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“Child of Light” takes place in a mystical world with Princess Aurora being the only way to save it from the witch Umbra. “Child of Light” is available for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR.COM
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Jeremy Ervin |
In a mystical world consumed by darkness, the princess Aurora is the only chance for evil to be lifted. Transported from her real home on Earth, defeating the witch Umbra is the way for her to return to her father and save the magical realm.
The most apparent aspect of “Child of Light” is the entire game’s striking aesthetic. Looking a lot like Ubisoft’s title “Rayman Legends” the textures, proportions and execution all contribute to the fairy-tale feel of this side-scrolling adventure. Objects sway in the wind, tree branches creak under Aurora’s weight and the multiple layers of background counteract the restriction of movement to make the whole world feel alive and large.
Almost all of the writing in the game rhymes, too. Various schemes and meters are used, but whether it’s narration or dialogue, meter and carefully chosen words invoke the spirit of ancient fables.
As for the gameplay, “Child of Light” combines multiple elements in new ways.
It’s a sidescroller, so hidden chests, acrobatics and puzzles are all par for the course. A door in your way? You’ll have to backtrack to figure out how to get around or unlock it. The streamlined format means there’s no objective marker and that these challenges are not spelled out.
In the beginning, Aurora meets a little blue firefly that accompanies her through her journey. The bug is controlled with the right analog stick and can be used to see through the dark, reach hard to find objects and stun enemies, helping the princess avoid unwanted combat situations. Moving both Aurora and Firefly at the same time can be challenging, but this creates the opportunity for sections that will put your analog-stick chops to the test.
Combat is the strongest deviation from the tried and true jump-on-their-heads melee typically found in side-scrolling adventure. The map is littered with enemies, but touching or coming into close proximity will trigger a turn-based combat event.
These aren’t the same “Final Fantasy” turn-based fights you may be used to, however. At the bottom of the screen there is a bar on which each of the participants is placed. Each character’s bubble slides across the meter at a speed in accordance with their stats. When their bubble reaches a “casting” zone, they may select an attack and a target. Depending on the speed of the attack, the bubble will continue through the end of the field and be executed.
Timing can be the difference between life and death. If Aurora can land an attack while an enemy is still casting, their sliding bubble is knocked back on the meter, essentially allowing fighters to “lap” each other or get in more attacks. The opposite is also true — enemies can knock you back.
The whole system takes turn-based fighting beyond a tedious maze of menus and allows the player to feel like more of an active participant than a far-removed observer. This change adds more drama and realism to fighting and still allows for the complex strategic nuances that drive turn-based combat.
All in all, “Child of Light” is a charming and well-executed game that combines time-tested methods into one elegant package. If you’re looking for a story, a fight or a journey through a beautiful and frightening landscape, this downloadable arcade title is worth the $14.99.
Jeremy Ervin is a junior magazine journalism major and writes ‘No Sleep Till Muncie’ for the Daily News. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or members of Unified Media. Write to Jeremy at jrervin@bsu.edu.
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