About 2015.

Dorian the Blind Forest Moon Studios blend of an entrancing, tragic fairy tale world and white knuckle platforming challenge left a mark that hasn't faded with time.

And yet the new follow up or in the will of the Wisps successfully builds on that in a way that doesn't just re tread the same ground.

There's more breath and detail, choice and diversity than ever, and it's all done with engrossing color and light and an excellent, inspiring soundtrack.

This is a great big open world, backed by a great big, beautiful score that shifts and echoes your successes and grows frantic and immediate in moments of tension.

It's your constant companion as you journey through diverse locations that sprawl out in all directions.

Blooming fertile forests, frigid mountain peaks, vibrant pools, sizzling desert sands, bug infested burrows choked in lethal darkness.

All of them feel distinct in alive.

And there's an incredible beauty and attention to the little details that serve the overarching theme of each.

Whether you're burrowing through the sand in the blazing red light of the desert or pricking yourself on bear splintered timber in the mountainous regions.

There's always something surprising in store or in the will of the wisps reinforces that theme of a wider living world with a menagerie of new creatures to fight big and small alongside woodland critters in animal guardians that hide and thrive in each area, These new MP see characters provide helpful information, offer you simple side quests, sell you maps and abilities and upgrade a central hub villages.

You inevitably round up the many different collectibles scattered around the world, this new level of customization and the persistent goal of working towards something help to ground me in the happenings of the world.

I felt like I had a stake in its success rather than just running through a series of places to leap and fight my way to the end.

Exploring these secret nooks unlocks new abilities that let you interact with the world in new ways.

And avoiding deadly obstacles is the meat on the will of the wisps bones.

It all feels better than ever.

As I was nearing the end of my 12 hour play through the speed and possibilities for creative movement put me in almost a Zen like state triple jumps, borrowing, dashing through water, launching myself into the air, bashing off of enemies and grappling to fix positions with a lasso.

Had hope becomes second nature.

It's a gradual ramp up.

But as I unlocked each new ability, I relish the chance to hop in a warp gate and head back to a previous area to plunder the collectables that were once just out of reach.

Combat has been extended along the same lines.

You can get active abilities and passive shards that enhance already in unique ways, like allowing you to triple John Pork Linda Walls or just pointing out secret locations.

And though you start with only a few of these sharks lots, you can unlock more for completing combat challenges, and that gives you a chance to customize your Ori to a degree that really changes your place.

Style Most importantly, or his new active abilities, which are essentially weapons, can be purchased equipped on the fly through a weapon wheel and upgraded.

You can use a fast slashing, spirit edged sword.

You could deliver heavy spirit smash hammer blows, fire a splinter in spirit, aren't energy bow light, enemies on fire, deploy spirit centuries to constantly pepper them with damage and so much more.

I'll admit at first I didn't venture too far out of my starting abilities.

But the diversity of each item in and out of combat makes many of them must have.

For example, not only does that heavy spirit smash deliver big damage and knock enemies up in the air, but it's also used to crush through breakable barriers.

And though that spirit Lance might cost a ton of energy to use, it's a lifesaver when it staggers the Boss mid attack and opens it up for you to deliver precious damage in one of the new, enjoyable and occasionally harrowing boss fights.

And without going into spoiler territory with Cory in the will of the wisps tragically beautiful story, Moon Studios has delivered an excellent second chapter that plucks the same heartstrings of hope and loss in redemption as the first game.

It's an affecting mixture of sorrow and joy that shines a light on the power of empathy.

What I really appreciate about Orry is that even though it's a tale of light versus darkness, it never fully falls into the simplicity of good versus evil.

Instead, it instills the ideas that even the ostensibly bad guys have hearts, families and tragedy.

Regardless of whether they choose to seek redemption in order.

In the will of the Wisps, Moon Studios has taken an excellent foundation and made even more out of it.

It's many new elements expand on and add to the first game's fun without bogging it down or becoming overcomplicated.

And that's really the best praise you can give us equal.

It stays true to the spirit of the original doubles down on what made it great and gives you more steak in the world and options to navigate it or in the will of the wisps, is an excellent, heartfelt follow up that pushes the Siri's to new heights for more on or in the will of the wisps.

You can watch them gameplay right now and for everything else.