Ori and the Will of the Wisp’s Prologue aim to give you a back story on how it all started. But just so you know, there’s actually a secret location that you can only access in the Prologue.
Nothing much about the traditional beginner’s tutorial of some sort (the game teaches that along the way) nor does it affect your map completion. And you can actually skip this whole part and go straight to Inkwater Marsh if you want.
But unless this is your second run, I recommend just finishing this part. I mean, this whole ordeal started here and it just wouldn’t make sense if you don’t witness the events that transpired here.
Plus the cinematics is cute, charming and a little heartbreaking so there’s really no reason to skip this.
Anyway, just start the game, pick your save slot and let’s get this going.
Content overview
Video Walkthrough
Swallow’s Nest
The game will start in Swallow’s Nest with a cinematic scene of Ori watching the birds fly from afar.
Once you gain control of Ori, just go left and follow Gumo (the long-legged creature) to meet a newborn owlet, Ku.
It’s not actually very obvious whenever you’re in control of the character because the cinematics style and the actual gameplay are very well blended. But you’ll get used to it eventually.
Anyway, once you move far enough to the left, the screen will turn black signaling a cutscene.
Ku’s First Flight Attempt
After the scene of Gumo calling out to Ku, you will once again gain control of Ori.
Move to the right and witness little Ku take his first attempt to fly.
This will also cue another cutscene showing their peaceful lives as the season changes.
It will end with a disheartening scene but all is not lost yet…
Once you reach the end of the cutscene, the game will pass the control over to you again.
Move to the right and go follow your friend to console him. And once you’re near the lake, it will trigger a very quick cutscene.
The narrator or I guess from Ori’s perspective, someone will whisper, “The answer lay in the past”.
Finding Kuro’s Feather
Once you gain control of Ori, move to your left until you reach an area with a hanging vine. You will know you’re there once you hear the narrator says “Her mother’s final gift”.
Once there, pull the vines by jumping into it and it will open the door of the tree to your left.
Once inside, just jump your way up at the top, Ori will open an old box and you will obtain Kuro’s Feather.
Then head back to the lake where Ku is and you will get another quick cutscene with Gumo fixing Ku’s wings.
Prologue Secret Location
After the quick cutscene, you will gain control of Ku. You can find a secret place where you can see an image of Ku’s mother (Kuro) in the sky.
To get there, you need to reach the branch found at the upper right corner from the broken tree trunk.
And as a little warning, you cannot get back to the broken tree trunk if you already passed it and reach the lower grounds.
Let me give you some tips on Ku’s control to ensure that you’ll reach Swallow’s Nest secret location:
- Ku can only flap his wings twice. It works like a Double Jump and you won’t be able to gain height if you use both right away.
- Ku can glide in the air, giving you a little “hang time” for your next jump.
- When you try to get to the branch, use jump then glide right away. This will ensure that you will not lose the height you gained from your first jump.
- If you mess up your glide, quickly move back to the direction of the tree trunk so you can restart. Otherwise, you might fall to the lower ground and it will be impossible to go back up.
Alternatively, you can watch my Ori and the Will of the Wisp Prologue video walkthrough on how exactly I did it.
It’s actually pretty easy but it’s super annoying if you mess it up because you’ll have to start over the whole thing. And when I said start over, I mean starting a new game. That’s if you’re determined to see it.
Anyway, once you’re done admiring Kuro’s image, go down and then continue to the right until you reach the edge of the land.
Once you’re near the lake, the sound will change and you will enjoy a long cinematic scene of Ori and Ku having fun in the sky.
After the cutscene, you will now officially start your game in Inkwater Marsh.
