![]() In fact, Jeffrey Yohalem, the writer of the game has alluded multiple times to the influence of that fairy-tale on Child of Light.* Players could, for example, see the name Aurora and think of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, rather than the dawn goddess. Given that these allusions are never explained in-game, only a player with existing knowledge of Latin or mythology will be able to appreciate their relevance. Other statues are shown holding a caduceus and a lyre. Aptly, it is only by following symbols on Erin’s shield that Aurora manages to escape a deadly labyrinth, and so the Greek goddess of strategy is used to solve one of the game’s puzzles. In particular, the icons of the goddess "Erin" bear a striking resemblance to Athena, complete with shield, spear and helm. At multiple points in her journey, Aurora passes shrines, fountains, or palaces, which contain statues dressed in togas and tunics. There are also traces of antiquity in the game’s architecture. Similarly, though Aurora fetches the Waters of Lethe as one of her quests, no mention is made of their forgetfulness properties. For example, the character of Achilles is a mint-eating flying pig, and so bears no parallel to the mythical warrior. ![]() Interestingly, the names that are actually borrowed from mythology (as opposed to just being Latin words) tend not to carry the same relevance. Rubella’s jester outfit is red, and her brother Tristis is drummed out of the circus for being too miserable. Other uses of the Latin are subtler: for example, the Capilli (literally, "the hairs") are mages with lusciously long beards. Similarly, the three antagonists (Umbra, Nox and Crepusculum) have names that reveal their dark nature. It is apt that the heroine tasked with restoring the sun shares her name with the Roman goddess of dawn, and that her companion firefly is called Igniculus. In each case, the names have been carefully chosen. This adds an element of strategy not found in RPG turn-based battles, especially because Igniculus can be used to slow enemies, and so keep them where the player can "interrupt" them.Īntiquity’s influence on the game is most obvious through the Latin names of its characters. Attacking an enemy while they are at a certain point in the bar will ‘interrupt’ them, which sends them back to the start and means that they cannot attack that around. All combatants follow the time-bar from its start (where they choose their action) to its end (where they play it), their speed determined by the amount of power their chosen action requires. However, the addition of a timer means that these actions are played in a different order each turn. The game’s battle system is turn-based, so every character has one action per turn to either attack, heal, cast a spell, or use an item. These range from lighting up symbols to unlock a door, to finding the way through a labyrinth. However, Child of Light is also a puzzle-solving game, requiring the player to decipher clues to get through each stage. The inclusion of skill-trees, where players choose how to level up their characters is reminiscent of role-playing games (RPGs), as are the game’s side quests, which do not influence the main storyline but grant bonuses when completed. As a side-scrolling game, all the action is viewed in 2-D and is consequently similar to a platforming game (even though Aurora can fly, and therefore does not need to worry about jumping between ledges). Child of Light combines elements from several different genres.
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