Beginner’s Guide#

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a metroidvania action-adventure game developed by Moon Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. This page helps a new player build a correct picture of the game in minimum time: what it is, how to buy it, and how to start playing. All information is based on verified sources.

Three things to understand first#

1. What it is: a metroidvania platform adventure with action elements, strictly single-player — no online or multiplayer play of any kind.
2. Timeline: it is the second entry after 2015’s Ori and the Blind Forest, yet a prequel on the timeline — its story takes place before the first game. “Sequel and prequel at once” is not a contradiction; the words describe different dimensions.
3. Hero and stage: you play the spirit Ori, adventuring across a land called Niwen. The Spirit Tree has withered and the light shattered into five Wisps scattered across the land; recovering them is the main quest.

Purchase information#

• Some Chinese media list the Switch date as 09-18 — a time-zone difference;
• The game is part of the Xbox Play Anywhere program; the Xbox and Windows versions share entitlements;
• Languages include Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Russian and more.

PC minimum requirements#

Recommended specs and graphics options are not in public verified sources; rely on the official store page.

The controls that matter most at the start#

Regenerate is the biggest departure from the first game: the original’s Soul Link was a manual save-style mechanic, while this game lets you spend energy to heal at any time. From that moment, energy management is your survival subject — energy is both ammo and potion.

The opening progression logic#

In the opening area of Inkwater Marsh you can acquire 4 core abilities covering the basics of attack and movement:

Advice for the opening hours:

1. Follow the main path: metroidvania areas are gated by abilities — wherever the story goes, abilities follow; don’t detour too early;
2. Pick up every Spirit Light: it is the only currency, funding skill purchases (Opher’s first skill is half price at 400 Spirit Light) and shard upgrades;
3. Don’t waste active slots: one melee, one ranged and one utility beats three of the same kind;
4. When stuck, think abilities: a passage you can’t pass usually needs an ability you haven’t found — check the World Map for area gates.

What to do in the first hour#

A suggested rhythm for hour one (all based on verified flow structure):

1. Head straight for Inkwater Marsh’s Ancestral Tree: Spirit Edge, Spirit Arc, Double Jump and Regenerate all live here — the combat and movement foundation of the whole game;
2. Find Opher: the first skill at half price, 400 Spirit Light, is the best-value purchase in the game;
3. Bank Spirit Light for the second skill: after Spirit Arc, the next 800-Light attack skill (Sentry / Spirit Star / Blaze / Spirit Smash / Spike, your pick) should be next on the list;
4. Nudge the story along: don’t over-farm collectibles in the opening area — before your abilities are complete, collection efficiency is miserable;
5. Note the shard vendor Twillen: the shard system is quick to buy into and pays off early.

Quick glossary#

Core terms used in this site’s guides and in the game itself, all in one place:

The verified main-story length is about 10–12 hours. The game received no post-launch DLC, so finishing the story shows you all of it; no reliable figure exists for 100% completion time, so none is given.

Common beginner misconceptions#

Related pages#

• Abilities — the 18 core abilities and where they’re found
• Spirit Shards — the full passive-building guide
• FAQ — more common questions
• Walkthrough — the main-story route