One of the Best Xbox Games Released 11 Years Ago (and Everyone Still Wants Another Sequel)

Xbox is no stranger to incredible games. Its history is littered with titles like Halo: Combat Evolved, Gears of War, Lost Odyssey, and so many others. The studio shows no signs of slowing down, as 2026 is poised to deliver some of the best games the studio has produced in years. That is, if one doesn’t look back just over a decade, when Xbox joined forces with an indie studio to produce one of the best Xbox games ever made. Not only that, but its sequel is even better, and fans are dying for a third game in the series.

Moon Studios quickly earned recognition with its debut title, Ori and the Blind Forest. This beautiful and charming indie title would become a standout in the indie genre and showcase a different side of Metroidvanias. Even more than a decade later, players still praise its artistic style, emotional narrative, and tight platforming mechanics. Ori and the Blind Forest, as well as its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, are still some of the best platforming games today, which is an impressive feat considering today’s offerings include Astro Bot and Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Ori and the Blind Forest Released More Than a Decade Ago

What immediately set Ori and the Blind Forest apart was its presentation, and this is what caught my eye the first time I saw gameplay footage. The game used hand-painted artwork combined with fluid animation to create a world that looked closer to an animated film than a traditional platformer. The forest environments were rich with color and atmosphere, making exploration feel magical in a way that instantly drew me and others in.

The emotional storytelling also helped the game stand out. The narrative followed the small guardian spirit Ori and the forest spirit Sein as they attempted to restore balance to their dying world. Even without heavy dialogue, the story delivered powerful moments that resonated with players. It is deceptive how much the narrative pulls you in, and its ending stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

When Ori and the Blind Forest first launched on March 11, 2015, it arrived at a time when the Metroidvania genre was just beginning to experience a revival. It took inspiration from classics like Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and experimented with interconnected world design and exploration-based progression. More than a decade later, the game is still widely cited as one of the best modern Metroidvanias.

Ori Helped Revitalize Metroidvanias

The Metroidvania genre has exploded in popularity over the last decade. Indie developers especially embraced the formula, creating countless games focused on exploration, ability upgrades, and interconnected maps. While this boom brought plenty of creative projects, it also led to a wave of titles that felt heavily inspired by one particular game.

Hollow Knight, developed by Team Cherry, has taken over the genre, and not just in popularity. Its success influenced many releases, and today the genre is often filled with games that borrow its darker tone and combat-focused design. Blasphemous, Nine Sols, Crowsworn, and so many other games lean into Hollow Knight’s success. As a result, some players feel the genre has become saturated with what many call “Hollow Knight clones.”

This is where the Ori games remain refreshing. Instead of focusing primarily on combat difficulty, Ori and the Blind Forest emphasized platforming precision, movement, and emotional storytelling. The games still have their challenge, but they are not simply difficult for the sake of it. Instead, Moon Studios leans into platforming and exploration, one of the most important aspects of the genre.

Playing the game for the first time felt different from other Metroidvanias I had experienced. Rather than grinding through tough enemy encounters, I spent most of my time mastering movement and exploring beautifully crafted areas. That balance made the game feel like a change of pace, especially now within an increasingly crowded genre. Revisiting the series after playing games like Hollow Knight and Blasphemous 2 made me appreciate the focus on movement so much more.

Fans Are Still Waiting on a Sequel to Ori and the Will of the Wisps

The success of the original game led to the release of Ori and the Will of the Wisps in 2020. The sequel expanded nearly every aspect of the first game. The world was larger, combat systems were deeper, and the presentation became even more impressive thanks to enhanced visuals and animation. Ori’s sequel left me even more impressed with Moon Studios, and I consider it among the best Metroidvanias of all time.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps refined the formula to perfection while preserving the emotional storytelling that made the first game special. We’ve seen the success put Moon Studios on the map, but the future of Ori looks uncertain. Rather than working on a third game, the studio has turned its attention to No Rest for the Wicked. A third game has not been announced, but fans have not given up hope and continue to ask for it.

More than a decade after Ori and the Blind Forest first launched, the demand for another entry still exists. The series proved that a beautifully crafted world, strong platforming design, and emotional storytelling could elevate the Metroidvania formula. Until a new sequel appears, players like me will continue revisiting these games and hoping the spirit of Ori returns one day. Moon Studios and Xbox helped shape the indie and Metroidvania genres so many years ago, and that impact can still be felt today.

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