TL;DR: Yes, Ori and the Blind Forest is very sad, especially in the first ten minutes. It’s essentially the video game equivalent of the beginning of Up or the forest fire in Bambi. However, it’s "good sad"—the kind of emotional weight that builds empathy rather than just being bleak. The bigger hurdle for most kids isn't actually the tears; it's the punishing difficulty. This is a beautiful masterpiece, but it requires serious thumb-skill and emotional resilience.
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Ori and the Blind Forest is a "Metroidvania" style platformer. If that sounds like gibberish, it just means it’s a 2D side-scrolling game where you explore a massive, interconnected map, gaining new abilities (like double-jumping or climbing walls) to reach areas you couldn't get to before.
You play as Ori, a small, glowing guardian spirit who is separated from the Spirit Tree during a cataclysmic storm. The game is famous for its hand-painted art style and a soaring orchestral soundtrack that makes most AAA movies look cheap. It’s rated E for Everyone, but as we know, "Everyone" is a pretty broad category when it comes to a kid's ability to process grief or stick with a hard boss fight.
Beyond the fact that it looks like a playable Studio Ghibli movie, the game feels incredible to play. The movement is fluid and "acrobatic." Once a player unlocks a few abilities, Ori zips across the screen in a way that feels powerful and graceful.
For kids who are tired of the blocky aesthetic of Minecraft or the chaotic neon of Roblox, Ori offers something that feels "prestige." It’s a game that respects their intelligence and their ability to appreciate beauty. It’s also a massive challenge, and for the "hardcore" little gamers, beating a difficult "Escape Sequence" in Ori provides a dopamine hit that few other games can match.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the prologue.
Within the first ten minutes, the game depicts a deep bond between Ori and a mother-figure named Naru. Then, due to a famine caused by the forest's decay, Naru dies. You see Ori try to wake her up, realize she’s gone, and then wander out into the woods alone to eventually collapse.
It is heavy. If your child is particularly sensitive to themes of parental loss or "parent in peril" (think The Lion King or the book The Wild Robot by Peter Brown), you might want to sit with them for the intro.
Why it’s actually okay: Unlike "brain rot" content that uses cheap shocks to keep kids engaged, Ori uses sadness to establish the stakes. The goal of the game is to heal the forest and bring life back. The sadness serves a purpose: it gives the player a reason to care about the mission. It’s a lesson in resilience and restoration.
Check out our guide on how to talk to kids about heavy themes in media
While parents often worry about the emotional content, the frustration level is actually the more common reason this game gets turned off in our house.
Ori and the Blind Forest is legitimately difficult. It features "Escape Sequences" where the environment starts collapsing or flooding, and the player has to perform a near-perfect string of jumps and dashes to survive. There is no combat in these parts—just pure platforming skill. If you fail, you die and restart the sequence.
For a 7-year-old, this can lead to a "controller-throwing" level of rage. If your child struggles with handling gaming frustration, Ori might be a "wait a couple of years" title, or at least a "let's play this together" title.
- Ages 5-7: Probably too much. The prologue might be genuinely upsetting, and the gameplay will be far too difficult for most kids this age. They’ll likely get stuck within the first hour.
- Ages 8-10: The "Sweet Spot" for emotional impact. Kids this age can handle the themes of loss and will feel a great sense of accomplishment from the restoration of the forest. Be prepared to help them with the harder platforming sections.
- Ages 11+: Perfectly appropriate. They might even appreciate the sophisticated storytelling and the technical skill required to beat it.
If your kid finishes Ori and wants more (or if Ori is a bit too intense), here are some great alternatives:
The sequel. It improves on the first game in every way, adding a better combat system and even more stunning visuals. Warning: it’s just as emotional, if not more so, than the first.
If they loved the challenge and the "Metroidvania" style, this is the gold standard. It’s moodier and "creepier" but less "tear-jerker" sad. It’s also significantly harder.
A beautiful, poetic RPG that feels like a fairy tale. It deals with a girl lost in a dream world trying to get back to her father. It’s much more forgiving than Ori in terms of difficulty.
Wait, hear me out. If you’re looking for media that handles "good sad" and emotional complexity for a younger audience, Bluey is the masterclass. Episodes like "Copycat" or "The Sign" handle heavy topics with the same grace as Ori but for a younger set.
One technical thing to know: Ori and the Blind Forest uses a "Soul Link" save system. Players have to manually create their own checkpoints using energy they collect.
If a kid forgets to save and then dies after a long, difficult section, they can lose 15-20 minutes of progress. This is often the moment where the "sadness" of the story turns into the "misery" of losing work. Remind your kid early and often: "Did you create a Soul Link?"
If you see your kid getting misty-eyed during the intro, don't just dismiss it. Use it as a bridge.
- "Why do you think the game started with something so sad?" (Helps them understand narrative structure).
- "Ori is really small, but he’s the only one who can save the forest. Does that remind you of any other stories?" (Connects to things like The Hobbit or Star Wars).
- "It’s okay to feel sad when Naru dies. The music really helps you feel what Ori is feeling, doesn't it?" (Builds media literacy regarding how music and art influence emotion).
Ori and the Blind Forest is the opposite of "brain rot." It is a high-effort, high-reward piece of digital art that treats children like capable, emotional beings.
Is it too sad? For most kids 8 and up, no. It’s the right kind of sad—the kind that makes the eventual victory feel earned. Just be ready to step in when the platforming gets tough, and maybe keep a box of tissues nearby for the first ten minutes.
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- Watch the prologue together. It’s about 10 minutes long. If your kid is okay, they’re probably good for the rest of the game.
- Check the "Easy Mode." The "Definitive Edition" of the game includes an Easy mode that makes the combat and damage more forgiving, though it doesn't make the platforming jumps any easier.
- Encourage "Save Early, Save Often." Make it a mantra to avoid the frustration of lost progress.
- Explore the genre. If they love the "exploration and power-up" loop, check out our guide to metroidvania games for kids.