Child of Light Reviews

Child of Light is ranked in the 89th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Apr 28, 2014

Child of Light is like a blast from the past, capturing the essence of a classic JRPG from the genre's heyday and refining it with a fresh coat of modern polish. The art design and audio is gorgeous, the combat is simple and fun, with no ultra-complicated busywork to get in the way, and the characters are charming. It's a brief visit, and one that suffers from an occasionally repetitive formula, but the beautiful art, smart battle system and endearing storytelling make it absolutely worth your time.

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Unscored
May 6, 2014

Child Of Light is a joyous story about how tragedy, be it in achievement form or otherwise, shapes the strongest of us, how the only way to measure love is through pain. Aurora's coming-of-age is disguised as a righteous fight. There is a lot of tragedy in Child Of Light, but she chooses to see the triumph.

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9 / 10.0
May 9, 2014

But whilst Child Of Light not may carry the sheer narrative depth of story of a 100 hour, £40 full RPG release, but there are few games out there that will provide you with such a polished, enchanting experience for £12. It's a must-play for fans of the genre, an unforgettably ethereal experience that seamlessly merges childhood nostalgia with its own gameplay innovations and unique, memorable style.

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GameGrin
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
May 7, 2014

If this is the start of many new projects from Ubisoft Montreal, no doubt many people are going to be watching with keen eyes, because Child of Light provides a fantastical experience that revitalises turn-based combat for a new audience. Give it a go, you won't be disappointed.

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GameSkinny
Top Critic
Apr 28, 2014

For Many Gamers, This Will be the Best $15 You Spend All Year

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80 / 100
May 7, 2014

A visually gorgeous, hand-crafted RPG from the creators of big budget titles; a sumptuous storybook adventure, only marred by a few small blemishes.

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7.5 / 10.0
May 15, 2014

In the end, I loved Child of Light less than I hoped I would. It is terrific to look at, and its battle system remained addictive for several hours of gameplay. The humdrum exploration, the too-repetitive (though fun) combat, and the unfocused story bring the title down after a strong first impression. I still believe it is worth experiencing, especially given the scarcity of RPGs on the Wii U, but some fundamental flaws keep it from getting my unconditional recommendation.

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Apr 29, 2014

True aficionados would do well to leave alone but it's something unlikely to worry the developers here. Child of Light is RPG-lite indeed, but in the burgeoning world of videogame genres, there's plenty of room for that too.

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9.2 / 10.0
May 7, 2014

Child of Light isn't perfect, but it's a gorgeously fun RPG nonetheless. I never once found myself bored running and flying around Lumeria, and yes, it helped that I never stopped being amazed at the jaw-dropping art at every turn. However, with the wide variety of partymember skills, the combat that never let me slack, and the ability to wander whenever I choose, I couldn't have been bored even if the art was lackluster. For $15, I cannot recommend Child of Light to RPG fans enough.

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9 / 10.0
May 12, 2014

If you have even a small interest in role-playing games, Child of Light comes highly recommended.

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57 / 100
Apr 28, 2014

[S]o mark Child of Light as an unfinished work. Its three-pronged idea remains 33% explored: the world is beautiful; the combat progression is callow; the narrative is so obsessed with its own telling that it never leaves the tunnel.

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Digitally Downloaded
Matt S.
Top Critic
Apr 29, 2014

Laden with meaning (and in future articles on Digitally Downloaded I'll be writing plenty more about that meaning in the weeks, if not years to come, I suspect), this game uses poetry as its basis and executes on that vision so well that it is, effectively, interactive poetry.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
8 / 10
May 5, 2014

Child of Light is a great first step into the genre for Ubisoft and a thoroughly enjoyable experience overall. It takes the classic Active Time Battle system and puts a twist on it with the Timeline mechanic. The presentation is top notch and sure to generate some interest in the game all on its own.

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9 / 10.0
Apr 30, 2014

Child of Light shines in a sea of dark, gritty, often ugly imagery. That shine isn't especially bright or piercing; in fact, it's softer, muted. It lures us with its softhearted coo, rather than blasting our senses with extraordinary strength and brilliance.

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May 3, 2014

Child of Light proves that cheap downloadable RPGs can be done right after all. Visually enchanting and featuring a clever twist on classic turn-based combat, this puts many full-sized RPGs to shame. Even with painful rhyming dialogue and generic story, you'll find yourself hooked to the end.

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9.5 / 10.0
Apr 28, 2014

Child of Light is a hugely fun and memorable experience. The combat is intense, the visuals are unique, and the soundtrack elevates the whole game to a new level. While it might get a bit ambiguous about your goals at some points in the story, it's still really good and well worth the investment.

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10 / 10
Apr 27, 2014

With exciting mechanics, a gripping combat system, and an imaginative world that's equally ominous and elegant, Child of Light constantly fires on all cylinders, sure to leave an impression that's hard to shake.

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May 3, 2014

I come away from 'Child of Light' more disappointed than unsatisfied. There is immense potential in Ubisoft's Framework development engine and the team behind it, and I hope they take this game as a lesson on the path to greater, more focused design. First, the gameplay is everything. The turn-based, timeline stuff is highly entertaining and, more importantly, different. Second, beautiful art doesn't make a well-constructed world. It helps, sure, but Aurora's adventure was back-dropped by a collection of still life portraits, not a living, breathing world. As a video game, you're missing the point if the player doesn't feel a part of a bigger universe. Third, poetry is for the poets.

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Recommended
Apr 12, 2021

Should you play Child of Light? / Please read on if yet your mind doubts / Though sigh, you might, when met by such text / Only then can you find out!

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97 / 100
Apr 28, 2014

Child of Light came on the radar with high anticipation, and it doesn’t fail to deliver. It isn’t necessarily the type of release gamers expect from Ubisoft, as they are renowned for making blockbuster titles.

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