Ori and the Will of the Wisps review: A wise choice for fun

Ori and the Will of the Wisps, a follow-up to 2015's Ori and the Blind Forest, begins with the birth of an owlet named Ku. Ori, Naru and Gumo take care of the fledgling owlet and try to raise it, but Ku is saddened by her inability to fly. Ori fixes that with a gift of a feather from Ku's late mother, Kuro. With the keepsake tied to its wing, the two set off and explore the world outside of Nibel. Unfortunately, a storm hits and the two end up separated.
That mishap kicks off the first act, which focuses on Ori reuniting with Ku. Ori uses a spirit sword to slash at foes and a bow and arrow to target them from a distance. Players can sub in other weapons and abilities depending on their play style and that gives each play-through different feel. That's amplified by the concept of Spirit Shards that players collect through the campaign.
These items are rewards for exploration or solving puzzles, and they offer bonuses that help make Will of the Wisps easier in areas such as combat and traversal. Players will want to experiment and figure out which combinations of weapons, shards and abilities work for them.
Moon Studios opens the game up in the second act, and players are given free reign to venture through five themed areas with the goal of finding the wisps of Niwen. These spirit pieces are the only way to stop the decay that has ruined life in the area.
Will of the Wisps is a near-pitch-perfect sequel that delivers everything fans and newcomers would want.