Children of Morta

Children of Morta serves as a fine ARPG for newbies and veterans alike. A beautiful world brought alive by beautiful pixel art, catchy music, and incredibly compelling gameplay that holds the whole package together.

Children of Morta is strong in its apparent simplicity. By the end game the player is juggling multiple additional powers, temporary buffs, held items, and a vast array of enemy types, but since everything is introduced so smoothly and cleanly it never feels overwhelming. The game is brutal without being cruel, as each failure shows some granular hint of progress—it serves as a great introduction to the genre for newcomers, as everything is explained so well, and is also appealing for veteran players, showing a different approach to a well-known classic.

A deft combination of the heft of immediate gratification and the lure of long-term progression, with a confident narrative wrapper.