Eric Hall’s Top 10 Video Games Of 2015

7) Ori and the Blind Forest

Plenty of games have brought their own unique style to the vaunted “Metroidvania” genre over the years. In recent memory, we have seen titles such as Apotheon, Dust: An Elysian Tale and Guacamelee all feature their own unique takes on the genre.

For as good as most of these  have been, though, none have really approached the highly regarded duo of Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Leave it to a small developer such as Moon Studios to approached the kings of the genre with their Xbox One exclusive, Ori and the Blind Forest.

Mixing brutal difficulty and gorgeous visuals, Ori is the purest distillation of the “Metroidvania” formula I have played in recent years. There are no wacky gimmicks to be found here. All you’ll find here is just hardcore 2D platforming action that will challenge even the most accomplished of gamers.

Whether it’s navigating spike-filled chasms or pushing yourself off of enemy projectiles, the action is consistently engaging. And wrapped around the killer gameplay and visual splendor, is a charming little tale that features one of the most touching openings of this console generation. While it may not have the same name recognition as some of the classics, Ori and the Blind Forest deserves to be mentioned among the all-time greats.