It was April 2014 when the Canadian development studio, Ubisoft Montrealamazed with the trailer for Child of Light, a real videogame experiment, a turn-based platform RPG with the aim of capturing the essence of the more traditional games of the same genre. Using the UbiArt Framework graphics engine, initially used for the series RaymanUbisoft presented all the cards on the table to offer an experience that is as simple as it is innovative: in fact, his Artistic direction in full style watercolorthe music melancholy and the poetic writing composed in rhymethey promised a video game that would be capable of enter the hearts of many.
Even if the premise was respectable, something was not convincing, a doubt that did not concern the narration of Child of Light, but part of its identity. By examining the historical lot developed by Ubisoft up to that moment, between action adventure games of the caliber of Assassin’s Creed and FPS like Far Cryit was inevitable to wonder if the French development house was at the height of the most illustrious JRPGs how Final Fantasy or Chrono Triggerreal milestones that have written the history of the genre.
It was a great surprise to realize that Child of Light not only was he able to meet all the criteria he had set for himself, but thanks to his peculiarities, together with his compelling cast and his fairytale world, he immediately became a undeniable success able to stand alone, prompting fans around the world to clamoring for a sequel.
Unfortunately, although it ended up in an economic income to the point of being able to finance a sequel, the choice was up to the large French company, which we recently discovered never wanted to give away what could become a franchise. Patrick Plourdecreative director of Child of Lighthas always shown itself fond of the IP and has repeatedly stated that he has already written a sequel, hoping one day to be able to make it.
Yet, as with any fairy tale, a happy ending is expected, it seems that Ubisoft is finally willing to give new life to the project, pleasing the fans and showing themselves ready to exploit the IP again. After announcing a TV series adaptation live action of which little is known yet, Patrick Plourde, proud, warns unofficially on his twitter that Aurora and Igniculus are about to return. The cheerful and iconic duo of Child of Light will be the protagonist of a new crossover adventure that, while not a direct sequel, promises that it will be able to carry on the history of the video game.
The “disappearance” of Aurora
In 2018 Ubisoft announced the winners of the “Women’s Film and Television Fellowship“, A program aimed solely at promoting female voices in the film industry, the award of which included the adaptation of some of the company’s multiple IPs. The choice of Tasha Huo, screenwriter of films and TV series, fell on Child of Light with the intent to adapt it to live action TV series. Although the news was greeted with enthusiasm, some fans couldn’t help but wonder if a live action series might be able to do justice to the IP, as, given the game’s art direction, an animated view would plausibly have been the most important decision. obvious.
“As a screenwriter and player you want to make sure that you respect the game system as well and try to adapt it as faithfully as possible in some way” Tasha Huo says in the video interview, almost answering in advance to the questions that would come following the announcement, “So for me it was like a challenge, being able to do something I always wanted to do”. Danielle KreinikUbisoft’s director of TV series development, did that confirm the esteem and passion that the winner feeds towards the chosen IP. “[…] Tasha came with a vision that respects the video game, and the adaptation she proposed blends so easily with the original product that there was no reason to intervene. “
The will of respect the original material, while proposing an innovative narrative for the IP, bodes well. Tasha Huo is wholly intent on to celebrate what made it Child of Light a success, narrating Aurora’s journey to discover herself, emphasizing the importance of growth, from child to woman, in a world full of pitfalls but as many magnificences. Unfortunately, however, all the news regarding this adaptation is limited to the announcement, as no other information has been released since.
To suggest a possible cancellationor at least a delayis the airing of the sister project of the same program. The winner Mishna Wolff, in charge of adapting Werewolf Within in the form of a film, it has finished its work and is currently available for viewing, leaving fans of Child of Light who awaited news on the series with very little hope.
A crossover? An unreleased? And Child of Light 2?
Even when a video game finds a much-needed success, the decision to “How” and “if” to proceed with an IP it’s not up to the development team, but to the company that heads it. Patrick Plourde has repeatedly enjoyed stimulating the curiosity of fans, also announcing any announcements, such as when anticipated the e-book sequel of the video game, which arrived a month later, that did not then have continuous; switching to strategically placed sheets to be noticed, that they left little to the imaginationwithout missing real unofficial announcements, where he promises – this time for real – that something is about to arrive.
Fans of #ChildofLightjust to let you know that @Take_Toch just sent the final approval for Aurora and Igniculus’ next great adventure. Expect more news early next year. 🙂
– Patrick Plourde (@patrick_plourde) November 24, 2021
“#ChildOfLight fans, we just want to let you know that @Take_Toch [direttore artistico, NdR] has just approved what will be the next great adventure of Aurora and Igniculus. Expect news for the start of the new year ”.
needless to say that with these words, you tweet November 2021, the first thought was that of a direct sequelbut it wasn’t too long before the creative director returned to social for set the record straight:
“[…] this time it’s real. However it is not CoL 2. And we are not the developers. Expect a crossover game that continues Aurora’s story after she crosses the mirror at the end of CoL ”.
Dulled the enthusiasm, yes, but not too much. The last time that Child of Light was on the list to receive a crossover it was about Bloodstained: Ritual of the Nightas it is possible to hear Aurora’s theme in the launch trailer for the game of 2019. This still remains the most accredited hypothesis, especially after the anticipation of the next game update announced by ArtPlay in October 2021:
“Our next update will introduce a new playable character. This is a change in our roadmap. We can confirm that this new character NOT comes from the world of Bloodstained. We worked closely with a well-known partner to bring their character (and a friend) into the game. “
Putting together the information provided by Patrick Plourde, the temporal arrangement of these announcements, and the clear clue that Child of Light had to take part in the creator’s new world Castelvania, it is impossible not to think that the character referred to is Auroraand that the friend is none other than the little one Igniculus.
Among the many plausible hypotheses there is also using another IP currently dormant, and who but one of the most popular Ubisoft icons in the gaming field, as well as the beneficiary of the same graphics engine? Rayman is definitely a candidate possible for this new adventure, and it would not be so absurd to think that, crossing the mirror, Aurora and Igniculus ended up in a world neither human nor Lemurian, but totally different from those they know.
The possibilities are many, ei risks there are many, especially considering that the original team does not seem to be directly involved but has nevertheless supervised at least the narrative choices. Patrick Plourde’s statements also suggest a possible totally new video game, leading to think that the crossover could present a completely different game systemmoving away from the Platform RPG structure, and why not, opting for a different rendering, perhaps allowing you to admire Aurora and Igniculus with more realistic graphics.
If on the one hand it is right to be worried, on the other hand it is also true that these crossovers, in general, they do not devalue the original productand which however canonical can be taken as titles in their own right, often resulting in adventures that the protagonists themselves do not remember ever having.
While still waiting and hoping for a direct sequel to the video game, all that remains is to trust the words of Patrick Plourde, who guarantees that the crossover will be “Super fun, amazing and created by developers who love IP”.
In short, it is clear that Ubisoft while recognizing the value of its IP, has not yet clear ideas nor does he know in which direction to continue, but we are sure that between crossover, TV series, or a DLC, Child of Light it is far from being abandonedand who knows if approaching his tenth anniversary, we will not see him again in more official guises, with his well-deserved and awaited sequel.
#Child #Light #origins #destiny #work #art