Children of Morta stands out as an action RPG blended with rogue-lite progression, where you guide a family of heroes through a darkening world. Released initially for PC, this indie title from Dead Mage combines hack-and-slash combat with deep character growth, all wrapped in a narrative about love, loss, and resilience against an ancient corruption. Players take control of the Bergson family, each member bringing distinct abilities to procedurally generated dungeons filled with enemies and challenges.
Gameplay
At its core, the game revolves around exploring procedurally generated dungeons, battling hordes of corrupted creatures, and upgrading your family over time. You select a family member for each run, hacking through enemies with weapons and skills tailored to that hero. Combat feels fluid, mixing melee attacks, ranged options, and magical abilities, while dodging and blocking add layers of strategy. Rogue-lite elements mean that while individual runs might end in retreat, progress carries over to the entire family, boosting stats and unlocking new abilities without permanent death. Between expeditions, you return to the family home, where narrative moments unfold, strengthening bonds and revealing story details. Mechanics like skill trees for each character allow customization, from stunning foes to healing allies, creating varied playstyles across multiple runs.
Dungeons vary in layout each time, with two to four levels leading to a boss encounter. Side quests and extra challenges provide opportunities for more experience points, encouraging repeat visits. The art style merges hand-painted pixel graphics with dynamic lighting, enhancing the atmosphere of caves, forests, and ruins overrun by darkness.
Game Modes
The game offers Story mode, which follows the Bergson family's journey to combat the spreading Corruption through a series of narrative-driven dungeon crawls. This mode emphasizes emotional storytelling, with events at home influencing the heroes' resolve. Family Trials mode provides a more focused challenge, stripping away some story elements for pure rogue-lite runs aimed at testing skills and builds against escalating difficulties.
Both modes support local co-op for teaming up with a friend nearby, and online co-op allows playing with someone remotely. In co-op, you control different family members simultaneously, combining their unique strengths to tackle enemies and bosses more effectively.
Characters and Skills
Seven playable family members each offer distinct combat approaches. John serves as a sturdy warrior using sword and shield for defense. Linda excels with precise archery for ranged damage. Kevin relies on swift daggers for close-quarters agility. Lucy brings fire magic for area control and bold attacks. Mark focuses on martial arts for mindful, combo-based fighting. Joey wields a heavy sledgehammer for crushing blows. Apan acts as a healer and defender, supporting the team with restorative abilities.
- Skills include blocks, stuns, evasions, and passive boosts that unlock as you level up the family.
- Upgrades apply family-wide, ensuring every hero benefits from overall progress.
Is It Worth Playing?
For those drawn to story-rich action RPGs with rogue-lite replayability, Children of Morta holds strong appeal. Its blend of emotional narrative and satisfying combat has earned positive reception from players, who praise the family dynamics and atmospheric world. Critics have given it a strong overall rating, highlighting the unique progression system and co-op features. The game remains in a complete state after its development roadmap wrapped up with the addition of online co-op, making it accessible without ongoing updates or seasons. If you enjoy cooperative dungeon crawling or character-driven adventures, it offers meaningful hours of play, especially in co-op with a friend. Solo players will find depth in switching heroes and building the family legacy, though some note the combat can feel repetitive over long sessions. Overall, it suits fans seeking a heartfelt take on the genre.
