Deconstructing Ori and the Blind Forest's Best Bit

[@ahmz1404]

I was never overwhelmed by the amount of abilities they gave you. They all seemed to be given at a perfect pace and every ability felt natural in the situation I was in. Love Ori and can't wait for the next game.

[@einmuzi]

Yeah, they did a great job, not making you learn 100 moves in a short time, but made you carefully experiencing every new ability before being taught a new one.

[@murtaza6464]

Was coming here to say this. I have to disagree with Mark here--I thought the addition of new mechanics gave you a sense of power and progression and there was no point in the game where I found myself wondering what move to use in a certain situation (or indeed which button to use)

[@nargrexbyte1847]

Yup, thats were i disagree with mark. I never felt confused by all the moves and in fact i loved it because it gave you easier ways to solve certain puzzles, you could even mix and match and feel like master for doing it.

[@DreadKyller]

I agree here. The amount of times you use each ability before the next tends to lead to you having almost achieved muscle memory with them, so most of the time pressing the right button found was almost automatic. Although I do agree the simplicity was very nice for a while, but the abilities gave progression, if there were fewer mechanics they'd have to spread them out even farther or you could get anywhere very quickly in the game. I also didn't mind the backtracking because the visuals and music were so good I wanted to explore anyways.

[@SenaMeushi]

Yeah part of what is so amazing about Ori in my opinion, especially in the Definitive Edition, is that it turns into a situation where you have so many adaptable tools you can start solving problems in your own way. Instead of always having one ability clearly better adapted for a situation, you can solve it in the way you want.

[@sarinms92]

Ori and the will of the wisp: "oh you thought that was too many mechanics? hold my beer"

[@orinblank2056]

The new button layout is what gets me. I always press Y instead of LB

[@hoviettrung1501]

I played ori and the blind forest with keyboard only and it was hard as hell. My left hand did all the ability stuff and had to carefully press w, s, z, x, c, shift, ctrl without messing them up. Haven't played will of the wisps yet but i think it might be far more frustrating than playing with a controller.

[@sarinms92]

@@hoviettrung1501 i finished will of the wisp on keyboard too... It gets easier though

[@elliotyorkcameron793]

@@hoviettrung1501 Currently playing through Blind Forest for the first time, I played through the first half of the game with keyboard only and it was fine until I got to the Ginso Tree. Bash is pretty much impossible to get good at consistently with keyboard only, and it meant my enjoyment of the Ginso Tree was hampered by having to deal with this frustrating mechanic. I eventually got through it but only after dozens of deaths. Decided I needed to play with a controller after and that's what I'm doing now, and I'm finding it MUCH more manageable.

[@anyarr]

@@hoviettrung1501 I did both games with keyboard. BF was good, but burrowing in WotW with keyboard was a little painful.

[@paullamieux9718]

"I've got video material for years; you're never getting rid of me." - Thank goodness!!!

[@vizthex]

ikr

[@LauraPlatt]

I think the music is possibly the thing that makes Ori and the Blind Forest one of my favourite games - the use of different orchestra instruments and percussion to conjure up different settings is genuinely astonishing. In 'Climbing the Ginso Tree', there are incredibly ambient refrains of percussion and string stabs and swells that recreate rustling of leaves, gusts of wind, and creaking of the tree itself, interspersed with some beautiful woodwind melodies that are often accompanied with continuously ascending bass-lines that make you feel like you're constantly progressing. It's genius in that every new section of the track feels like an increase in tension, maintained steadily over a full almost 6 minute piece. The pay-off after the water rising sequence is also absolutely masterful - having a much calmer, exploratory section which introduces swimming (a mechanic that you can have a lot of fun with with your new bash ability) is a really wonderful example of proper use of pacing and 'quiet time', where most other Metroidvania games will immediately thrust you into a new area with much harder enemies after an event like that.

[@Starfloofle]

Oh my gosh yes the musical execution in Ori is absolutely fantastic and it's nice to see somebody else who picked up on all its other little nuances. And the section after yes very much. The happier, upbeat music and the feeling of "I did good!" is just fantastic payoff from a game usually so drowned in this feeling of melancholy, and I think that's an excellent use of it. I wish more areas of the game changed in that way as you progressed, but I can fully understand how much of an endeavor that is. But gosh not enough games have that sort of downtime. That's a complaint I have with a lot of games is how they'll have all this side content or want to try to encourage you to explore but never give you a good time to feel like you can or should do so. Ori manages to get past that in a large part due to that moment in particular. More games need to actually give you some proper quiet time rather than shoving you through the game the whole way while simultaneously trying to have side-content you have to go out of your way to see or get or do. It just doesn't work that way. It's a valuable lesson in pacing that more games need to learn.

[@emlun]

Absolutely, it's not an exaggeration to say the music is the main reason I bought the game. The gorgeous visuals piqued my interest, but I wouldn't have been sold 25 into the trailer if not for the music.

[@CharlesLijt]

Laura! Is you! Omg!!!!! I have listened to your FTL remix for millions of times and I loved it so much!!! By the way I always thought that you should probably try Ori somedays and look who is here now! Wow! I m so glad you love Ori as well, do you wanna try do some remix for the Ori end credit song? Can't wait to hear from you I m your biggest fan.

[@qxtr5853]

It kinda sounds like habits by linkin park.

[@alolamao833]

And that god damn FLUTE that is in songs like completing the circle is godlike

[@GameScoreFanfare]

I agree with what you said about the music not resetting over deaths, and how it adds to the flow of the experience. I find it hilarious though how I argued the exact opposite - that the music not resetting kinda impacts the experience of the scene because of how it's built. I was confused why they didnt reset it, but I think you might be right. The reason it's not such a frustrating level is because it doesn't make your failure feel like a big, show-stopping moment, but continues to build on the momentum. Resetting the music would definitely get grinding.

[@KenmoreChalfant]

I watched a behind the scenes video with the audio programmer for INSIDE and they talk about this being an important thing they put in their game: the timing puzzle areas stay in the same rhythm when you die so it doesn't interrupt the flow. Loved that game and they did a lot of cool technical stuff to get the look and feel right.

[@nullnull7089]

Dustforce also did it not to keep the momentum but make the game less frustrating when you have to restart, which will happen a lot since it's hard and you should always be going for SS ranks.

[@dieckiedx]

Game Score Fanfare I've just wanted to write a comment that I watched a video with exactly the opposite message only a few days ago. But then I saw your comment, so this seems to not be necessary anymore ^^

[@shieldgenerator7]

The Ginso Tree escape sequence is my favorite part in the whole game. I copied my save file right before the escape so I can replay that particular scene as much as I like

[@RiskOfBaer]

Reseting the music is almost never a good idea, it always takes you out of the moment.

[@acapulc9]

Thank you for that kind insight. I was working on the art of especially this part, the Ginso Tree a lot during development. I think you were quite accurate with what the game designers, James Benson and Thomas Mahler wanted there. Bash to this day is one of the most fun things I encountered - it never got boring and I still enjoy bashing around a lot. Even in early builds. I did not dig into the deeps of the games design though, I was an art guy. Still - nice flashback to those times! Thanks!

[@edsmithmusic951]

Simon, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for Ori and The Blind Forest. I chose this game as the first proper game I ever played with my 5 year old daughter. We were both blown away. We have just played through it again, in preparation for the sequel. Finished it on Saturday evening. Memories for life. Nice one.

[@Nicholas_Steel]

Simon's message should be pinned, now that it's possible to do so.

[@Dantick09]

You and the rest of the art crew did an outstanding job!

[@JimmyOlsson]

To me you are legends in the game making history! Such a gem of a game! One of the best ever made! Thank you so much!

[@austinhowell3511]

Are you working on Will of the Wisps?

[@alsoknownas875]

Funny, recently finished this game, had no real idea what "Ginso Tree" referred to, but IMMEDIATELY assumed it was "that part where I was clenching my butt cheeks because the water was chasing me" LOL. Great game, and it's true this is the most memorable part; been gaming since the 1980s, all kinds of genres, but have never had such a visceral reaction to a game as the last part Ginso Tree gave me. Great video!

[@slopesgameroom]

You just made my day, literally one of the best games ever made IMO

[@jasonnikolic]

It's one of the most overrated games of all time and the reason is because most people voted on its score after only doing the start scene, the actual game is extremely repetitive and has shockingly bad "combat".

[@chanmanthegreat1429]

@@jasonnikolic Its not repetitive AT ALL. Maybe YOU only played the beginning. Throughout the game you go to different areas that have NEW mechanics and new abilities as well as new enemies and puzzles. The game is hard and also rewarding. its beatuful and well made. I really dont understand your hate?

[@Changetheling]

This game made me cry so much. And that Ginso Tree sequence was a spectacular display of awesome. Somebody has to mention the opening sequence, which gets you so (emotionally) invested in less than 5 minutes. I have yet to find a game that could do the same nowadays. Great kudos to MOON Studios for crafting this experience. Great video.

[@joan.d.official]

And after the escape sequence, the dramatic scene on the top of the tree. Ori fallin' at the mercy of Kuro. And then the beauty of the landscapes when Ori wake up, due to the water back again. All of this add so much feelings associated with that part of the game ✨👌

[@lepusarcticus5363]

I played the Definitive Edition on PC, and I had no trouble remembering my buttons at all. Furthermore, I found the game to become even better with all the moves lateron. I'm a huge fan of movement abilities, so being able to bash, dash, fly, boost-jump and combine all those at will made me really happy. But yes, the Ginzo Tree is the most memorable and well designed piece of the game. I loved the beauty of the sequence. And Bash is obviously the most powerful move, both combat and movement related.

[@hannahm7646]

Ooh man, I could feel my heart start racing a little but when you got to the escape. I probably ran that around 40-50 times before I finally made it. That really was an incredibly frustrating challenge in the best sort of way.

[@p1a2u3l4ify]

all 3 of those "boss" runs were this way in my opinion! awesome stuff! and great a challenge in hard mode :)

[@jordanneal576]

One of my favorite games. Blew the whole Metroidvania genre out of the water for me. Was getting shivers when the music was playing during this video.

[@Jibash]

Me too, Jordan, me too.

[@victorko9627]

RealHero It didnt feel forced for me tho. The whole atmosphere was great and fitted the game imo. Especially the combination of the artstyle and the music. Also the animation was great.

[@unvergebeneid]

Jordan Neal, I find it the best metroidvania since Super Metroid!

[@madfinnishgamer38]

I agree with every single word you said. In all honesty, I wasn't too much into Metroidvanias until I laid my hands on Ori and the Blind Forest. That was the start of my love for the genre, and I can't thank the game enough for that.

[@gaurd3]

I felt that same way until Hollow Knight...... Man I wish I could discover Hk all over again.

[@darkoverspy2968]

I LOVE how the music keeps going, it's the main reason why the Ginso tree is my favorite. It surprised me when I first played through the level but made each run seem much more connected and by the end, you can see how it makes Ori's boss "battles" some of the best in gaming.

[@Ferro_Giconi]

The Ginso Tree is one of my most memorable gaming moments ever. I got stuck on that end section for hours but I never got frustrated at how much difficulty I was having like I usually would if I get stuck on something for a long time. Instead, all I felt was determination to beat it and when I finally did, it was amazing.

[@Melecie]

i agree, it's definitely up there with the starjump scene from celeste (madeline and badeline in chapter 6), alice's farewell in spiritfarer, a certain endgame scene in to the moon, and on a more personal level the last few scenes of lilly's route in katawa shoujo

[@danielmajor3777]

My first impression of the Ginso tree is more like: "Here's a brand new ability, never seen before. You have 2 minutes to master it. Go!" I also liked the end game's abilities. (but on PC with a keyboard)

[@nerdzone]

I played the first Ori on PC with keyboard and on PC with controller and feel that the flow with controller is way better. Personal opinion of course. The keyboard option leaves your left hand doing way more than the right one and that was not cool.

[@ragingredreviews3347]

Thank you so much for your incredible videos. As an aspiring game dev, your videos have taught me so much while staying entertaining. Game critics often just say the same exact phrases about games, but you talk in-depth about what makes the game special and what others can learn from it. Please continue making these videos, I love them so much.

[@ckay11002]

Anyday that Mark Brown uploads is a good day

[@lambchop9289]

I only played ori for the first time a few weeks ago, and I absolutely loved every second of it. Especially the ginso tree. That music that played during the escape was also so good I never felt even remotely frustrated no matter how often I died, it was just so amazing. As a matter of fact, the entire soundtrack was brilliant

[@foreignsgamingtech]

Wow, the timing was perfect on this - I literally just finished this the other day. I really enjoyed the other escape as well, with the wind and feather mechanic as well. The dash one is something new though, and stood out because it's something innovative and cool. Really enjoyed the video!

[@Julia_and_the_City]

The Ginso tree was also my favourite part of the game, although for completely different reasons. For the first part of the game you're wandering through this mystical but tragically dying forest. Most things are hostile to you; Gumo probably has a heart but right now he's actively working against you. The only friendly interactions you have are with the spirit trees, which are practically Ori and the Blind Forest's equivalent of gravestones, where Sein remembers the now dead spirits. The tragic and slow death that the Blind Forest is experiencing is told throughout this early section. The colour scheme - mostly an assortment of beautiful but somewhat depressing muted dark browns, purples, grays, greens and blues, emphasizes that point. But then, when you remove the infestation from the Ginso tree and the chase section begins, a splash of bright blue-white colour enters your screen, and That Music kicks in. You're moving up and feeling awesome for completing probably the most challenging section experienced so far. And then after the Ginso tree section is completed, you awaken to major-key music in a lush green-and-blue lagoon full of life. The feeling of accomplishment is made visible through mechanics (water is no longer dangerous: yay!) visuals, and sound. It is a sign that not all is lost, that Nibel can still be saved. From there, this kicks the story into high-gear: Ori has stepped into the spotlight, with Kuro looking on. There is hope for Nibel yet.

[@adamdecoder1]

I never felt overwhelmed by the abilities in Ori. Nor did I find the metroidvania map-style frustrating. Actually, one of the coolest parts about Ori for me was backtracking through areas I'd already been to, and seeing how they've changed and evolved from your progress in the game. It not only brilliantly adapts old puzzles and terrain to your improved move sets, but also gives the world of Ori and your actions in the game some gravitas. You get to see what restoring the element of water via the Ginso Tree did for the forest, which is something unique I haven't seen in too many games. In most games, the designers just expect you to solve puzzles and platforming sections "because we told you to", but in Ori you genuinely get connected to the world and its inhabitants. And because the areas are all seamlessly connected with no load screens, the game never breaks immersion. I do somewhat agree with the difficulty spike complaints, but it's sometimes refreshing to get those teeth-grinding sections in a game so it doesn't feel like your hand is being held.

[@Atypical-Abbie]

I disagree with the Metroidvania being bad and leading to backtracking, I enjoyed this game's backtracking much more than I have in any game, because you always got new abilities, so you would always get something new when you backtracked. Plus, there are teleporters if you don't care about the backtracking. The game is also pretty short to 100% anyway compared to other games like this that I wasn't even trying to find everything, but just came across them naturally. I also don't agree with the many abilities, they were all used well and never forgotten, though the light burst should really have been earlier since it's only really used for secrets, and that's a bit sad since it could be used for a lot of cool things.

[@andrewleeseberg]

Zaziuma (Patrick Jensen) The definitive edition added the teleporting between wells. The original had no form of fast travel, even though this is one of my favorite games ever it got a little tedious when I had to cross the entire map multiple times in an attempt to 100% the game. Only to find there where missable collectables in the dungeons you could never return to.

[@Atypical-Abbie]

Oh, I wasn't aware of that, only played the definitive edition, though I still never felt I needed it, only use teleportation a few times. As for missables, I don't really know how that's possible since you can always go everywhere at any time.

[@Kostus77]

I get that. The teleportation really helps to not make the backtracking not too tedious. I only played the definitive edition and used it a lot. However I didn't encounter any collecables, which I couldn't backtrack to. I was able to get them out of all the dungeons.

[@ghostLXG]

In the original version, after the second dungeon it locks you out of a whole section of the map with no way to get back so if you hadn't gotten all the collectibles then you're out of luck.

[@ninjaoflight908]

Zaziuma (Patrick Jensen) Before the definitive edition, there were some dungeons you couldn't return to after you beat them, which made them missable. The definitive edition fixed this. Edit: Ninja'd. My name's ironic now.

[@Duckspeak]

A new video while I'm binging all your other ones? You shouldn't have!

[@Kubaix]

Excellent work Mark, as always :) Buuut, when will we see the video about the pantheon of great game mechanics?

[@JM-us3fr]

I certainly hope he doesn't just blow them all out of the water in a single video. He's got to pay the bills man

[@guidofedeli851]

I remember this part of the game vividly. Everything you mentioned I appreciated, but with an added bonus. At first I thought the rising water was a cutscene. Then I realized it wasn't, and audibly went "Oh, shit". Then I started running. The water was ALWAYS super close... but I never died. The illusion was never broken, the fear of death (context: I never died even prior to that moment, so I had no idea how saving and checkpoints would have worked) was untouched... and the rush of emotion and subsequent calm after purifying the water was one of the most incredible moments I ever experienced in gaming. The music is to this day one of my all time favorites. And you're right. While Ori is a wonderful game overall, the Ginso Tree escape is its single greatest moment.

[@naenoart]

Mark, thank you. I'm currently having a kinda bad and frustrating time but you just made my day with this amazing video on one of my favourite games... Again, thank you so much and stay as amazing as you are, looking forward to the next video!

[@GMTK]

Hang in there! Give yourself a break and I hope you feel better soon

[@naenoart]

Wow, you have no idea how much your reply means to me... thank you.

[@sternenschauer]

let me tell you the same thing (i know how it is to have a really shitty time): you dont know how fast nice things can come, so dont give up yourself!

[@naenoart]

Thanks for your kind words :') I'll graduate from high school next year, I'm an artist (who wants to proceed an art career) and all of this is just too much pressure for me to handle... I hope it'll all be over soon, the struggle is too real ^^'' (sry, didn't mean to ramble on about this ^^'')

[@sternenschauer]

i wish you the best for your way of career! :D

[@krisswatt]

That final challenge in the Ginso Tree is one of the most difficult but most ultimately rewarding things I've done in video games for years. Totally fell in love with the game.

[@zafranorbian757]

Who says we want to get rid of you, videos for years is what we want to hear.

[@starflame34]

Personally, my favorite part was the Forlorn Ruins. The gravity puzzles, music, and area are just so perfectly put together. The music especially gets to me at that part. It sets this tone of sadness and loneliness of the icy-cold ruins, while simultaneously still having that adventure feel to it. I especially love how it becomes more intense the further you go! When those strings (or whatever the instrument is called) kick in around the final third of the area, I just really get into the game! Still, I did love the Ginso Tree and the Bash ability made this game SO fun to play through! And that final test running from the water was so intense and left my heart racing with a sense of accomplishment after I FINALLY beat for the first time!

[@EggEnjoyer]

I gotta disagree with your point about there being too many controller inputs. While the game has mandatory moves that must be used inoder to pass certain challenges, half of the commands can just be ignored and not used at it. You can kinda pick and choose what commands you wanna use. Take the spirit grenade for example. It was added in the defimitibe addition and therefore has no mandatory use in the main game. Yet it can still be used and to a meaningful degree. Thus is pretty much the case for all the moves in the game and the more moves you can recalls and combo together, the better the player you'll be. But if you can't do that, you'll still get by

[@randomguy6679]

Not to mention it works better on a mouse and keyboard

[@gumfireparalax1371]

@@randomguy6679 I disagree with that heavily. I will always say Keyboard is a bad method of control for anything 2D. K&M is good for FPS's and terrible for platformers of most types. It simply doesn't offer enough movement control.

[@nickwooden5661]

@@gumfireparalax1371 ori is movement based not precision based for the most part, so arrow keys work well. bash is the most precision part of the game is bash which is somewhat infuriating to aim with a control stick.

[@gumfireparalax1371]

@@nickwooden5661 You do realise that movement IS precision right? You have to have precise movement in a platformer. Ori's movement is far more precise than most platformers due to the nuances in control, momentum, and direction. So yes, Ori is all about precision and precision is not separate from movement.

[@veyarain82]

Everything about that escape was fantastic. I especially liked what you went over about how the music doesn’t stop, there are no checkpoints, and the reload is instantaneous meaning I never lost adrenaline, and the sweeping score just keeps building! I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a game that hit me with so much adrenaline I was literally shaking for a few minutes afterwards. Absolutely briliant!

[@veyarain82]

I also didn’t realize while I was running that I could wait longer and it would automatically fire, so it was even faster and frenetic for me because I was launching myself almost as fast as I had grabbed on xD

[@terracannon876]

I was so proud of the moment I finished the Ginso tree, especially because I'd played with keyboard and mouse. It gave a weird sort of challenge coming from knowing exactly where your mouse was without looking down, haha. But anyways, that aside, Ori was the first game I really wanted to and did play over again because I simply missed the sensation of Ori floating and flipping through the air. The bash move was definitely something that gave another layer to every location when it came to exploration, and I loved how the one move gave so many options in terms of both movement and combat. I never really thought of Ginso as the "best" moment before, nor the bash move as something amazingly innovative, but after watching your video, I think I agree. I love the final "boss" fight of Mount Horu (as much as escape sessions can be called "fights"), but Ginso probably was the best showcase of a tightly knit bunch of mechanics and level design. Thanks for this video! Especially on a game I love :D

[@lubomirkompis9441]

I bought my first controller specifically to play Ori :D.

[@thedragoncraft3490]

Actually it's been proved the game is easier with keyboard + mouse :p (on the speedrun side at least)

[@TURB0EGG]

I finished binging all your videos last week and was waiting for a new one! You are definitely one of the best KZbin with a really great production value! Thanks for doing this.

[@Giraffinator]

I had a pretty hard time with the escape and I got real frustrated, but when I finally got it done, it was so satisfying, it's probably one of my favorite recent gaming moments.

[@maelvgx9363]

Man, I just watched the 9minutes again like nothing happened. You got such a talent for telling things, it's incredible. Thanks for doing your videos, it's always a great watch and very educative. All the best.

[@M00glemuffins]

When I first played through Ori it easily skyrocketed itself up my list of favorites due to the gorgeous levels, and music. The Ginso tree though, as you mentioned was quite something. I was streaming my playthrough on Twitch and it took a good number of tries to do that challenge section but man oh man was that an exhilarating gameplay experience. The music never ending, the constantly rising water. Good lord it was beautiful.

[@Maffwonasanz]

Thank you for doing a Ori video I've waited so long for you to do one!

[@richardsim7]

"I've got video material for years, you're never getting rid of me" Hah, awesome, look forward to it :)

[@ameynanote]

Me and my friend were playing this together and we were literally screaming because of this part. The music and everything was a beautiful spectacle of a masterpiece. Truly something to go down on time!

[@geoffreywilson7008]

Joke's on you, I remember the Ginso Tree for being a nightmare. Teleporting from section to section through windpipes that retain your momentum 'exactly', so if you don't hit them right in the sweet spot, you die unseen to the brambles choking the area around the exits. Yes, you get a refreshed jump to better maneuver the other end, but again, irrelevant if you died unseen behind the pretty exit visuals. As a small aside, did eventually beat the whole game, and enjoy it warts aside, but danm did that story make me hate the tree.

[@DemetrisLeptos]

this game makes me cry - and the musical and animation climax of the Ginso Tree sequence is breathtakingly emotional - the moment you reach the top 😭😭😭

[@SergeantSam3D]

Ori and the Blind Forest was the best game 2015 for me. I miss the experience I had with this one on newer games. Also the Tree Escape was my favorite part of the game.

[@ExplosiveFridge]

I'd recommend a game by the name of Hollow Knight if you enjoyed ori. Trust me, its brilliant.

[@SergeantSam3D]

Thanks for the suggestion, i will definitely try it out!

[@Summer_Tea]

I have to second Hollow Knight. I started off very ambivalent during the first couple hours, thinking it couldn't possibly be better than Ori. Hours 3-5 had me thinking it was equal to Ori, and now I am like 40+ hours in, still haven't beaten the game 100% and think it's one of the best games I have ever played. Ori still wins in the music department, and it will always have a very special place in my heart, but man, Hollow Knight completely blew me away like no game has before.

[@Itzsfo0]

@@Summer_Tea I love hollow Knight, I've put 130 hours on my Switch. 112% completion. Hunter's Journal Complete, and doing the Pantheon (hall of boss-rushes) and all that crap. Love that game, but some serious challenge no question about it. Especially Path of Pain....if you know what I mean.

[@Summer_Tea]

Coming back a year later thanks to your comment and I still stand by my statements. I've 100%ed HK multiple times, including a no-death run, and Path of Pain is a walk in the park for me now. Game is just too damn good.

[@lakshraghav4273]

You've got video material for years, I'm never getting rid of you...... Your channel is one of the things keeping me on youtube

[@splatalie746]

I have never had a more overwhelming reaction than I did when playing the Ginso tree for the first time. During the final set piece moment I had tears in my eyes at what I felt was the greatest gaming moment I had ever experienced. When I reached the top of the tree I stood up, alone in my room, and gave a standing ovation. I was utterly blown away by how masterfully this experience had been crafted. I will never forget that feeling. Truly one of the greatest video games ever made.

[@mrslake7096]

Great elegant analysis as always keep up the great work

[@LetsReadPodcast]

Proud of you

[@technocat2670]

Great new video! I've been meaning to play Ori and the Blind Forest but haven't yet. All of your videos inspire me to view video games in a more critical and appreciative way. Your analysis is always a joy to listen to.

[@protossinator]

When you started talking about "everybody's favorite part", I was ready to say "Hah! Mine was the Ginsoo tree!"

[@naoqueroleristo]

I can watch every one of your videos without getting bored. And that is amazing

[@umnikos]

Ok this is the last time I am hearing about this game without checking it out - I gotta check it out...

[@Loollitude]

Thank you for introducing me to this game and series as a whole, it's become one of my favourite games

[@drittenacht]

It'd been so long I'd jumped from my seat out of sheer joy while playing video game... I'd purchased Ori mostly for the soundtrack; I'm a scrub and I tend to stay away from difficult games. But after spoiling myself of the soundtrack for so long, it'd gotten to a point where I really wanted to listen to the soundtrack in the setting it was meant to be, you know, in the game. So I booted up the game, and after that I couldn't put my controller down for 8 hours straight. Again, I'm a scrub. Ginso Tree escape was probably the first real hurdle by that point--I'd save-scummed my way through first few areas like a madman but at Ginso Tree I knew that shit wouldn't work. But the game had set just enough puzzles and tests in my way that I mostly knew what abilities did and felt this was something possible. And the fact that a filthy scrub didn't give up at the first real obstacle speaks volumes about Ori's presentation, fairness and immersion. I felt like a fucking godslayer when I finally escaped Ginso Tree (I think it took me around 4-5 tries), I literally gasped out in joy when I saw that pale moon and jumped out of my seat. So few games have made me care about a character enough to brave through difficult dungeons and I was overjoyed I could continue on this story with Ori. The game never let me down for caring about its characters and challenges. My favorite part is still probably Mount Horu (I generally dislike OOO LAVA SO DRAMATIC SO FINAL stages but I really loved solving Mount Horu's puzzles) but I can fully understand why people love Ginso Tree, I love that part too.

[@erickdavid4257]

Your videos are so well documented and compelling! Damn you need more recognition. I hope your channel blow up to a million soon.

[@mysticstylez5854]

The Ginso Tree Water Escape is my most memorable level. I passed the entire game and its still the most frustrating yet satisfying part of the game. I love the music that plays. Had to spawn like 3000 times lol. The portal puzzles in this game were so frustrating. Im excited for the sequel.

[@34psqwe25]

I've never clicked on a video so fast. I loved this game.

[@ShadwSonic]

Okay, you know what? I've been watching excellent video after excellent video from you all in a row, it's clear you'll continue to produce content I want to see... which is EXACTLY what subscriptions are for! Time to add to the pool!

[@darthziggy16]

Very good analysis, as usual. I've played this game so many times and never put together in my mind how the Ginso Tree is broken into two sections as you explained. It makes me have even more respect for this amazing platformer.

[@Fawriel]

Freaking. I'm almost crying just because of the music in the escape sequence. GodDAMN that part made me go through emotions I didn't even know I had.

[@alasdairsinclair916]

I was thinking with the cutscene showing it would be that, and I'd be the odd one out for unlocking bash being my favourite part. Then he said it's the Ginso tree, where you unlock bash. 4 years after this video's release is when I first played the game, and I got read like a book. Also, my second favorite part is restoring the element at the top of the tree, and looking at the bottom right corner to see the achievment unlocked, "Run for your life" And going like _uh oh, well thanks for the heads up._

[@MauroPerasso]

You utter genius... I LOVE your work, man.

[@Lucas-Gabriel_Chelcea]

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is coming up!!! I love Bash but sadly I don't think it will be in the next game...

[@gumfireparalax1371]

Pretty sure they confirmed it will be.

[@gumfireparalax1371]

@@blobbi No it isn't. Unless you're saying that they turned Bash into a grappling hook, Bash is very clearly NOT a grappling hook.

[@DisKorruptd]

@@gumfireparalax1371 It is in the game, played it recently, they include bash somewhere later on, for some reason, Ori dropped 90% of his moveset before the sequel game and now must rebuild it

[@gumfireparalax1371]

@@DisKorruptd That is just the nature of Metroidvanias.

[@nithinsyriackurien7527]

your analysis of games are really amazing! Love watching your videos, keep up the great work!

[@davidnayr301]

So... Are you claiming that this "Bash" mechanic was first used in Ori and the Blind Forest(2015)? Because the Nintendo DS game Kung Fu Panda(2008) featured an almost identical ability (by another name of course), and I'm not even kidding. I'm not sure if this is the first occurrence of such a mechanic, but I know Ori and the Blind Forest sure wasn't first! As I recall, you were also able to use it on grabbed enemies directly, opening up several opportunities in combat and platforming. That said, I do not recommend that game, mostly because the vast majority of rooms were laid out on a straight line, meaning you had to run past a seemingly endless supply of empty rooms if you ever needed to go to another area (which was quite often). The "Bash" feature however made the game a little fun at times and was (in my opinion) fairly well implemented. I mean no disrespect to Ori and the Blind Forest of course which, from what I hear, is a great game, and none to to you, Mark Brown, either, for not having played every single game out there. I mean, what kind of idiot would buy/play such a game anyway? (I did...)

[@kevinfredericks2335]

Yes! I love the note on the continuous music. It is not necessary in every game but keeping continuous sound design is a great option for keeping tension flowing.

[@crackheaadd]

That's why keyboard is sometimes really helpful

[@bradleyokane]

Bash is such a great mechanic, superb game and the sequal is on a whole other level

[@puschelhornchen9484]

For the escape sequence of Ginso Tree, after dying over and over again, it really helped to switch to my old laptop. FPS drop for the win ^_^

[@Onhil]

I've heard great things of Ori since it came out, and when the E3 trailer for Will of the Wisps came out I decided it was finally time. I'm gonna play this game. It also helped that I was looking for a metroidvania to play after the announcement of Samus Returns and Metroid Prime 4. Ori ended up becoming one of my best experiences in gaming. Reigniting my love for the metroidvania genre. With all the interesting abilities that you get as you progress through the game that lets you fight and move around in more interesting ways is what makes the genre so fun. Backtracking for collectibles is the highlight for me in metroidvanias for me. As you return to past areas that you spent a while to traverse in the beginning, but to then charge through like it was nothing with your new abilities. It makes the entire experience so much better because you know that you're more powerful than you were before.

[@junkmail2223]

Ori being in Rivals of Aether is gonna be weird. Bash is one of his specials and I have no idea how you don't make it the most broken spike in the game

[@TheChucknoxus]

Why do people always pull these kinds of statements out of their ass? There are already 45° spikes in the game and you can always give the move low knockback or just low hitstun. Is maypul's fair broken?

[@junkmail2223]

TheChucknoxus Sure, but this sends your opponent at any angle that's convenient at the given moment as well as making it easier for Ori to get back to the stage. So far, it also looks like it has a huuuuge hitbox.

[@alolamao833]

Update. Move is slow, and puts you into special fall if you miss. It’s fast on projectiles tho :D

[@Hafazeh]

the ginso tree by far one of my keystone moments in my gaming "career". I was literally screaming with joy, laughing every time i failed. Itching to try it again. The music, goes without mention, a very inspiring game.

[@ToriKo_]

I can tell this is already gonna be a great video

[@COlimar788]

Agreed on the tree as a whole and the elegantly lovely Bash move, disagree on the climactic set piece. By the time I finished it I was more annoyed than triumphant, and felt less like I had overcome a challenge and more like I had memorized a set of trial and error sequences. The scrolling nature of the piece, combined with its length, meant that there was often no way of knowing what was coming and how to react to it, especially since Ori's visual style doesn't lend itself to precision platforming due to the ambiguous nature of the hitboxes. It's especially interesting since you cite difficulty spikes in the game but nowhere did they become more evident for me than in the set pieces, and the tree's was probably the worst offender.

[@Kitty_kisses97]

I had such an incredible experience with this game, that just hearing any of the songs sets off ASMR in my whole body. I get tingles of anticipation just thinking about it.

[@Evitrea]

I agree that the the game has add too many abilities. Especially when I first get the charge jump, I keep forgetting which trigger to use because it require jumping, climbing and dashing at once, and it is mostly only useful at the part I got this ability. And the light ball...I beat the game without realizing it's a thing. The area that requires the ball is fun, but outside that part of the map it's pretty useless, so they added some orbs in some random places that require the light ball to access, which in my opinion is just to make some problem so the solution can serve a purpose. It's a great game, but I just hate it try to make every bottom on the controller do something.

[@AsemSarhan]

i play it on PC and using the skills is very easy but Controller its gonna be hard

[@AwesomeNick94]

I really loved metroidvania elements of Ori and all the moves you learned, and any joy I took from the Ginso tree soured instantly when I realized it locked away collectibles forever and auto-saved so I could never get them. But yeah, the design here specifically, the bash move, and the music are all awesome!

[@ebonbehelit9763]

Eh. I honestly couldn't remember the Ginso Tree at all -- bar the escape sequence, of course, but that's because I hated it so much I almost shelved the game then and there. In fact, the only parts of Ori that I have vivid memories of in general, are the parts I strongly disliked -- particularly the "boss" sequences and giant owl stealth section. I think the biggest contributor to my lack of strong memories of Ori, though, is that I played it at a time when I was binging on new Metroidvanias, and Ori had the unfortunate luck of being experienced between better examples of the genre: Axiom Verge, Environmental Station Alpha, Steamworld Dig 2, and Hollow Knight. Especially Hollow Knight.

[@CompleteAnimation]

I too am eagerly awaiting Ori and the Will of the Wisps. I am confident that it will have even tighter gameplay than the first, and possibly even take to heart some of the concepts you love about having multiple uses for a single mechanic.

[@joshuabrown7815]

This man needs to teach a college class on game design. Upvote if you agree.

[@bebibroly5]

Playing through the water escape with booming speakers combined with that music and those sound effects was nothing short of rapturous.

[@Jarekthegamingdragon]

I majorly disagree with two things. The first one is that ori definitely does not become a finger fumbling exercise by the end of it. If you think that's the case you would die attempting to play any fighting game. The second is about the checkpoints. Holy hell not having a checkpoint ruined the escape sequences entirely for me. It just turns them into a frustrating trial and error experience. The climax is ruined and nearly all emotional investment is ruined due to the player's soured mood.

[@Kuzi19]

Easy mode has a checkpoint

[@prototypeinheritance515]

Jarek4GamingDragon the lack of checkpoint made them even better

[@valb3553]

While yes, not having a checkpoint during the speed runs such as the Ginso Tree and the Escape from Mount Horu was very frustrating, ill have to disagree. The point of the speedruns themselves is to test all your skill and knowlege of the games mechanics, plus how fast you can do it all together. If you could checkpoint in the middle or wherever of those parts, then 1. You'd probably die, since the water from the Ginso Tree, or Kuro from the Escape from Mount Horu will reach you. 2. It really drills the skills into our head, so each time you do the run, you get quicker and better at it, so it really doesnt take much time at all to reach the spot where you last screwed up. And like a lot of other people in the comment section said, while it does become a bit rage-inducing at times, the satisfaction of finally beating it is absolutely amazing. I play the game over and over just to be able to do those speed runs again. (And of course for the amazing storyline) Sorry if this was a bit much to read, and it may be a bit hard to understand..

[@DigitalandDice]

Ori is a fantastic game and we really really enjoy playing it! Thank you for this in-depth look at how they made such an iconic mechanic!

[@jglasshalfpool4640]

So surprised to hear this is a sequence people really enjoyed. I died over and over again, swallowed by the rising water. I eventually did beat it but it had knocked all the enjoyment I was having right out of the game. I stopped playing Ori very soon after this sequence and have not, as yet, gone back.

[@TheShadowOfNidhoeggr]

It was weird to see a rather easy game like ori having such difficulty spikes in its chase sequences. I got stuck at this sequence and the final battle for an hour each. Otherwise it was more than smooth sailing though and the game is overall amazing.

[@gabrielandy9272]

i really can't understand why people don't like challenges, for me is all games are about =s if is not hard is not fun. the only thing a game need is a good tutorial in map design like ori.

[@sofija1996]

The issue is when the challenge suddenly goes up compared to sections before and after that one difficult point. Instead of slowly ramping up the skill level and allowing the player to adjust, you throw in a sudden chokepoint that causes frustration and leaves a bad taste, changing the way you look at the whole game.

[@jglasshalfpool4640]

I like challenging games. I don't call bashing my head against a the same sequence of a game over and over again a challenge. I'd call that a difficulty spike or just plain bad design. I stopped enjoying this particular challenge because I kept dying and the game wasn't doing a good enough job of telling me why. A challenging game manages to tell you why you're failing. If you die it's because you made a mistake. In that Ori section, I felt like I didn't know what I was doing wrong. And when I finally beat it, I didn't know what I had done right. I felt like I got lucky. That's not what I call challenging.

[@rickpgriffin]

I'm not certain how you could feel like the game wasn't telling you what you did wrong? Because it taught you all the mechanics beforehand, it just said "now do it faster".

[@Le_Samourai]

I played Ori when it came out. I was about 11. The image of the water chasing me up the tree is one of the few vivid memories I have of the game, and I think I will have it for the rest of my life

[@kidhero_]

Hollow Knight video when? :O

[@PassiveWealth]

I was totally blown away by the Ginso Tree escape sequence. It was so badass

[@irvyne6111]

Isn't Ori a "she...?"

[@Spyger9]

Scrolled too far down. Was starting to think I was the only one who noticed!

[@GMTK]

Says male on the website

[@irvyne6111]

Huh. Guess I was wrong then. I felt sure the game referred to Ori as female.

[@JuddMan03]

The dialog in the game that makes people think Ori is a she is "We told Ori the tale of her misguided will". In this case, "her" is referring to Kuro the owl, and the tale of her misguided will is the cut scene with the owl chicks

[@gryffehondor4236]

Ori's gender isn't male either. The dev's have stated that it's up to the player to choose for themselves. Which is bothering me a lot honestly. It's not like Ori is a blank slate avatar despite being mute, they have a detailed background and personality. Hiding their gender doesn't contribute to anything.

[@Bizargh]

This really hits me on the head with "So that's why despite the highly numerous attempts to flawlessly run that escape with the items collected and struggling with the ledges without the Wall Climb, it never stopped being thrilling & not once frustrating!", as well as reminds me that this was in fact when Ori was at it's gameplay best during my playthrough.

[@Wallopy_Joe]

Started playing for the first time two days ago. This level, once I'd completed it, puts Ori and the Blind Forest comfortably among my favourite games ever. I don't remember the last time I was so enamoured or enchanted by a game, but the story and gameplay are wonderful.

[@RenzorTheRed]

The escape from that tree was one of the most intense and cool video game sequences I've been a part of. :) OMG, when I came across the puzzle at 4:47, I explored and followed it around, and was like ... "I need to do THAT?!" And then I did it. It wasn't so bad, lol. btw, there IS a checkpoint in the escape. If you die above the trampolines, it puts you back to the first trampoline (about the middle).

[@ozone500]

Brilliant episode. Really deconstructs why I felt so amazing doing this part of the game.

[@nowlinlee9541]

I think the design that in definitive edition we could return back to the Ginso tree is pretty awesome ! You will see the water flows down the cave and the familiar place you could jump with BASH again.

[@smallbeard]

"Look, I've got video material for years you're never getting rid of me." Loved that bit

[@nairocamilo]

This video is two years old today! 🎉 Happy anniversary

[@3yearsfromnow]

Fingers fumbling was exactly what I went through in later gameplay. It took me a while and countless deaths to finally know where on the controller is for which skill and know how to use them effectively. This game is amazing

[@vitsavicky]

The music! Out of all the things Ori does masterfully (and there is a lot of those) the music is the best thing about the game. At the time (played it twice now) I didn't notice the music didn't reset every time I died... but now that you mentioned it, I think my subconcious did. These guys are geniuses in the true sense of the word.

[@jstewart8496]

You should do an episode on sound effects and/or thematic music. There's only been a few games where I was truly blown away by the music but this was definitely one of them.

[@IcyB-xg6xs]

The Ginso Tree escape genuinely brought me to tears. It was just so beautiful to look at, the exhilarating music and the danger right around the corner. It was just breath taking to say the least, and very overwhelming... In a good way

[@GTRichardson7]

Another great video! I am always thrilled when I see you have uploaded a new one! Also, I would love to see a video on your pantheon of great game mechanics!

[@tehpickle1250]

I genuinely assumed that the common consensus on the 'best bit' would just be the opening cutscene. That was a real gut punch in visual storytelling that really blew me away.