Ubisoft Creates a Family-Friendly RPG

roseofbattle

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Apr 18, 2011
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Ubisoft Creates a Family-Friendly RPG

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Parent and child duos get to take on an epic Japanese RPG-inspired quest in the new Ubisoft game Child of Light.

As a child, experiencing stories with a parent has the potential to form lasting memories, whether it be a parent reading fairy tales aloud or poor Dad failing to keep up with the kids in a new game. Known for his work on Far Cry 3, creative director Patrick Plourde is working on a very different game -- a coming of age story featuring a princess.

"I'm a father, and fairy tales are about parents telling their children stories that carry values," Plourde told Polygon. "So one day our marketing director said, 'Why don't you make a game where you can play with your son?' and I was like, 'Ah! That's so true!'"

Child of Light is a solo experience with a second player option to support the main character, an adventuring princess. Family or friends can play as Nicholas, who aids the player in solving puzzles and fighting in battles.

Plourde got the idea for Nicholas from Super Mario Galaxy. "But the thing I felt was missing in Super Mario Galaxy was the second character is not really helping," he said. "You just collect coins. It's not a collaboration -- you're more of a spectator."

To make the game easier to play for children who can't read yet, Child of Light is an RPG without menus. When exploring, the princess will fight enemies, and the second player can support the princess by slowing enemies or healing her. Like turn-based RPGs, each character has a personal timer for attacking.

Child of Light will be released on current and next generation consoles and PCs.

Source: Polygon [http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/10/4702940/child-of-light-was-designed-so-parents-can-play-together-with-children]

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Able Seacat

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Jun 18, 2012
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Looks lovely, the art style is great and that piano music is gorgeous. Certainly looks interesting.
 

Zhukov

The Laughing Arsehole
Dec 29, 2009
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Meh, doesn't really sound like my kinOH MY FUCKING GOD, THAT ART STYLE!

...

*ahem*

Seriously though, why don't more games look like that? I could see myself putting up with the kiddie narration and JRPG turn-based combat bollocks just to look at the pretty.
 

TiberiusEsuriens

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Jun 24, 2010
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Yet another game from Ubisoft with a female lead. Am I sensing a theme here?

Big swords and fireballs! My inner 5 year old is sold on this.
 

Erttheking

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Oct 5, 2011
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It looks fairly interesting, the art style looks gorgeous and the concept seems a little simple but it has a certain charm to it. Besides, there's a difference between kiddie games and family friendly games. This story looks like it might have enough of a charm to it to pick it up.

But here's something that bugs me. If you want to advertise a family friendly game, why the Hell are you saying it's by the same guy who made Far Cry 3?
 

zerragonoss

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Oct 15, 2009
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I left wondering if a game like this is really necessary when I manged to get half way though FFVI before I learned to read. but than again I am not exactly normal. It is very pretty thought and more game variety cant be a bad thing.

Captcha: she sells

Its a little girl with fairy wings that is kinda creepy Captcha.
 

Grabehn

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Sep 22, 2012
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TiberiusEsuriens said:
Big swords and fireballs! My inner 5 year old is sold on this.
And my inner 12 year old said "hurr hurr... balls"

On topic... This looks incredibly good for some reason AND is coming to PC? I really wanna try this now.
 

FootloosePhoenix

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Dec 23, 2010
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Been interested in this one since I saw the first Escapist news article on it awhile ago. REALLY hoping it's good and the co-op option is just that; an option that doesn't detract from the solo experience in any way. I do want to see more quality games targeted at and suitable for younger audiences succeeding, so fingers crossed for this one.

Now Ubisoft, just don't say a goddamn thing about franchising the nipples off of this game before it's even released and I'll be happy.
 

RedEyesBlackGamer

The Killjoy Detective returns!
Jan 23, 2011
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Zhukov said:
Meh, doesn't really sound like my kinOH MY FUCKING GOD, THAT ART STYLE!

...

*ahem*

Seriously though, why don't more games look like that? I could see myself putting up with the kiddie narration and JRPG turn-based combat bollocks just to look at the pretty.
Western devs have a fetish for "realism".
OP: This might be the first Ubisoft game I get in years. Depends on the DRM scheme.
 
Apr 5, 2008
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Not keen on the particular style or theme of this, but I must say I *love* the idea of a game designed for an adult and child to play together. Co-op is great, and playing a shooter or action game with friends on one console is a lot of fun. To target adult/child duos is a great idea as for one thing, they're around more often than friends are (ie. all the time). It's also less energy consuming than chasing them around the bloody house :)

I think Ubi are on to something here and will look forward to (and likely buy) any future games of this ilk. But the floaty Japanese thing isn't for me.
 

Drummodino

Can't Stop the Bop
Jan 2, 2011
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I have to say I love the idea of parent and child playing through this together. As much as I love my parents they have never really understood my passion for video games (they think they're just toys) and it was a rare day I could get my Dad to play with me. I would have loved for them to play games like this with me.
 

UnknownGunslinger

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Jan 29, 2011
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Love the idea, but...
I got to say this looks damn scary to me, let alone for most kids I know - 7-10 y.o.

Games like Trine, Torchlight and Lego Star Wars I've found to be very child co-op friendly, witout explicitly targeting child-adult demographic!

I think visuals play a key role here.
These monsters, though greatly drawn are just too damn scary :)