Review - Child of Light

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Every once in a while a game will come along and change the way you think about a particular genre. The video game industry is still waiting for its equivalent of a major literary work. Child of Light brings us a step in the right direction. And it is a pleasant surprise coming from the most unlikely of places: Ubisoft. 

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The Developers:

Child of Light is an RPG (Role-Playing Game) developed and published by Ubisoft using their own Ubiart Framework. Ubiart Framework is set of tools(an engine) developed by Ubisoft for the purpose of cutting down large development teams and costs(3). The engine was first used to develop Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends soon after.

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The Narrative:

You are put into the shoes (or in this case bare feet) of a young girl who suddenly awakens to find herself to be a very long ways from home. With fire in her heart she sets of on a journey to find her way home. 

Child of Light does a beautiful job of taking an art like poetry and translating it into a storytelling medium for games. Nearly every phrase in the game is written in a poetic fashion save for a few collector's items. It works as a reminder of the olden days of JRPGs (Japanese Role-Playing Games). The only way to get a handle on a game's story was to read. The short bursts of poetry throughout Child of Light added a flavorful twist on an old storytelling device that has been left more often than not in favor of voice acting.

The overall story in Child of Light is relatively easy to follow and doesn't take absurdly long lengths to provide explanations where they aren't warranted. For example, I could ask who and when did they put the sword in that stone and for what purpose. But it's unnecessary to the understanding of the plot as a whole. Ubisoft understands that the less you say the more mysterious it is and thus the more intrigued the player gets. They want to stir within you the hunger for more.

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The Aesthetic:

One of the many fantastic elements of Child of Light is that the developers chose to forgo the traditional "better graphics = a better game" model in exchange for a greater aesthetically pleasing product. This is without a doubt in no small part thanks to the Ubiart Framework engine mentioned above as well as the artists involved in the game's development.

The art style is said to be inspired by the work of long time Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano(6). That being said, the team certainly had their work cut out for them. Yet they managed to create something all their own. Child of Light features some of the most colorful landscapes while still maintaining the feeling that Lemuria is an old and mysterious place.

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The Gameplay:

The gameplay of Child of Light can be split between two game genres: Adventure and Role-Playing.

The adventure portion of the game revolves around discovering hidden locations, obtaining items, and solving problems for the various peoples of Lemuria. The workings of exploration functions a lot like Playdead's Limbo while completing quests brings to mind adventure games like the King's Quest Series.

These days JRPGs are known for their innovation. Developers ask, "How can we make combat more seamless? How can we improve upon our system?" Child of Light provides an answer. It combines the simplest of combat systems reminiscent of Final Fantasy IV with a character advancement system in the likeness of Final Fantasy XIII's Crystarium. It's enough to keep a player on their toes while at the same time not feeling punished by the system. 

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The Music:

The game's soundtrack was composed by Cœur de pirate (Béatrice Martin) and the result is nothing short of fantastic. The various tracks are somber yet thrilling. Seemingly impossible combinations of feelings arise when listening to the sounds that give the environments and the game itself life. 

Verdict:

9/10

• An eloquent and not overly complicated story

• A pleasing display of artistic expression in both character and setting design

• Captures the true spirit of an adventure game

• A battle system that not only pays homage to many JRPGs but also proves that you don't need to fix what isn't broken

• An almost haunting and yet epic soundtrack that melds well with the story and visual displays

• Purchase of DLC is necessary to obtain a party member

Availability:

• Windows PC

• PlayStation 3

• PlayStation 4

• Wii U

• Xbox 360

• Xbox One

Sources:

1. http://insideplaystation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Child-of-Light-logo.jpg
2. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Ubisoft_-_Flickr_-_map.jpg/1280px-Ubisoft_-_Flickr_-_map.jpg
3. http://www.giantbomb.com/ubiart-framework/3015-5659/
4. http://www.jeuxcapt.com/upload/module_images/1398681067_child-of-light--1.jpg
5. http://cfile28.uf.tistory.com/image/2215B145528ACDE82E9C80
6. http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-unveils-final-fantasy-and-limbo-inspired-child-of-light/1100-6413150/
7. http://www.dsogaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/col1.jpg
8. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/B%C3%A9atrice_Martin.jpg