Children of Morta

Review by eFreeware

Most roguelites hand you a single hero and ask you to get attached to a moveset. Children of Morta does something different: you take charge of the Bergson family, a whole household of heroes standing against the Corruption that is swallowing their land of Rea. Runs still reset the world around you, but the people you bring into those runs grow together, and that shift in perspective is what makes this one worth a closer look. This Android action RPG mixes roguelite progression with a story, and it costs $6.49.

The premise is dressed up in 2D pixel art that mixes handcrafted animation with modern lighting, so the dungeons and caves carry a moodier atmosphere than the genre's usual flat look. The developer frames the story as a distant-land fantasy that still leans on familiar emotions: love, hope, uncertainty, loss, and the sacrifices people make for the ones they love. I like that framing because it gives the hacking and slashing something to hang on.

This is best suited to players who want a narrative spine running through their runs, and who are happy to juggle several characters instead of mastering one. If you prefer a quick arcade loop that you can dip into for five minutes, the slower family saga and its seven-character roster ask for more commitment than that.

Hacking through Rea, one run at a time

The moment-to-moment game is a hack-and-slash affair. You cut through hordes of enemies in dungeons, caves and other lands that are procedurally generated, so the layout shifts from one attempt to the next. That structure keeps the combat loop fresh while the story beats sit between runs, and it is a familiar rhythm for anyone who has played an action roguelite before.

What sets the progression apart is that it is shared. Skills and gear improve for the whole family, not just the character who survived the last run, so progress carries across the household. I would expect that to soften the usual frustration of a bad run, because a failed attempt still leaves the group stronger in some way.

The roster is the real draw. Seven heroes can be played, and each one has a distinct set of skills, a distinct fighting approach and a distinct personality; you move between them as the campaign goes on. That variety gives you room to find the playstyle that clicks, and it keeps the combat from settling into a single pattern over a long campaign.

The family grows, and so does the fight

Progression is tied to the family rather than to a single save slot's hero, which is the mechanic that gives the roguelite loop its shape here. Each run through the ever-changing world feeds improvements back into the group, so the Bergsons as a unit become more capable the more you play. The developer's pitch is that you honor the family's heritage and save Rea from the creeping Corruption, and the upgrade system is built around that idea.

The Complete Edition label counts for something: the Ancient Spirits and Paws and Claws expansions ship with the base game and unlock as you progress. Both packs are included in the main game, which is a cleaner arrangement than buying a base game and then hunting down add-ons.

A two-player online co-op option exists as well, added after launch. It lets you and a partner rely on each other in every fight, so the family theme carries over into multiplayer. For players who like to share a campaign, that is a meaningful addition rather than a throwaway extra.

What the mobile version changes

Playdigious has rebuilt the interface for touch, with a mobile-specific UI and complete touch controls rather than a straight port of a desktop layout. That matters for a hack-and-slash, where the controls carry most of the feel, and it is the kind of work that decides whether an action RPG is pleasant or clumsy on a phone.

Controller support is included as well, which gives you an alternative if touch input does not suit your hands. Cloud save is in the mix too, so progress can be shared between Android devices, and Google Play Games achievements are supported for anyone who likes a record of what they have done.

The recent update is described as an important security fix, which is a small but welcome sign that the mobile build is being looked after. The game carries a Teen content rating, so it is aimed at older players rather than young children.

Price, purchases and ads

Children of Morta costs $6.49 upfront on Google Play. There are no ads in the app, so nothing interrupts a run.

In-app purchases are offered, so I would treat the $6.49 as the entry cost.

The install base sits at over 100,000 with a 4.5 average from 6,238 ratings, which suggests a reasonably settled reception for a premium mobile port. It is not the kind of number a free-to-play giant posts, but for a paid action RPG it reads as healthy.

Who this family saga is built for

The clearest fit is someone who wants a roguelite with a story worth following, and who is willing to spend time with a cast rather than a single avatar. The seven-character roster and the shared upgrade system reward players who like to experiment with different fighting styles and see how a group evolves over a long campaign.

It also suits players who prefer paying once upfront rather than playing a free title supported by advertising. The included DLC makes that price easier to justify for anyone who would otherwise buy the expansions separately.

Co-op players have a reason to look here too, given the two-player online mode, and controller support gives an option for those who find touch controls awkward. On the other side, someone who wants a short, repeatable arcade fix rather than a narrative campaign will find the pacing and the family drama slower than they might like.

The Teen rating and the themes of loss and sacrifice point to an older audience, so it is not pitched at younger players. If you want a light, breezy action game, the tone here is heavier than that.

A premium roguelite worth the family reunion

Children of Morta makes a strong case for itself as a premium mobile action RPG. The family-of-heroes hook is genuinely different from the usual lone-protagonist roguelite, the seven playable characters give the combat real variety, and the shared progression means even a failed run contributes to something. The included DLC, cloud saves, achievements and controller support round out a package that feels considered rather than rushed.

The $6.49 price is fair for what the developer describes. The presence of in-app purchases is the one thing a buyer should note going in.

I would recommend this to players who want a story-driven hack-and-slash with roguelite structure and are happy to invest in a long campaign with a cast of characters. It is a considered pick for that audience, and the 4.5 average from a sizable rating pool suggests others have felt the same way.

What's new in version 1.1.4

Important security fix to address.