Ori and the Will of the Wisps review

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the most visually ambitious game on this list. Moon Studios, which also made Ori and the Blind Forest, sets this sequel in a vast world drawn in hand-painted artwork and scored by a full orchestra. The story starts when a flight puts the owlet Ku in danger, and Ori must heal a broken land to bring a family back together. The studio pairs that story with tightly crafted platforming, large enemies and puzzles. Steam lists HDR support and full controller support, a Metacritic score of 88, and 96% positive among more than 32,000 English reviews. The trade-offs are cost and hardware: it is $29.99, it runs only on Windows through Steam, and it asks for 8 GB of RAM and 20 GB of storage, far more than any other game here. Players with a capable PC who want a story-driven 2D adventure should put it near the top of their list.

Who it is for

Players who want an emotional story, orchestral music and a beautiful 2D world.

Price

$29.99 one-time purchase on Steam (US store).

on your quest to unravel Ori’s destiny. $29.99 Buy on Steam
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• A vast world in hand-painted artwork
• Fully orchestrated original score
• Tightly crafted platforming action
• Towering enemies and puzzles
• HDR support on PC

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 96% of 32,289 English Steam reviews are positive
• Strength: Metacritic score of 88 on its Steam page
• Strength: HDR available, unusual for a 2D game
• Weakness: $29.99, tied for the most expensive single game here
• Weakness: Windows only on Steam
• Weakness: Needs 8 GB of RAM and 20 GB of storage, the most here

Key facts

• Developer: Moon Studios, published by Xbox Game Studios
• Price: $29.99
• Steam reviews: 96% of 32,289 (English)
• Released: March 10, 2020
• Minimum RAM: 8 GB

Where it ranks

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is No. 7 in our Best 2D Games verdict and No. 7 in Best Xbox One Games.