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If that happens, players will have to backtrack and meander through new zones to find power-ups to boost spirit energy and life. Initially, players will run into tough boss fights or they could find an area that needs another ability to access. The freedom in “Will of the Wisps” leads to some difficulties. Each zone holds a special ability or introduces a new type of obstacle. Players can explore the Luma Pools, Midnight Burroughs, Mouldwood Depths, Windswept Wastes and Baur’s Reach in any order. These spirit pieces are the only way to stop the decay that has ruined life in the area.
#Ku ori and the will of the wisps free
Moon Studios opens the game up in the second act, and players are given free rein to venture through five themed areas with the goal of finding the wisps of Niwen. Of course, players who want a challenge can refrain from using the shards and get an achievement for it, but most players will want to experiment and figure out which combinations of weapons, shards and abilities work for them. These items are rewards for exploration or solving puzzles, and they offer bonuses that help make “Will of the Wisps” easier in areas such as combat and traversal. That’s amplified by the concept of Spirit Shards that players collect through the campaign. Players can sub in other weapons and abilities depending on their playstyle and that gives each play-through different feel. That mishap kicks off the first act, which focuses on Ori reuniting with Ku, and that sets up the basics of “Will of the Wisps.” Players will notice an emphasis on combat as Ori uses a spirit sword to slash at foes and a bow and arrow to target them from a distance.
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Unfortunately, a storm hits and the two end up separated. With the keepsake tied to its wing, the two set off and explore the world outside of Nibel. Ori fixes that with a gift of a feather from Ku’s late mother, Kuro. Ori, Naru and Gumo take care of the fledgling owlet and try to raise it, but Ku is saddened by her inability to fly. “Will of the Wisps” begins almost immediately after the end of “Blind Forest” with the birth of an owlet named Ku.
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Although “Will of the Wisps” appears to be a Metroidvania-type game, Moon Studios modeled the sequel after a different game altogether - “The Legend of Zelda.” The follow-up carries over the fine-tuned platforming of 2015’s “Ori and the Blind Forest” and expands on it by improving the combat and adding depth to the characters. A sequel must balance the familiar with the novel, and “Ori and the Will of the Wisps” does that adeptly. Sure, they need to polish and fix the original’s flaws, but at the same time, they have to come up with a new angle. What separates a good sequel from a mediocre one is the approach the developers take. If a follow-up is too similar to the original, it feels unnecessary and fans will ask, “Why wasn’t this an expansion pack?” Gamers are a tough crowd to please. One of the hardest parts about making a sequel is to not repeat yourself.
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