One of the standout titles at the E3 2014 Microsoft press conference was the trailer for indie title Ori and the Blind Forest. The stunning hand-drawn artwork was a stark contrast to the wide array of next-gen shine that was on display for the Xbox One.

The developers of Ori and the Blind Forest; Moon Studios, had targeted the game for a late 2014 release date, but alas, Ori needed just a little more time in the oven and the date slipped into the nebulous “2015” category.

This week we finally got word that Microsoft will be publishing Ori and the Blind Forest on Xbox One and PC on March 11th, and later on this year for the Xbox 360 version.

Ori and the Blind Forest is a beautiful looking 2D action platform game developed by Moon Studios. It draws a lot of inspiration from classic side-scrollers like Super Metroid, and features what has been described as a “heart-wrenching emotional narrative” that touches on the themes of love, sacrifice, and hope.

Take a look at some of the screenshots to see just how pretty Ori and the Blind Forest is shaping up to be and be sure to watch the short clip of gameplay video below.

Ori and the Blind Forest will be hitting Xbox One and PC on March 11th and will retail for $19.99

Does Ori and the Blind Forest make your inner nerd shout for joy? Let us know what you think in that magic box reserved for your comments.

Written by The Watchman

The Watchman is a journeyman gamer who has seen and played a good chunk of gaming history.
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