It's going to break my heart if you let Children of Morta pass you by [score 8.5 out of 10]. Sure, the title sounds suspiciously like a kids' game. Sure, beautifully drawn pixel-art action RPGs are a dime a dozen nowadays—except they're actually not. Not when they're like Children of Morta.
This action RPG is a brutal, fantasy-fiction twin-stick shooter. Home is where the heart is, and Morta has a lot of heart. While this launch trailer could show off hours of roguelite hack n' slash action, action, action, the game's real beauty lies in its family members and in this heroic family's ancient and magical home. All while the unseen narrator bring a grandfatherly warmth to the entire affair.
Corruption, pure Corruption, is being puked out of the local mountain, the mountain the Bergson family is fated to guard. The land is awash in the inky blackness of this curse spreading throughout the land that the Bergson family is fated to protect. But it's not all swords and sorcery. Some of the trickiest victories happen right back on the homestead. Home is where you hang your hat, but the Bergsons must continue to function as a family while ceaselessly throwing their hat into the fray.
Children of Morta launched on PS4 and Xbox One today, October 15. The launch on Nintendo Switch is baking until November 20. And PC players have had the game—and some patching and updates—since September 3.
