Child of Light

Lore & Background

Child of Light takes place in the fictional land of Lemuria, an alternate world encompassing a peninsular continent. The story follows Aurora, a princess who wakes in Lemuria after dying from a mysterious illness. She must bring back the sun, the moon, and the stars, all held captive by the Queen of the Night, Umbra, in order to return home. The game's setting includes various races such as the elfin Aerostati, dwarf-like Capilli, anthropomorphic trader mice Populi, fish-like Pisceans, and the warlike Kategida. Prior to the game's events, Lemuria was discovered by four explorers and colonized. It was ruled by the Queen of Light until she vanished, allowing Umbra to steal the celestial bodies and conquer the land. The main playable characters include Aurora, jester Rubella, sorcerer Finn, stepsister Norah, archer Robert, and jester Tristis. The firefly Igniculus serves as a companion and in-game mechanic, usable both outside and during battle. The plot begins with Aurora's death in Austria in 1895, after which she awakens in Lemuria. Guided by Igniculus, she learns that her world and Lemuria are connected by a mirror stolen by Umbra. To use the mirror to go home, she must recover Lemuria's light. Throughout her quest, she discovers that her stepmother is Umbra herself, and that the Queen of Light is her mother. After defeating Umbra's daughters and ultimately Umbra, Aurora leads her people through the mirror to Lemuria to escape a flood.

Reader's Guide

Child of Light is significant as a dark fantasy title that blends platforming with role-playing elements, utilizing a turn-based combat system reminiscent of classic Japanese RPGs. Its development was inspired by Studio Ghibli and Yoshitaka Amano in art style, and by games like Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy VIII, and Limbo in presentation. The game was initially revealed at GDC Europe 2013 by creative director Patrick Plourde, with writer Jeffrey Yohalem and lead programmer Brie Code. The narrative was originally planned to have Aurora age physically throughout the game and feature multiple endings, but ultimately only one physical aging and a single ending were implemented. The game's legacy includes a teased sequel announced alongside the Nintendo Switch release in October 2018, which was later seemingly cancelled in very early development stages. Child of Light was also made available on Amazon Luna and Google Stadia in 2021.

Did You Know?

• The game is narrated by Canadian actress Caroline Dhavernas.
• The character Igniculus can be used to slow down enemies or heal allies during battle.
• A sequel was teased with the Nintendo Switch release but was later seemingly cancelled in very early development.