13. Ori and the Blind Forest (2019*)

a landscape view of the locale of the game: a mostly clear day with some clouds in the distance, a vibrant swamp, a lush forest, and in the distance, a huge tree with a glowing light near the top of its trunk
  • * released on the Nintendo Switch in 2019; original Xbox release in 2015
  • Final score: 31 points
  • Total placements: 2 lists
  • Highest placement: #4, Kevin

Casey writes:

While exclusive to Microsoft’s Xbox platform for the first 4 years of its life, Ori and the Blind Forest eventually arrived on Switch in 2019. People praise the game for its fluid control, highly polished visual presentation, and satisfying Metroidvania-style exploration. It’s got a great soundtrack and a moving story. It’s sort of an unassuming game in this generation’s lifespan, one where most people who play it seem to really treasure it but at the same time flies under the radar–as evidenced here by its inclusion on only 2 of the group’s lists!