Entry posted by Ektris
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This is it. This is actually the game that I've been wanting to talk about since I played it months ago, so why not just start with it?
Many friends whom I've gamed with before have probably heard of my disinterest for turn-based RPGs. There's no particular reason for it either. I've not even played a whole lot of them (particularly the heavy hitters like Final Fantasy), excluding Pokemon if one wants to count it. I'm just always saying I don't like them. Maybe it's the pacing or the grinding, but whenever I hear of or talk about one there's usually the voice in my head saying I probably wouldn't like it that much. It's generally an irrational disdain, but meh, people like what they like and don't like what they don't like for entertainment. Don't always have to justify it. With that in mind, I don't really remember why I gave Child of Light a look. Easy Achievements and being free at the time most likely.
I sure am glad I did.
I absolutely loved this game! The art style was wonderful, exploring the world was fun but not too difficult, and combat not as much of a bore as I feared.
Let's talk about that last one first. It's all time-based which kept battles generally faster paced. I think that helped. Skill trees took time to iron out (meaning except for Aurora I stuck with the comanions I got later in the game once I got them because I knew what I was doing at that point and might have made mistakes earlier one leaving some weaker), but everyone had a clear role in the party that made strategizing easier. I really, really liked the mechanics Igniculus introduced and used him extensively. You probably have to. The timing and using him did mean you had to constantly be watching all characters and enemies to make sure you succeed, which personally helped in keeping me interested.
The story is not anything earthshatteringly deep or complex. It's simple, but that doesn't hurt the game. I'd say it benefits from it, by making it easy to get attached to and root for the members of your party as they struggle against the clearly evil hold your stepmother has over the world. There were definitely some touching moments thrown in there with Aurora's family, and conversely Norah's betrayel definitely stung. I hadn't been expecting that at all, so really felt the hurt.
The art is probably what won me over most in Child of Light. The entier game genuinely felt like I was reading an older classic fairy tale. I think it's great. There's a definite whimisical flair to everything, with enough twist to the darkness to make a clear divide from the light. It made me feel nostalgic for those old stories, so kudos there Ubisoft.
Child of Light is a short, inexpensive, and incredibly fun game. I liked it a lot more than expected going into it. Of all the games I played this year, even amongst the AAA titles, it really stands out as one of my favorites.
~|ET|~
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