I have never really been into 2-D RPGs with Final Fantasy’s turn-based fighting, but when I saw Child of Light I knew I wanted to play this game. The style looks like a fantasy watercolor painting, and all of the characters speak in rhymes. The main character, Aurora, floats around the screen pushing boxes, flipping levers and solving puzzles, accompanied by a little firefly that helps her collect manna to cast spells.
When you approach an enemy you enter battle mode, where the turn-based fighting begins. A bar at the bottom shows who will strike first, and you can slow down the enemies by having your firefly guide cast light over them or use potions and spells to increase your speed, defense, health, or attacks. As the story progresses, more members join your party to assist you in battles. Every creature you defeat upgrades your skill tree and you can decide which skills you want to upgrade first. You also collect 9 types of gems that you can craft to enhance your different magical abilities.
The further you go in the game, the bigger the bosses become, and you will have to be careful and develop strategies to live through the battles and unlock the next parts of the map. The graphics in Child of Light are beautiful and the story plays like you’re reading a fairy tale. I loved this game even though it isn’t usually in my favorite genre of video games. I give it a 9 out of 10. Child of Light is published by Ubisoft & is available now for PC, 360, PS3, PS4, XB1 & WiiU.
