OST of the Day #51: Ori and the Blind Forest - The Waters Cleansed 💧

Source: soundtrackdreams.com

I played Ori on Steam quite a while back, in Dec 2015. And when they released a Definitive Edition in 2016 I bought and played that too because it was soooo good and I loved the original. Ori is probably one of the most beautiful games I've ever played; in terms of visuals, soundtrack and story. The gameplay and controls are the smoothest I've ever experienced in a game. All these factors are what makes it such a masterpiece, and it's still one of my top 2 favourite games of all time. If you're into 2D platformers like me, definitely consider giving Ori and the Blind Forest a go; I guarantee you will not regret it .

Source: itl.cat

Anyway, on to the song of the day!

It was soo difficult to choose just 1 song because there are just too many good ones that I wanted to share!
I ultimately decided on this song, called The Waters Cleansed, because it is one of the first songs I always think about when I remember Ori and it plays in what's probably my favourite part of the game. Have a listen:

So you'll only hear this song in one area of the game, and it's only accessible after you clear the first dungeon, where [SPOILERS] you have to survive a flood in a giant tree, called the Ginzo Tree.

Source: avforums

It's probably the first legit challenge in the game, and is notorious for being very difficult, especially among speedrunners. I think I must have died like a hundred times or more my first time through, because of the very precise maneuvers you have to execute on a strict time limit. There's not much room for error when there's a literal flood just behind, threatening to drown you.

After your triumphant escape, you're brought into a terrifying encounter with the boss of the game, Kuro!

Source: well-played

But don't worry, a cutscene plays and Ori jumps off the top of the tree and you're brought to the bottom safely by your ally, Gumo.

Source: wallpaperUP

I absolutely love this part of the game; it's such a sweet relief after going through the dungeon and narrowly escaping Kuro's clutches. And it looks so beautiful! The water and the background look amazing, and we finally get to swim! Before this, the water was all dark and poisoned so you couldn't even touch it. Being able to swim just expanded the world even more! And the swimming controls were also soo smooth and seamless, I loved it. When I first got to this area I spent some time just swimming around because of how relaxing it was.

And this song made it all the better! It's definitely fitting for the area; calming and relaxing just like how Ori (and by extension, the player) would feel swimming in crystal clear water in the forest.

Source: imgur

The song starts off pretty mild, with the bass being pretty soft. The harmony by the marimba and the harpsichord and the melody by the piano is quite soft too, until the build-up to the soft climax at 1:13. It's not loud, but the bass definitely gives it some heft, and the flute and piano are more prominent. But it's still calming and relaxing till the end. I think that's why it's one of my favourite songs in the game. While a huge grand orchestral piece is amazing, it's not as relaxing as a chill song like this. And it definitely fits the atmosphere a lot better.
I also like to think this is the game giving the player a break, after that adrenaline-fuelled experience escaping the flood.

Source: windows central

Gareth Coker was the composer for the entire soundtrack in Ori and the Blind Forest, and I must say he did an absolutely phenomenal job. Every song is so fitting for the map and circumstance, it doesn't overpower the game, and the orchestral songs complement the beautiful in-game visuals so well. I'm looking forward to playing the sequel to listen to his new songs for that game as well!

Thanks so much for reading!

To find out more about me, check out my intro post here!