#9: Ori and the Will of the Wisps
While a bit weaker than Ori and the Blind Forest in it's narrative, Ori and the Will of the Wisps excells in every other department which makes this game a masterpiece.
More beautiful in it's artstyle, lighting and general design. Better, more refined gameplay, in particular the combat is a big improvement over the last game and the new abilities are a step up. The level design is fantastic and really feels organic. It also excells with it's atmosphere. The area that is completely in darkness in particular is unnerving. The bossfights are great and have great variety. The races are a fun challenge.
This game now unlike the previous one features NPCs. They offer advice and sidequests and some in part incredible side stories. One of those is one where a creature asks you to get his family to the new home he found for them and when you get there they already turned to stone like everyone else in that area. When he finds out he then goes to them and also turnes to stone, reunited with his loved ones. It's truely heartbreaking. These smaller things that many players may just overlook and not notice are what makes games truely great and this game a masterpiece.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a fantastic game and my second favorite metroidvania.
