Child of Light

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 186 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 138 out of 186
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 186
  3. Negative: 23 out of 186

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  1. platguy4
    May 28, 2014
    8
    This is a really great addition to the PSN library. The scenery and setting are beautiful, the sound track is perfect and the game play is intuitive and often surprising. The sum of the game is a young princess discovering her true identity (and that of her counterparts) through an adventure into an alternative reality. The premise is great and so are the game play mechanics, blendingThis is a really great addition to the PSN library. The scenery and setting are beautiful, the sound track is perfect and the game play is intuitive and often surprising. The sum of the game is a young princess discovering her true identity (and that of her counterparts) through an adventure into an alternative reality. The premise is great and so are the game play mechanics, blending RPG, platforming and adventure genres into a twisting tale that immerses the player into its intriguing world.
    As with many games that mix Western and Japanese elements you accrue a number of party members with unique skill sets, and set about to save a world from an evil entity wishing to impose their despotic visions. It is accessible and deep at the same time. The skill trees of your characters will determine the way you approach the enemy and a change in party member can change the flow of combat from outright defeat to victory if used correctly.
    No doubt this game is an accomplishment and will appeal to many with it unique and accessible gameplay. The problem for me was that the game often goes too far into its fantasy world; telling the whole story through rhyming poetry that is both poorly scripted and a little irritating. Though it fits with the world and its overall story arch it feels forced in places and becomes a little annoying when dialogue between your party members pops up at random places to exchange some silly pantomime poetry. A further problem is that though the game is long for a PSN game ( 10 hours ) you pick up a rather large crew of followers, many of whom you will probably never use, since they are mainly useless.
    These are small niggles and I really did enjoy the whole game and recommend it to anyone looking for a light-hearted western JRPG. In fact the great shame is that some of the gameplay elements are never fully realised. With some imagination and extended story this could have been a great experience for a full PS3 release, instead of being limited to a 10-12 hour PSN indie game. An opportunity missed?    … Expand
  2. Nick_Da_Nasty
    May 25, 2014
    8
    The concept is great, the graphics are nice. Game play is smooth. The RPG elements are there but as to be suspected not to in depth. No real complaints, unless you question some of the rythms. Oh I fail to mention, the game is set to a fairy tale type dialog. Excellent
  3. nonaim
    Jun 11, 2014
    10
    In one word? Magically beautiful! :P
    I've played this game for like 5 minutes and already knew, that I've hopelessly fallen in love for it. Everything about it is so beautiful that I can't find the right words to describe it. Just magical.
  4. Felictybr
    Jul 1, 2014
    10
    Uma aventura fantástica! Um jogo de RPG com o básico dos jogos de RPG OLD SCHOOL! Os gráficos são unma verdadeira obra de arte! Impressiona ! Excelente! Dê uma chance para um jogo que te levará para um mundo de fantasia lindo e emocionante! :)
  5. GamergodsFail
    May 7, 2014
    10
    Child of Light was made by Ubisoft.
    When I myself found out, I chucked, then coughed.
    The same company that ruined many series, it seemed, Child of Light made their status redeemed. Many people claim this game is only the length of 10 hours, who the hell do they think they are? A bunch of Jack Bauers? Including all the sidequests, collectibles, and learning right and wrong, this    Child of Light was made by Ubisoft.
    When I myself found out, I chucked, then coughed.
    The same company that ruined many series, it seemed,
    Child of Light made their status redeemed.

    Many people claim this game is only the length of 10 hours,
    who the hell do they think they are? A bunch of Jack Bauers?
    Including all the sidequests, collectibles, and learning right and wrong,
    this game can clock in at over 20 hours long!

    And many people thought the rhyming in the story was forced.
    Well if that's the case, then go back to COD, where the rhyming is scorched.
    I thought it added depth, character and personality like a real fairy tale,
    unlike those 90's Disney movies. What an epic fail.

    The exploration, puzzles, and item discovery in this game just feel right.
    The open world is much similar to that of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
    The crafting and upgrades are very helpful for those who are stuck,
    but anything you'll find will help you through with a little bit of luck.

    The battle system is one-of-a-kind where fun does not lack,
    like attacking enemies while holding their moves back.
    It is very immersive and engaging,
    like taking a sh*t while masturbating!

    The watercolor art style and atmosphere of the game is so pretty,
    it saddens me to look at any other current video game and take pity.
    This is probably the most beautiful game I've ever played,
    like a monument or landmark of the highest grade.

    It has one of the best soundtracks of all time,
    and I don't just mean bells, whistles, and a wind chime.
    It's also very epic and helps you face your biggest fears,
    it's good to listen to battle music that doesn't hurt my ears.

    For those who are appealed by this game's 90's RPG feel,
    will want to go back because it's truly original and real.
    Expect Child of Light to become my 2014 Game of the Year,
    unlike all those mindless dudebro games, that make me want a beer.

    10/10 (Revolutionary)    … Expand
  6. bosconian87
    May 4, 2014
    10
    It is somehow hard to recommend a game to a person, knowing that my tastes will be entirely different to theirs, that my acceptance of the presentation of said game will not meet theirs, and that overall, at the end of the day, what I find to be a delight may well turn them off. Thus, I always try to be balanced when I review a game - but, there are times when something really reallyIt is somehow hard to recommend a game to a person, knowing that my tastes will be entirely different to theirs, that my acceptance of the presentation of said game will not meet theirs, and that overall, at the end of the day, what I find to be a delight may well turn them off. Thus, I always try to be balanced when I review a game - but, there are times when something really really REALLY does need raving about!!

    Child of Light boasts some truly stellar production values, and the moment the game loads up, you'll feel it for sure. The graphics are truly unique, literally ripped from the page where they were drawn, and they're staggering. The music is gorgeous, suiting the graphics, and as I've said before, you'll feel it, not see or hear it. Everything on this level compliments the other perfectly, no doubt.

    The gameplay is platform action (with hints of 'Metroidvania') with turn-based combat, and massive dollops of arcade adventure, and its gripping throughout, never boring. From beginning to end, it delights and sucks-in, and perhaps a rare talent in this day and age - it never becomes stale or expected in its course once.

    I have tried to make this as spoiler-free as possible, the question is, will you play Child of Light? You should, at least I think so.    … Expand
  7. eortli1
    May 1, 2014
    9
    No review of Child of Light yet addresses an important question I posed for this game. Can young children play it, enjoy it, and not get frustrated with the difficulty level? The answer is YES. My 4 and 6 year old daughters played it for 3.5 hours last night (together with me supervising) and were lost in the world and story of Lemuria, in Child of Light's constant leveling and itemNo review of Child of Light yet addresses an important question I posed for this game. Can young children play it, enjoy it, and not get frustrated with the difficulty level? The answer is YES. My 4 and 6 year old daughters played it for 3.5 hours last night (together with me supervising) and were lost in the world and story of Lemuria, in Child of Light's constant leveling and item drops, and in the gameplay itself. They have experience with games like Trine, Trine 2, and Terraria. This is up their alley.

    I concur with other reviewers about the beautiful world, wonderfully done in full rhyme albeit somewhat generic story, intuitive 2nd player gameplay, etc. This review will focus on why the game is a nice gateway RPG for children.

    This game is an incredibly well-crafted, light RPG. I am enjoying watching them play.
    +Cut scenes have voice and words on screen.
    +Non spoken dialogue throughout game requires button presses to advance so children or their parents can read aloud at their own pace.
    +Crafting of higher quality and different color gems is super simple allowing a preview of what will be crafted prior to doing so - think Horadric cube from Diablo light.
    +Linear skill trees (permanent stat boosts and spells to learn) per character allow small amount of choice, but won't make or break the characters - think Final Fantasy 10 light.
    +Inventory screen fully describes each item found in the world or won in battle
    +The active time battle pauses for you to choose each character's attack/spell/defend/item. There is just enough strategy here to keep it intuitive for hours of play. My daughters have figured out that by hitting an enemy who is in the process of casting a spell, the enemy gets interrupted and knocked back on the casting bar.
    +Puzzle elements so far have been simple with my 6 year old solving them on her own - think Trine light.
    +Platforming is super simple. Walk around the world for about 2 hours. Then fly around the world. In just about every nook and cranny is a treasure chest. Exploration is highly rewarded.
    +Characters level up very frequently - Lvl. 10 character after 3.5 hrs of play. 1 skill point for the skill tree is awarded to a character upon leveling up. Item drops and finds occur often. Think the breadcrumb effect.

    2nd Player:
    After the first 10 minutes of gameplay, the 2nd player is allowed to control a firefly named Igniculus. In the 2D world, Igniculus is not bound by walls and walkways like Aurora. He has the ability, at the cost of stamina, to illuminite the world around him. He is able to look deep under a mountain to find a hidden room with a chest that he can open. He can find magic plants that when lit, replenish his stamina and Aurora's MP and HP. On the battle screen, he can illuminate allies to replenish their health or blind enemies to slow their battle speed. His stamina bar replenishes itself over time.

    Overall:
    A great game for children aged 7+ or children younger with a bit of parental support. If those younger children are gamers like my daughters, they may be able to figure it out on their own. Highly recommended!    … Expand
  8. sahinur
    May 20, 2014
    10
    It is somehow hard to recommend a game to a person, knowing that my tastes will be entirely different to theirs, that my acceptance of the presentation of said game will not meet theirs, and that overall, at the end of the day, what I find to be a delight may well turn them off. Thus, I always try to be balanced when I review a game - but, there are times when something really reallyIt is somehow hard to recommend a game to a person, knowing that my tastes will be entirely different to theirs, that my acceptance of the presentation of said game will not meet theirs, and that overall, at the end of the day, what I find to be a delight may well turn them off. Thus, I always try to be balanced when I review a game - but, there are times when something really really REALLY does need raving about!!

    Child of Light boasts some truly stellar production values, and the moment the game loads up, you'll feel it for sure. The graphics are truly unique, literally ripped from the page where they were drawn, and they're staggering. The music is gorgeous, suiting the graphics, and as I've said before, you'll feel it, not see or hear it. Everything on this level compliments the other perfectly, no doubt.

    The gameplay is platform action (with hints of 'Metroidvania') with turn-based combat, and massive dollops of arcade adventure, and its gripping throughout, never boring. From beginning to end, it delights and sucks-in, and perhaps a rare talent in this day and age - it never becomes stale or expected in its course once.

    I have tried to make this as spoiler-free as possible, the question is, will you play Child of Light? You should, at least I think so.    … Expand
  9. northern_dancer
    Jun 10, 2014
    10
    Отличная атмосферная игрушка с потрясающей картинкой, жаль что короткая.
    На ПК вообще подобных интересных проектов мало, вспоминается разве что Zanzarah (2002).
    Оценку 10 из 10 ставлю за версию на playstation 3, на остальных платформах не играл.    Отличная атмосферная игрушка с потрясающей картинкой, жаль что короткая.
    На ПК вообще подобных интересных проектов мало, вспоминается разве что Zanzarah (2002).
    Оценку 10 из 10 ставлю за версию на playstation 3, на остальных платформах не играл.
  10. Bensterbas
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    Wow here is a shining example of a game done right. Everything about this game from the story to the combat is simply a masterpiece. Let me start of by the saying the whole game has been hand drawn using the rayman engine which to me for a 10 pound game (UK currency) is simply fantastic. The amount of detail and craftsmanship that has been poured into this game is fa-nominal. The story isWow here is a shining example of a game done right. Everything about this game from the story to the combat is simply a masterpiece. Let me start of by the saying the whole game has been hand drawn using the rayman engine which to me for a 10 pound game (UK currency) is simply fantastic. The amount of detail and craftsmanship that has been poured into this game is fa-nominal. The story is again scripted and planned out by absolute geniuses. The whole game and story is told with poetry though this may not appeal to everyone it still tells the story beautifully in my opinion. The game play is unique and fresh setting it apart from many other turn based strategy games. Overall the game is a masterpiece and I recommend it to be played by anyone and especially rpg fans. For 10 pounds this is a steal and is well worth the price. For anyone that has any doubts about buying this game please do its one that cant and shouldn't be missed! (My Opinion on the game, other peoples opinions may vary.)… Expand
  11. cndman
    Oct 6, 2014
    9
    Child of Light is a beautiful game that deserves every credit. The RPG battle system is great, the overworld is fun to explore. The crafting is simple yet satisfying. The fact that it was made by ubisoft was surprising. Highly recommended.
  12. zanella_marco
    Oct 10, 2014
    9
    Malgrado il suo basso livello di sfida (a difficoltà normale non ho mai visto il “game over”), Child of Light è, senza tanti giri di parole, un capolavoro. L’ibrido Platform / GdR funziona a dovere e non fa cadute di stile per le 12 ore che serviranno a completare la storia. Si parla di tempi lontani pensando alle madri che leggevano ai propri figli i libri di fiabe ma è stato meravigliosoMalgrado il suo basso livello di sfida (a difficoltà normale non ho mai visto il “game over”), Child of Light è, senza tanti giri di parole, un capolavoro. L’ibrido Platform / GdR funziona a dovere e non fa cadute di stile per le 12 ore che serviranno a completare la storia. Si parla di tempi lontani pensando alle madri che leggevano ai propri figli i libri di fiabe ma è stato meraviglioso rivivere un’esperienza che lo ha ricordato e sono rimasto sorpreso dal lavoro fatto da Ubisoft nel ricreare tali emozioni in un videogioco. Grazie a Child of Light, il mondo dei videogiochi può vantare di essersi avvicinato allo stato dell’arte.… Expand
  13. TheIrepan8
    Jul 16, 2014
    10
    Child of Light is one of the best Japanese RPG's this generation and with good meaning. The funny thing is it was made by Ubisoft a Western developer. That's right a western developer created a great JRPG. Using the skill of their Far Cry 3 team and enlisting the help of legendary Final Fantasy illustrator Yoshtaka Amano. The combination resulted in such a beautiful and powerful RPG.Child of Light is one of the best Japanese RPG's this generation and with good meaning. The funny thing is it was made by Ubisoft a Western developer. That's right a western developer created a great JRPG. Using the skill of their Far Cry 3 team and enlisting the help of legendary Final Fantasy illustrator Yoshtaka Amano. The combination resulted in such a beautiful and powerful RPG.

    Presentation.

    Using their UbiArt Framework engine which was used in the Rayman Origins and its sequel, Child of Light is beautiful. It is a game that looks smooth and handcrafted. The world of Lemuria is beautiful and its captures the feeling that you're not playing a game but more like you're reading a children's book. Then there's the audio. The sound effects like Aurora's wings fluttering or the background talking when you enter the town help capture the essence if the game. The music is one of the strongest parts of the game. Child of Light's music is amazing and some of its tracks and is on par with the best of its genre's soundtracks such as Final Fantasy VII, X, Chrono Trigger etc. Just listen to Aurora's Theme and you'll agree with me.

    Story.

    Child of Light has an excellent story. It starts off with Aurora, a child who is the daughter of the duke of Austria in 1895. She becomes ill and falls asleep presumed dead be her father but she isn't. Instead she wakes up in the mythical world of Lemuria which has had its sun, moon and stars stolen by the Dark Queen, Umbra. Aurora along with her faithful companion Igniculus the firefly and over time her allies ranging from a masked beast who dishonored his tribe to a female clown searching for her brother. It is a powerful and emotional coming-of-age story and watching Aurora grow from a frightened child to a powerful heroine over the story is compelling and it is some of the best character growth Ubisoft has ever done in its games. You can also here the growth of Aurora in her theme as well.

    Gameplay.

    Child of Light's gameplay consists of two things: platforming and battle. The good news is there really fun. Platforming involves flying around Lemuria finding things like treasure or confessions which is basically a backstory of another character, avoiding spikes and stuff like that. The battle system is where is really is at.
    Child of Light features a great battle mechanic with ideas that now thinking about it why hasn't it appeared before? At its core, the system is turn-based, but with the help of Igniculus (Aurora’s dew-drop thing companion) you can hinder the progress of enemies through the move timeline. (Think the Final Fantasy series Active time battle system but instead of each character having their own bars everyone uses the same. ) Speed is the name of the game here. Get the team to the red cast zone first and you will strike first. For an easier analogy think of the goal is to overlap your opponent each turn. However there are attacks that can throw you backwards on the timeline. There are a lot of other things such as elements, damage increase and skill trees but its easier to learn things like that through gameplay.

    Verdict:

    Child of Light is a game that I hope does not become forgotten by the world like many other RPG's because of how unique it is. Its a game that feels elegant and homemade. For an RPG that is £15 I would gladly buy it for £40. Lastly on a side note I bought this the same day as Ubisoft's highly anticipated Watch Dogs but when I compare which game had the better lasting impact you can bet Child of Light's impact will make me remember it fondly for years and maybe decades to come.

    + Stunning world that is easy to get lost in regardless of age.
    + Aurora is one of the strongest female protagonists of this gaming generation.
    + Music is one of the best in the genre.
    + Simple yet deep and rewarding
    + Character rhyming although a bit childish makes the game's story feel smoother.
    + One of the best examples of a game that can and should be introduced to young children.
    + Should have a sequel.

    - Not to everyone's taste sadly.

    Score - 98%    … Expand
  14. HeavenInHerArms
    Jul 6, 2014
    8
    A refreshing experience in a compelling world, simple(but very entertaining) gameplay.
    Definitely a must have for RPG's fans, well paced, beautiful designs and a great soundtrack .
    A good bet by Ubisoft.
  15. GypsyPeach
    Aug 29, 2014
    9
    I really enjoyed this game. Unlike many RPGs that have come out in recent years this one is challenging.... comparable to final fantasy 1 challenging. Everything was hand drawn which was nice as you travel through the 2.5 D world. The music is wonderful and the story is fairly simple as it's told. Granted, it is a little slow to get told due to the challenges you have to do (findingI really enjoyed this game. Unlike many RPGs that have come out in recent years this one is challenging.... comparable to final fantasy 1 challenging. Everything was hand drawn which was nice as you travel through the 2.5 D world. The music is wonderful and the story is fairly simple as it's told. Granted, it is a little slow to get told due to the challenges you have to do (finding particular things) which does take a good while but it's still fun and the goals as a whole are still clear as you travel, level up, and get more team members to work with.

    The complaints I have are few and minor. First off, you can only have 2 party members out in a fight (which makes things fairly difficult). Secondly, the main character (Aurora) in battle is pretty much useless and thirdly, there's this "interrupting" **** that can happen as you cast your attack and it makes you wait to cast again. That's it really.... Enjoy~    … Expand
  16. Biker_clown
    Nov 8, 2014
    3
    At first the rhyming thing was quite cool, but after a while it got very annoying. I was also disappointed at the lack of voice acting, although the battle system was pretty fun. The firefly you used to heal was unnecessary.... and also, very annoying. Feel it was a waste of money. Low marks from me :(
  17. sefrabu
    Nov 24, 2015
    8
    A very different experience to an average game, great graphics, amazing music, and offers quite a challenge if played on the highest difficulty. I hope there will be more such games.
  18. Alvokun
    Feb 17, 2017
    9
    Child of Light is one of the most beautiful games I have ever played. In artistic terms, the design of characters, drawings, music, poems, etc. are simply perfect. The storyline is well conceived and gameplay is good enough considering what the game needs.

    Although I had some serious technical problems, I could finally fix them and enjoy the game. But the charm of Child of Light    Child of Light is one of the most beautiful games I have ever played. In artistic terms, the design of characters, drawings, music, poems, etc. are simply perfect. The storyline is well conceived and gameplay is good enough considering what the game needs.

    Although I had some serious technical problems, I could finally fix them and enjoy the game. But the charm of Child of Light undoubtedly lies on its artistic features. It is like a tale for children, one of those products closer to art than to just a interactive game.    … Expand
  19. Magnesium
    May 10, 2018
    10
    This game is pure art. It is a RPG game which I believe could take more than 20 hours to play; however, if one rushes, it would simply be finished in 10 hours or so. It is interesting that the gameplay wasn’t boring or repetitive.
    Voice acting dosn’t play a major role in the game, although it has a very clear and intriguing story.
    The atmosphere is as same as colorful paintings. The    This game is pure art. It is a RPG game which I believe could take more than 20 hours to play; however, if one rushes, it would simply be finished in 10 hours or so. It is interesting that the gameplay wasn’t boring or repetitive.
    Voice acting dosn’t play a major role in the game, although it has a very clear and intriguing story.
    The atmosphere is as same as colorful paintings.
    The best thing I loved about the game was its inspiring soundtracks.
    I highly recommend it.    … Expand
  20. ChoosableOne
    Jul 29, 2017
    9
    Great mechanics, awesome atmosphere, superb music. This is game art at its best. Waiting for another entry desperatly. This is okami's, ico's and shadow of the colossus's soul mate.
  21. SamComedian
    Feb 22, 2019
    10
    Mi puntación sobre Child of Light es de 10, me explico;
    La duración en mi caso estuvo en 13h y 48min, un poco justo a mi parecer, pero disfrutables en cada segundo jugado. Una ambientación espectacular, entre acuarela, 2D, 3D... con una protagonista femenina ( Aurora ) de un carisma elevadísimo que le da al título un empuje increíble. Una banda sonora de las mejores que he escuchado en    Mi puntación sobre Child of Light es de 10, me explico;
    La duración en mi caso estuvo en 13h y 48min, un poco justo a mi parecer, pero disfrutables en cada segundo jugado. Una ambientación espectacular, entre acuarela, 2D, 3D... con una protagonista femenina ( Aurora ) de un carisma elevadísimo que le da al título un empuje increíble. Una banda sonora de las mejores que he escuchado en los videojuegos, increíble. Una trama muy fantasiosa y mágica, Aurora en busca de salvar su ciudad de Austria del mal que la atosiga, enfrentándose a fuerzas oscuras... No digo más. Sistema de combate dinámico por "turnos" muy entretenido, con ataques, magias, conjuros, etc. Con arboles de habilidades. Para finalizar, se lleva el 10 sobre 10 ( comparándolo con juegos de su plataforma, PS3, Xbox360, PS4, XboxOne, Wii U, PC, PSVita y NSwitch ). Mi vigesimosegunda crítica de la sección de Games.    … Expand
  22. Domdom21br
    Nov 8, 2021
    8
    muito lindo, um dos melhores jogos que eu já joguei de RPG, o jeito que a historia é contada é legal pois parece que você está lendo um livro, o meu unico problema é que o jogo uma hora travou mas isso dá pra relevar

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. ZTGD
    May 14, 2014
    90
    I wholeheartedly recommend.So spend!
    Read full review
  2. Level7.nu
    May 5, 2014
    80
    Child of Light is not your ordinary game, although many aspects of it feel familiar. It moves you, with its graphic splendor that clearly took a lot of hard work. Child of Light is pretty straight forward, nothing is complicated or difficult to understand. But this does not mean that you forget about this game with a blink of an eye. Before my inner eye I can still see Aurora's red hair dance in the wind and my ears still hear the music that make the surroundings feel even more vivid.
    Read full review
  3. Eurogamer Germany
    Apr 29, 2014
    80
    It might not quite be the new classic some might have hoped for, but it's a very entertaining and intimate proof that Ubisoft isn't all about throwing hundreds of people onto any given problem. They actually know very well how and when to pick just the right guys and gals for a job.
    Read full review
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