Child of Light
Review
A rhyming review for a rhyming game
by Jonathan Fortin
reviewed on PC
A Rhyming Review for a Rhyming Game
Child of Light brings to life
a gorgeous watercolor painting
And the entire script of the game
is comprised of awkward half-rhyming
Prose cannot express this
So I’ve decided that my review
Will also be written in awkward rhymes
And changing meter too!
Child of Light’s heroine
Is the feisty redhead Aurora
A girl who dies, only to awaken
In the strange land of Lemuria
The inhabitants there dub her princess
Though she despises the title indeed
She fights her way to answers
In the hopes that she can be freed
She aims to get home, to save her dear dad
From a slumber that could take his life
In her way are terrible beasts
But no sweat: she’s the Child of Light
Helping Aurora in her quest
Are many eccentric fellows
A love-struck mouse; a wizard (of course)
And her sister, who speaks only in bellows
A harlequin, too, who avoids her rhymes
Others correct her as if this is treason
Her lack of rhyme seems to breach etiquette
For in this world rhyme is the reason!
The characters are all quite charming
They don’t bore or drive you to sleep
But on the other hand, it must be said
That none of them are very deep
The story, too, is rather shallow
It would not entrance as a book
But as an epic poem in a beautiful game
It is certainly worth a look
Aurora explores by flying around
With her talking firefly friend
Igniculus, his name is
If she’s injured, he can mend
Igniculus can light the way
And does much to intervene
He can open chests from afar
And slow down wicked fiends
Aurora’s flight is hindered
By lava, spikes, and locked doors
The winds can be tough, but flying is fun
So navigation is rarely a chore
When Aurora meets an enemy
She’s whisked to the battle stage
The previously-open world
Becomes a tactical cage
Who runs into whom will define
Which side makes the first jab
Fortunately, it should be said that
The battles system’s quite rad
To tell the truth, I hate turn-based fights
Most JRPGs make me cry
This didn’t; it’s hard to explain how in rhyme
But I’ll do my best to try
Each combatant follows a meter
Which is comprised of two parts:
Waiting, and taking action
Rather than science, it’s art
If an enemy attacks before the time needed
To take an action has ended
You’ll be interrupted, and injured, too
And you’ll wish you had Defended
You can take just two allies to battle
But swap them whenever you’d like
Fortunately, all will gain XP
Regardless of who joins the fight
It’s not mere turns; speed is defined
By your stats and by spells performed
Enemies can speed up, or slow you down
But likewise their speed can be shorned
Igniculus can slow down a beast
Until his light runs out
Which enemy to choose? The decision is tough
But it defines who wins each bout
The system, you see, is quite deep
And yet also accessible
It perfectly mixes the real-time
With the turn-based and tactical
Enemies have strengths and weaknesses
Elements like lightning and fire
If you prepare for this before battle
Your chances of survival are higher
Part of this involves oculi:
gemstones that add to your game
Your sword, enchanted with red oculi,
Will now glow with burning flame
Or that gem could buff your resistance
Or even add to your health
Mixing oculi makes them stronger
Gems have more value than wealth
Whenever you gain a level
You can add to your skill tree
Which branch you choose is up to you
This is, after all, an RPG
Child of Light is nearly the best
Final Fantasy game in years
Except that it’s in a league of its own
Surpassing its inspirations and peers
Sure, the rhymes can be clunky
But that’s honestly part of the fun
It has artistic identity
Enough to be a home run
Between the lovely aesthetics
And the brilliant combat system
It becomes a thing of true beauty
Full of joy and true wisdom
9.0
fun score
Pros
Beautiful visuals; fantastic combat system; true artistic identity.
Cons
Occasional awkward rhyming; story lacks depth.
