Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Metroidvania
Ori and the Will of the Wisps can be easier to enjoy when its cleanup rules are clear before the opening hours. This metroidvania guide keeps the important planning details in one place. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is listed for Xbox Series, Xbox One and Switch, with an estimated 30–50h completion range. It has no major permanent missables in the standard completion route, and there is no major point-of-no-return cleanup trap. The game does not offer unrestricted manual saving; there is no standard New Game Plus safety net.
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QUICK ANSWERS
Before you start
PLAYTHROUGH PLAN
Before You Start checklist
Set up your save plan
Ori and the Will of the Wisps relies on checkpoints or autosaves; finish risky activities before leaving and never assume an older state can be restored.
Protect the completion route
Ori and the Will of the Wisps allows a forgiving standard cleanup route, but tracking optional progress as you go still reduces endgame backtracking.
Know the last safe checkpoint
Ori and the Will of the Wisps has no major point-of-no-return trap in the normal route, so progress can be paced without hoarding every task for one checkpoint.
Choose difficulty deliberately
Ori and the Will of the Wisps has difficulty-linked achievements or trophies, so choose your target before starting and avoid changes that invalidate it.
Budget 30–50h
Use Ori and the Will of the Wisps's 30–50h estimate as a planning range, not a promise. Exploration, difficulty and optional goals can move the total substantially.
Spoiler-free warning
The world remains available for side quests and collectibles after the story, with autosaves and Spirit Wells handling progress. A Hard-mode achievement needs a dedicated difficulty choice, while no-death and speedrun goals are safer on separate files.
BEGINNER GUIDE
10 things I wish I knew before starting
The useful systems, early mistakes and easily missed details worth understanding before you commit dozens of hours.
Buy maps and explore
Lupo's maps reveal structure, while ability markers and side paths still reward careful observation. Doing this early prevents avoidable backtracking and keeps the opening hours focused.
Use Spirit Shards as a build
Damage, utility and economy shards interact, so equip a coherent set instead of the newest finds. Treat this as a repeatable habit rather than something to repair near the end.
Return after movement powers
Bash, Launch, Burrow and water breathing open routes that were intentionally impossible earlier. It saves resources and makes later encounters more predictable without spoiling the story.
Complete side quests
Optional chains improve areas, reveal secrets and provide upgrades rather than existing only as story flavour. Check it whenever the game moves you into a new region, chapter or difficulty tier.
Use Bash offensively and defensively
Redirect projectiles while launching Ori to combine traversal, damage and escape in one action. This is the safer first-playthrough approach and leaves specialised cleanup for later.
Upgrade core attacks
A small set of improved weapons is more reliable than spending currency across every available ability. A small amount of preparation here removes a disproportionate amount of frustration.
Mark Spirit Wells
Wells restore, save and enable fast travel, making them the safest anchors for long exploration sessions. Use the relevant menu or map tracker regularly so nothing important silently falls behind.
Prepare a Hard-mode file
The related achievement requires a dedicated difficulty run, while ordinary cleanup can remain comfortable. The goal is steady progress, not exhausting every system before you understand its value.
Separate speed and no-death runs
Combining both goals adds unnecessary risk before routes and escape sequences are memorised. Reassess after major unlocks because the best choice can change as your toolkit expands.
Return after the finale
The save remains usable for collectibles, quests and combat shrines instead of ending permanently. This keeps the run flexible and reduces the chance of needing an unnecessary replay.
- Status
- Verified
- Last verified
- 2026-09-01
COMMON QUESTIONS
Ori and the Will of the Wisps FAQs
Does Ori and the Will of the Wisps have missable content?
No major permanent missables are listed for Ori and the Will of the Wisps's standard completion route, although tracking optional progress can still reduce cleanup time.
Is there a point of no return in Ori and the Will of the Wisps?
No major point of no return is listed for Ori and the Will of the Wisps's normal route. You should still read mission prompts before beginning long or final sequences.
Does Ori and the Will of the Wisps have New Game Plus?
No standard New Game Plus mode is listed for Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Plan first-run missables and cleanup without assuming a powered-up replay will be available.
Can you free roam after finishing Ori and the Will of the Wisps?
Yes. Ori and the Will of the Wisps allows post-story free roam or a comparable return to the playable world, although specific story-state changes may still affect some content.
How long does Ori and the Will of the Wisps take to complete?
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is estimated at 30–50h. Your total will depend on difficulty, exploration, optional content and whether you are targeting full completion rather than only the main story.