Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Xbox One/SX)

Most importantly for the Series X and S upgrades, next-gen hardware turns one of Will of the Wisps' original weaknesses into a point of pride, and that's worth celebrating.

That finality could signal that this is the last Ori game, a farewell to the fantastical world and memorable characters that made Moon Studios such a standout developer from its very first effort. If that is the case, you could hardly ask for a better send-off. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a remarkable synthesis of artful design and beautiful moments.

Fans of the first game, as well as platformer and metroidvania fans in general need to give Ori and the Will of the Wisps their time. As long as the performance issues are completely ironed out in the near future, this is one platformer that’ll long be remembered.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps builds on its predecessor’s near-perfect Metroidvania platforming and grows the concept to wonderful effect. A game that’s as much about rebirth, hope and wonder as it is death and decay, Will of the Wisps is a beautiful, enchanting piece of fantasy, and an instant classic.

With the need to go bigger, Ori and the Will of the Wisps loses some of the simplicity and innocence of the original game, but it steps up in turn with bite and refinement. It's the perfect companion to Ori and the Blind Forest, and is an early defining moment of the decade to come.

In Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Moon Studios has taken an excellent foundation and made even more out of it. Its many new elements expand on and add to the first game’s fun without bogging it down or becoming overcomplicated.

The story is fantastic, the world is breathtaking, and all of that pales in comparison to the wonderfully made gameplay that soars both as a platforming and combat game. Moon Studios has outdone itself with Will of the Wisps, delivering an experience that doesn’t have any lulls, makes the player feel clever, and just keeps getting better as it goes.