You're going to die. Probably a lot. If you've just booted up the sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest, you likely think you know what’s coming, but Moon Studios went ahead and turned the dial up to eleven. This Ori and the Will of the Wisps walkthrough isn't about holding your hand through every single jump—because, honestly, half the fun is that frantic "oh crap" moment when a laser almost clips your tail—it’s about the stuff the game doesn't explicitly tell you.
The world of Niwen is massive. It’s significantly bigger than Nibel was in the first game. While the first game was mostly about precision platforming, Will of the Wisps leans heavily into combat and "Metroidvania" exploration. You aren't just running from owls anymore; you're actively hunting down massive, screen-filling bosses.
Getting Your Feet Wet in Inkwater Marsh
The game starts with a punch to the gut. After the prologue where Ku—the little owl—gets lost in a storm, you find yourself alone in Inkwater Marsh. This is your training ground. You don't have a weapon yet. You’re basically a glowing marshmallow hopping over purple sludge.
First thing you need to do is find the Torch. It’s your basic melee weapon for the first twenty minutes. Don’t get too attached to it, though. Quickly, you’ll meet Tokk, a bird-like NPC who gives you a bit of direction. You'll soon swap that flimsy stick for the Spirit Edge. This is your primary sword. It’s fast. It’s reliable.
Listen, the most important tip for the early game is to buy the Triple Jump shard from Twillen as soon as you can afford it. It breaks the game in the best way possible. Suddenly, gaps that looked impossible are just a light breeze. Most players wait too long to grab this, and they end up struggling through the Wellspring unnecessarily. Don't be that person.
Combat is Different This Time
In the first game, you basically just tapped a button and a flame hit whatever was nearby. Now? You have a full weapon wheel. You can map three abilities at once.
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- Spirit Edge: Your bread and butter.
- Spirit Arc: Great for hitting switches and flying nuisances.
- Spike: This is essentially a sniper rifle made of light. It consumes a ton of energy but deletes enemies.
When you're looking at your Ori and the Will of the Wisps walkthrough notes, remember that combat isn't just about mashing X. You have to parry. Well, it's not a traditional parry—it's the Dash and Bash mechanics. Bashed projectiles do massive damage back to the source. If a plant spits a mortar at you, don't run. Use it as a springboard.
Navigating the Critical Path
Once you leave the Marsh, the game opens up. You’ll reach Kwolok’s Hollow. Kwolok is this massive, chill toad who basically tells you that to find Ku, you need to fix the water. This leads you to The Wellspring.
This area is a giant clockwork puzzle. It’s frustrating. You’ll be spinning gears and timing jumps while water tries to drown you. The boss here, a giant mechanical beetle-thing, is more of a chase than a fight. This is a staple of the series. If you find yourself dying, look at the background. The game usually highlights the next platform with a slight glow or a specific texture.
After the Wellspring, the world truly splits. You have to find the three Wisps. You can do these in almost any order:
- Luma Pools: High mobility, lots of water dashing.
- Mouldwood Depths: Dark. Terrifying. Spiders. Lots of spiders.
- Baur's Reach: Snow, ice, and a giant sleeping bear.
If you hate "stealth" or dark levels, do Mouldwood Depths last. It requires the Flash ability, which creates a circle of light around you. Without it, the darkness literally eats you. It’s a mechanic similar to the "don't let the fire go out" tropes in other games, but here, it feels more claustrophobic because of the tight tunnels.
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Surviving the Boss Encounters
Bosses in this game are a huge step up. Take Mora the Spider. She’s huge, fast, and the fight has multiple phases. In the final phase, the lights go out. You have to use the Flash ability while dodging her massive legs.
Pro tip: Use the "Resilience" shard. It cuts incoming damage. It sounds boring, but in a boss fight where you're getting hit by things you can barely see, it’s a lifesaver. Also, keep an eye on your energy. Healing (using the Breath ability) is fast, but it leaves you vulnerable for a split second. Only heal when the boss is repositioning.
The Most Overlooked Mechanics
People often ignore the town-building aspect in Wellspring Glades. You collect "Gorlek Ores" throughout the world. Give them to Grom. He clears debris, builds houses, and opens up new paths. It’s not just flavor text; it actually gives you access to more Spirit Shards and Life Cells.
Then there’s the Combat Shrines. These are optional arena fights. They’re hard. Like, really hard. But completing them increases your shard slots. If you want to be a powerhouse by the end of the game, you need those extra slots.
Spirit Shard Synergy
Don't just pick shards that look cool. Look for synergy.
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- Magnet + Bounty: Great for farming Spirit Light (currency).
- Thorn + Resilience: Good for aggressive players who tend to take hits while dealing them.
- Quickshot + Splinter: Turns your bow into a machine gun.
Honestly, the "Sticky" shard is a trap. It makes you cling to walls automatically. While it sounds helpful for beginners, it actually messes up your flow when you're trying to wall-jump quickly during a chase sequence. Get used to holding the grip button manually. It gives you much more control over Ori’s momentum.
The Final Stretch: Windswept Wastes and Beyond
The desert area, Windswept Wastes, introduces the Burrow ability. It’s one of the most satisfying mechanics in any platformer. You dive into the sand like a dolphin and launch out the other side.
The difficulty spike here is real. You’ll need to chain Burrows with Grapples and Bashes without touching the ground. If you’re following this Ori and the Will of the Wisps walkthrough to find the final Wisp, just know that the escape sequence at the end of this zone is the hardest in the game. It requires near-perfect muscle memory.
Once you have all the Wisps, you head to Willow’s End. This is the final dungeon. It’s full of "corrupted" portals that teleport you around. It’s confusing, but the logic is always linear. If you go through a portal and end up back where you started, try entering it from the opposite side or with more momentum.
Actionable Steps for Completionists
If you want to 100% this game without losing your mind, follow this order:
- Prioritize Map Stones: Lupo is hidden in every region. Find him first. Buying his maps saves hours of aimless wandering.
- Get the Light Burst Ability: You get this in Baur's Reach. It allows you to throw a fireball that you can then Bash off of. It basically gives you an infinite vertical jump if you have enough energy.
- Finish the "Hand to Hand" Sidequest: This is a long trading sequence that starts with a map from Tokk. The reward? It reveals every secret on the map. Every Life Cell, every Energy Cell, every Shard. It’s the ultimate end-game tool.
- Check the Rumors: Talk to every NPC in Wellspring Glades. They give you "Rumors" which act as quest markers for powerful upgrades.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a masterpiece of design, but it’s punishing. The movement is fluid, but the window for error is slim. Focus on upgrading your mobility first, then your damage. By the time you reach the final encounter with Shriek, you should have enough health to tank a few hits, but don't get cocky. The ending is a beautiful, tragic mess that you’ll want to experience without being frustrated by a "Game Over" screen every ten seconds.
Go back and visit the gardener, Tuley. Planting the seeds you find in the world doesn't just make the Glades look pretty; it opens up vertical paths that lead to the most powerful shards in the game. It's the small details that make the difference between a frustrating playthrough and a smooth one.