Children of Morta Reviews
Despite the randomly generated dungeons, there is not much in the way of replay value to be had in Children of Morta. The storyline is linear and it is a somewhat short game. That being said, the journey through that first time is delightful, due in large part to fantastic visuals and also the interesting family dynamics found in both the gameplay and the narrative. The rogue-lite elements work well here, encouraging progress without being terribly punitive. Fans of the action-RPG genre should definitely give Children of Morta a look.
Children of Morta, also published by 11 Bit Studios, presents a similarly top-down action-RPG with rogue-lite elements, retro-inspired pixel art, and immersive art direction and animation. But, like with Moonlighter before it, Children of Morta takes a different approach. The similar setup of failing, upgrading, retrying, and replaying dungeons, slowly growing in power thanks to upgrades is here, but in the guise of a story-driven party-based RPG. With combat and character progression that feels more in line with Blizzard's Diablo than it does Moonlighter's riff on classic The Legend of Zelda.
Children of Morta is a decent roguelike ARPG.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
All in, I found Children of Morta to be an enjoyable experience. I wouldn’t say it was the best title I’ve ever played, but it is nowhere near the worst and I am quite looking forward to going back to continue the journey.
Children of Morta is a rewarding action RPG with a lot of heart, providing you can make it through its repetitive opening hours.
Children of Morta carves out a nice little space for itself in the rogue-lite genre. It's a beautiful-looking game that's obviously had a lot of love and care poured into it. Its dungeons, although perhaps not the strongest in terms of variety of enemies, are certainly refreshingly challenging, and all of the upgrade systems, pickups and playable characters on offer ensure there's plenty here to keep things feeling fresh over the fifteen-to-twenty hours it will take you to see things through to the end.
Choose your favorite Bergson to take down into the dungeons in a roguelike that tells the story of the tight-knit family that form the Children of Morta.
Rather than simply chaining meaningless rooms in a "one-piece-a monster-a-treasure" adventure, even if, in the main, a rogue-like is always a bit like that , Children of Morta grafts us over a well-written story, with great music, dozens of cut-scenes and events that are unlocked, and a narrative made by a guy who has a voice comment animal documentaries with your neutral (especially those where we see a buffalo devoured by a dozen hyenas).
Review in French | Read full review
Based on the perspective players approach Children of Morta, it is possible to frame it either as a disappointment or as a breath of fresh air.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Children of Morta offers a unique twist on roguelike formula and wraps it up in a warm and engrossing story that will have you genuinely caring for its family of characters. Unfortunately, whilst the gameplay starts off strong, the dungeon crawling eventually becomes a chore due to repetitive combat and long load times.
Represents a winning convergence of art, design, and narrative.
However, even with these technical issues, I enjoyed my time with Children of Morta. The constant narration depicts the bonds of family with a kind-hearted pathos, which is a welcome palate cleanser between the bouts of monster slaying. Even failed runs are rewarded with new tidbits, tying us to the Bergsons’ struggle.
The Bergson's are charming but their quest is a bit too lifeless. A middling dungeon crawler elevated by its style.
Children of Morta is an ambitious, beautiful, but unsatisfying action roguelike, light on content and feeling considerably unfinished at launch.
Children of Morta may feature rewarding character progression but its combat-heavy campaign begins to feel like a chore after a while.
Roguelikes often try to keep players out of their later levels, but Children of Morta keeps it all in the family with persistent level-ups, buffs, and checkpoints.
Children of Morta is an absolute gem. Fans of action RPGs and rogue-like games should have this on their wishlist if it’s not in their library already. This is a contender for one of my most favorite games in 2019 so far!
Children of Morta is such a complete experience. The narrative is surprisingly strong, the gameplay really gets its hooks into you, the characters play so differently and are well balanced, and the world around you is rich and detailed. I am so excited to watch Children of Morta grow through 2020. This is a game I keep coming back to and one I seem to appreciate more and more each time I play.
Children of Morta may be tough and grindy, especially at the outset, but there’s enough to keep players engaged: randomized dungeon maps and goodies to pick up; no less than seven playable characters; an emotional tale that unfolds in beautiful cutscenes. It’s not a party game, so I would only recommend it to players who can commit to ongoing co-op sessions—especially as progression is slow and the game feels more rewarding only after beating the initial dungeons.
