In true roguelike fashion, Children of Morta tosses you into its cruel world with very little in the way of power. I wanted to see them succeed, so I pushed myself harder to ensure they completed their mission, as corny as that probably sounds. Getting wrapped up in my emotions while playing a roguelike caught me by surprise - the ones I’ve spent time with essentially drop me into a world and say, “Who cares who you’re playing? Just kill something, will you?” And while there’s nothing wrong with that approach, having an emotional anchor only added to the weight of the Bergsons’ dilemma. Even something as simple as rescuing a wolf cub from monsters and then nursing it back to health (via the game’s wonderful side quest system) seems vital to the narrative. Every family member has a deep, involving story - even those you won’t directly control - and each of these micro-tales feels weighty and crucial to the overall arch. However, Morta shakes things up by letting you get to know the characters you’ll handle throughout your adventure. It also lays the groundwork for some emotional, heart-tugging moments. Soon, however, more family members get in on the act, which is definitely a positive - the Corruption means business, and you’ll need all the help you can get along the way. Thankfully, the Bergsons have taken it upon themselves to tackle this seemingly thankless challenge, starting with the family patriarch. In Morta’s case, it’s the Corruption (with a capital “C”) that casts a dark shadow across the land. In short, you select a hero, work your way through some dungeons, slay a colorful and diverse assortment of creatures and monsters, and eventually put an end to whatever hideous thing lurks at the center of this crisis. Storywise, Children of Morta doesn’t do anything too outside the norm for a game set in a fantasy world. Again, it’s not something I thought I’d ever want from a roguelike, but it definitely added some weight to this quest to exterminate an ancient merciless evil. As the story progresses, you learn more about their struggle to bring peace back to the world, including the parental stress that comes with bringing children into the fray. Morta, on the other hand, allows you to rid the world of a terrible menace while getting to know the Bergsons, a normal family with normal family problems - minus that whole “save the world” thing. Sure, The Binding of Isaac sows a pretty dreary yarn rooted in trauma, but it never truly resonates in any realistic ways. Developer Dead Mage’s amazing roguelike fantasy hack-and-slash Children of Morta adds something I really didn’t know I needed from this genre: an emotional, family-oriented story.