfall scored 86/100, Forza Horizon 2 scored 86/100, and Halo: Master Chief Collection scored 85/100. Looking at Microsoft exclusives available on the Xbox One, it appears as though Ori and the Blind Forest struck gold, delivering on an emotional and brilliantly-crafted experience that everyone loves.
This feat is impressive considering that Moon Studios had to go up against AAA games and well-established franchises in order to secure the top spot. If the reviews are believable, then you should go out and pick up Ori and the Blind Forest right now. I know I am.
Ori and the Blind Forest is available for Xbox One and Microsoft Windows.