[2][3] The game maintains narrative continuity with Blind Forest, and follows the journey of series' main character Ori in a new region called Niwen.

The game introduces new melee combat, and its visuals were given an overhaul from the two-dimensional artwork in Blind Forest, to the three-dimensional models played in multilayered backgrounds in Will of the Wisps.

Praise directed to the game included the story, characters, visuals, combat, elements of exploration, environments, chase sequences, and soundtrack.

[4][5] Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a 2D Metroidvania; a platform game emphasizing exploration, collecting items and upgrades, and backtracking to previously inaccessible areas.

Gameplay unfolds in the form of a Metroidvania, with new abilities and upgrades allowing players to unlock previously inaccessible areas of the map.

[9] Will of the Wisps also introduces side quests from NPCs to earn collectible items such as Gorlek Ores, which are used to expand the game's hub area.

Kuro's last egg hatches, giving birth to a baby owl whom Ori, Naru, and Gumo name Ku and raise as part of their family.

Ori's search for Ku eventually leads them to Kwolok, a toad looking over the Inkwater Marsh and some of the inhabitants of Niwen, the Moki.

Upon setting The Wellspring's wheels back into motion, clearing Niwen's water, Ori enters the Silent Woods.

There they reunite with Ku, but the pair encounters Shriek, a deformed, vicious owl who was an orphan at birth and rejected by the rest of her kind, ruling over the Silent Woods and terrorizing Niwen.

Ori merges with Seir, healing Niwen and reviving Ku with her damaged wing restored in the process, which Naru and Gumo arrive in time to witness.

Ku, Naru, and Gumo find where Ori and Seir merged, and discover a Spirit Tree beginning to grow there.

[12] Lead developer Thomas Mahler said of this change of scope and scale: "The idea is that Will of the Wisps should be to Blind Forest what Super Mario Bros. 3 was to the original Super Mario Bros."[13][14] As Blind Forest ended with Ori returning Sein, an entity from the Spirit Tree that granted Ori several of their combat abilities, back to Nibel's Spirit Tree, the team was tasked with discovering a new type of melee-focused combat for Ori with projectile-aiming aspects, which informed the story's development.

Jeremy Gritton, an artist for Blizzard Entertainment at the time of Blind Forest's release, was impressed with the game and left Blizzard to join Moon Studios to help lead the art development in Will of the Wisps, with a major shift of making all of the major character art into three-dimensional models played in multilayered backgrounds to make them look seamlessly integrated.

[20] Due to the increased scope, which Smith estimated was three times larger than Blind Forest, the game's development took longer than planned, resulting in a few delays.

Smith said part of this is functionally tied to the nature of Metroidvanias: "Everything is so interconnected that if you change one aspect of the game, it's just inevitable that it's going to influence the rest.

Reiner said, "The story is fantastic, the world is breathtaking, and all of that pales in comparison to the wonderfully made gameplay that soars both as a platforming and combat game.

Moon Studios has outdone itself with Will of the Wisps, delivering an experience that doesn't have any lulls, makes the player feel clever, and just keeps getting better as it goes".

[38] GameSpot's critic, Steve Watts, gave the game a positive review, commending the combat, exploring elements, story as well as the "gorgeous animation and environments".

[41] Brandin Tyrrel of IGN also praised the game, saying, "Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an excellent return to this bright and beautiful open-world platformer, with an affecting story to bolster the white-knuckle challenge."

[10] PC Gamer's critic Tyler Wilde gave the game a favorable review, praising the platforming, boss fights and the visuals.

[42] Writing for VideoGamer, Josh Wise acclaimed the game for its graphics, music and platforming, stating that "In the beauty stakes and beyond, there are very few, in the rarefied realms of indie or AAA, who can challenge it".

From its hauntingly beautiful visuals to its ambient, responsive music, there is so much to love about the look and feel of this long-awaited sequel."

Onanuga acknowledged some less positive aspects of the game, calling the story "melancholy at times" and stating that fighting "the more common enemies can feel a little tedious after a while".

Awards for "Adventure Game of the Year" and outstanding achievement in "Animation", "Art Direction", "Audio Design", and "Original Music Composition".