25) Child of Light (2014)

Released in 2014, Child of Light is a colorful, whimsical take on the turn-based RPG genre. Looking at the game, with it's gorgeous water color aesthetic, it's poem infused dialogue, and its relatively short runtime, you'd be forgiven for the assumption that it's an indie gem made by a small, passionate team. That's why it's both a surprise and delight that it was developed and published by Ubisoft, a studio known for large, high-budget, frankly bloated open world games. Sadly, despite its immensely positive reception, it appears that a follow-up is unlikely, as its very much not the type of game the company wants to focus on.

The game has us assume the role of Aurora, a young princess who first loses her mother, then seemingly dies herself. Her death causes her father to become bed-ridden with grief, and thus Aurora must travel the land of Lemuria in an attempt to make it home and save her father. Along the way, she encounters numerous characters who join her on her journey. Among them is Igniculus, a firefly who helps to guide her on her journey.

The game consists of two distinct playstyles. You travel around the world in a 2D, sidescrolling manner with light platforming elements and puzzles to solve. You eventually gain the ability to fly, which negates the platforming elements, but opens up a lot of room for exploration. When you encounter an enemy, it shifts to a traditional turn-based combat system that I would liken most to the Paper Mario franchise with a few twists. While he doesn't directly fight, Igniculus can be controlled in combat to slow enemies down or to help heal the party, giving a surprising level of depth to the combat. You can only have two party members active at a time, though you're able to freely switch them in combat. Each party member has specific strengths and weaknesses, providing specific roles in combat. It's a deceptively simple yet feature rich combat system that, while never overwhelming, makes each combat feel unique.

Joining Aurora on her journey is a colorful cast of characters including a mage, jesters, and a rat archer, to name a few. Each of the party members is unique and memorable, though the sheer number of them, combined with the relatively short runntime of the game, robs them of some much needed screen time. There were a couple of party members that I can't even recall using in combat, which is an unfortunate casualty of the smaller focus of the game.

Inspired by Studio Ghibli and Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano, the game has a breathtaking watercolor artstyle that makes it feel as though you're playing a children's fairy tale come to life. Ubisoft partnered with Cirque de Soleil in order to get the theatrical feel for the game as well as assisting with costume design. In addition, nearly all of the dialogue is portrayed in rhyme, further helping to make the game feel like a playable storybook. It all combines for a truly breathtaking experience. The soundtrack is composed by Beatrice Martin, a Canadian singer and songwriter who worked with the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra to record some of the songs. The music is wonderful, giving a sense of romance and optimism that is befitting the story and artwork.

My few complaints for the game boil down to the cast being a bit bloated for the runtime and the lack of voice acting. While the game is wonderfully narrated by Caroline Dhavernas, I feel the lack of voice acting for the characters is sort of a missed opportunity, as the inclusion would have added to the charm and would have made the dialogue stand out a bit more. The game is also fairly easy, though I don't see that so much as a detriment as it just a general observation.

Child of Light is a delightful artistic take on the genre that truly feels as though you're playing a child's story come to life. Its story, while somewhat predictable, touches on some interesting concepts that display adult themes in a child friendly package. It's the kind of game that I enjoyed playing alone, but I could also see sharing with a child and having fun reading the dialogue and doing fun voices for the characters. It's a fine example of presenting mature ideas in a child friendly package, made all the better by the fact that it doesn't dumb down its message or delivery. It's a shining example of something that's child friendly while also being fun and smart. It's truly a shame that we'll likely never see a sequel, and while there was talk of doing an live action adaptation at one point, the lack of news about such a project in close to decade makes it seem unlikely. Still, Child of Light stands on its own as a beautiful, albeit short, experience that will likely stand the test of time.