Ori And The Will Of The Wisps Hand To Hand

Okay, let’s talk Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Beautiful game, right? Everyone agrees. But I have a tiny, teeny, almost-unmentionable thought. Prepare for a potentially controversial take.

Hand-to-Hand? More Like... Spirit-to-Spirit?

We all love Ori's platforming. It's buttery smooth. The art style? Chef's kiss! But sometimes, I can't help but feel the combat is... well, slightly lacking.

Hear me out! It's not bad. It's just… not the star of the show, is it? We're dodging, bashing, and launching spirit arcs. Fun, sure. But does it really grab you like the exploration?

The Glowy Stuff Did All the Work

I mean, Ori is a spirit. It's all about glowing and etherealness. The combat reflects that, naturally. But sometimes I wish Ori had a bit more… oomph in their attacks.

Think about it. We're unleashing spirit arcs. Summoning spirit guardians. Throwing spirit spears. Everything is spirit this, spirit that. Where's the actual contact? The visceral satisfaction of a good, old-fashioned thwack?

Now, before you sharpen your pitchforks, I get it! Ori isn't supposed to be Devil May Cry. We're not expecting combo chains and aerial juggles. But a little something extra would have been nice.

Platforming > Punching (Maybe)

Let's be honest, the platforming is where Ori truly shines. Dashing through tight corridors. Launching off enemies. Weaving through laser grids. That's the stuff!

The world design is incredible. It encourages exploration. Rewards skillful movement. I could spend hours just bouncing around, discovering secrets.

The combat? Well, it's often a necessary evil. A hurdle to overcome to get back to the good stuff. The real good stuff: the platforming.

A Touch Too... Floaty?

This might be a personal thing, but the combat feels a little floaty sometimes. I never feel like I'm truly connecting with enemies. They just kind of… disappear in a puff of light.

I know, I know. It's a spirit. It's not going to punch things in the face. But even with the spirit edge, a bit more weight and impact would be amazing.

Perhaps it’s the lack of dedicated animations for impactful hits? Maybe it's the sound design? Whatever it is, something feels a little off.

Unpopular Opinion Time: Bring On The (Slightly) Meatier Combat!

Okay, here it is. My potentially controversial opinion. I wish Ori had a tiny bit more emphasis on… well, actual combat. Even if it was in a sequel.

Not a complete overhaul! Just a little tweaking. A little more weight to the attacks. A little more feedback. Something to make the combat feel as good as the platforming.

Imagine Ori learning some new spirit-infused moves. Maybe a spirit-powered punch that sends enemies flying. Or a spirit-infused kick that shatters their defenses! Pure wishful thinking, I know.

Keep the Beauty, Add Some Brawn (Sort Of)

Look, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a masterpiece. It's gorgeous. It's emotional. It's a joy to play. This is all true.

But a tiny bit more attention to the combat could have elevated it even further. It’s just a tiny improvement that I think might make the game even more fantastic.

Maybe I'm alone in this. Maybe I'm crazy. But I can't help but feel that Ori has the potential to be an even more amazing combat-platformer. Especially when Ori is fighting something.