Child of Light stars a young girl named Aurora, who is transported to the magical kingdom of Lemuria and is tasked with recovering the Sun, the Moon and the Stars from the dreaded Black Queen. Aurora teams up with a friendly little fairy named Igniculus after being summoned by the Lady of the Forest to aid Aurora in her quest. The storyline featured in Child of Light is a good one that is told through poetry and rhyming that seems ripped straight from a children's tale. Even more interesting is the diverse cast of characters that includes all types of fabled characters including talking mice, dragons and magical princesses.
Exploring Child of Light is an interesting endeavor, as the game's main protagonist has the ability to fly through the world. The game is set in a 2D art style with 3D elements, so players can typically avoid battles pretty easily, but there are plenty of unlockable skills and other perks to gain through fighting enemies. Additionally, players will want to fully explore each new location and even venture off the beaten path in order to find hidden items, playable characters and more. A second player can join the adventure and play the game as Igniculus to help fight in battle or find secret items to give to the first player.
Combat in Child of Light is based on an active time based system seen in many traditional JRPG titles. Aurora typically fights with a single companion in gameplay that is not totally unlike games in the Paper Mario series. The game does reward players for performing well timed attacks on staggered enemies though, so it's important to always be aware of current battle conditions while watching out for enemies counterattacks that can put a hurting on even the most experienced players very quickly when not playing cautiously. Child of Light isn't a terribly difficult game, but there are a few instances of extreme imbalance between common level enemies and boss monsters.
Child of Light is a great looking game full of amazing characters and colorful environments. Players can pay extra close attention to backgrounds to see all types of hidden movements and other cool easter eggs for the game, while the foreground houses some surprises of its own with some amazing character animations. Players are spurned forward in their quest by an enchanting soundtrack as well to give Child of Light a very well rounded presentation.
There's little to dislike about Child of Light the game presents several interesting gameplay elements that will attract a wide range of gamers, while the storyline is simple and sweet enough to be enjoyed by gamers of all ages. The fairy tale setting and child like wonder present in the storyline isn't for everyone, but it's well done in this new Ubisoft release and a highly entertaining game available at a low price. JRPG fans shouldn't hesitate to download a copy of Child of Light on their system of choice today!
Child of Light is now available for $14.99 and can be purchased for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade and Steam. Child of Light is rated E by the ESRB for Fantasy Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Child of Light website.
Game Features:
- Local Multiplayer 1-2
- Narrative Told through Poetry
- Hundreds of Skills and Unlocks
- Active Time Battle System
- Trophy/Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One (reviewed), Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U & PC
Release Date: April 30, 2014
