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

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As a long-time Xbox gamer, I can tell you they’ve always delivered amazing titles. Just think about classics like Halo: Combat Evolved, Gears of War, and Lost Odyssey – the list goes on! And it looks like things aren’t slowing down, with 2026 promising some seriously great games. But honestly, if you look back just a little over ten years, you’ll find one of the best Xbox games ever made came from a partnership with a small indie studio. And the sequel? Even better! Everyone’s been begging for a third game ever since, and I’m right there with them.

Moon Studios made a big splash with their first game, Ori and the Blind Forest. This lovely and captivating indie game quickly became a favorite, offering a fresh take on the Metroidvania style. Even now, over ten years later, players still rave about its beautiful art, moving story, and precise controls. Both Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, remain among the best platforming games available – a remarkable achievement given the competition from modern titles like Astro Bot and Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Ori and the Blind Forest Released More Than a Decade Ago

What immediately stood out about Ori and the Blind Forest was its beautiful art style, and that’s what first grabbed my attention. The game combined hand-painted visuals with smooth animation, making it look more like a movie than a typical platformer. The colorful and atmospheric forest environments made exploring feel magical and instantly captivating for me and many others.

One of the things that made the game special was its emotional story. It followed Ori, a little spirit, and Sein, a forest spirit, as they tried to save their world from destruction. The story was surprisingly moving, even though there wasn’t a lot of talking. It really drew players in, and the ending was something I couldn’t forget.

I remember when Ori and the Blind Forest first came out back in March 2015. It felt like the Metroidvania style of games was just starting to make a comeback, and Ori was a big part of that! It clearly took cues from old favorites like Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, with that focus on exploring a huge, connected world and unlocking new abilities to get further. Even now, over a decade later, people still talk about it as one of the best Metroidvanias out there.

Ori Helped Revitalize Metroidvanias

Metroidvania-style games have become incredibly popular over the last ten years. Many independent game developers have adopted this approach, making games centered around exploring large, connected worlds and gaining new abilities. However, this surge in popularity also meant a lot of games ended up feeling very similar to one another.

Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight has had a huge impact on the action-adventure genre, inspiring many games that followed. We’re now seeing a lot of games, like Blasphemous, Nine Sols, and Crowsworn, that share Hollow Knight’s dark atmosphere and challenging combat. Because of this influence, some players feel the genre is becoming crowded with games that are too similar to Hollow Knight.

What I really love about the Ori games is how they do difficulty differently. So many games just try to beat you up with tough fights, but Ori and the Blind Forest focused on making the platforming feel amazing – super precise movement and a really emotional story. It’s still challenging, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not just hard for the sake of being hard. Moon Studios really nails the platforming and exploration, which is what I always look for in a great game.

My first time playing this game was unlike other Metroidvanias I’ve tried. Instead of struggling with difficult fights, I focused on learning how to move and really exploring the detailed environments. This balance was refreshing, especially since there are so many games like it coming out now. Having played games like Hollow Knight and Blasphemous 2 recently, I especially appreciated how much this game emphasizes skillful movement.

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

Following the popularity of the first game, Ori and the Will of the Wisps was released in 2020. This sequel improved on the original in almost every way, featuring a bigger world, more complex combat, and stunning visuals and animation. I was incredibly impressed with Moon Studios’ work on the sequel and believe it’s one of the greatest Metroidvania games ever made.

With Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Moon Studios perfected the gameplay of the original Ori while still delivering a heartfelt story. The game’s success brought the studio well-deserved attention, but they’ve now shifted focus to a new project, No Rest for the Wicked. While a third Ori game hasn’t been announced, fans are still hoping one will be made and continue to request it.

Even over ten years after its release, people are still asking for a new Ori game. The original Ori and the Blind Forest showed how stunning visuals, great platforming, and a moving story could take the Metroidvania style to the next level. Until a sequel arrives, fans like me will keep playing these games and hoping for another Ori adventure. Moon Studios and Xbox really made a mark on the indie game scene and the Metroidvania genre years ago, and their influence is still clear today.

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2026-03-11 17:15