Hades may be the first game that comes to mind when emotional family stories meet roguelike action, but Children of Morta offers a distinctive alternative. Dead Mage’s dark fantasy adventure puts an entire family of heroes at the centre of its story, with co-op combat and character-driven progression working together.
A family bound to a corrupted mountain
Dead Mage secured funding for Children of Morta in 2015. The game entered early access in 2019 and stayed there until 2020. Its success encouraged the studio to expand the playable roster and add more build items than originally planned.
The story follows the Bergson family, guardians of a mountain now overwhelmed by corruption. Even the deity responsible for protecting it has been affected. Each member of the clan ventures into the mountain to uncover the source of the crisis, returning home after failed attempts and preparing to try again with a different approach.
That structure gives the adventure two connected sides. On the battlefield, the Bergsons fight through dangerous encounters. At home, they deal with the difficulties of staying together. Their personal mistakes and family tensions matter, but so does the support they provide one another.
Every Bergson fights differently
You rotate between members of the nuclear family, including John, the father and warrior; Linda, the archer and mother; and Lucy, the youngest member and a powerful mage. More characters become available later. Their family roles are reflected in combat, so changing heroes also changes how you approach the mountain.
John is built around protection. He can shield his relatives and dispatch enemies quickly, although he is not the strongest damage dealer. Lucy brings a much louder style to the fight, using magic capable of filling the battlefield with fire and wind. Her strength is balanced by her vulnerability: she is still a child facing hordes of hellspawn.
Co-op teamwork, solo flexibility
Children of Morta is particularly well suited to co-op, because players can cover the weaknesses of their chosen characters. Its broad customisation system also makes solo play viable, allowing one player to experiment with different heroes, skills and builds.
There is no guaranteed perfect route. Procedurally generated maps and random item placement ensure that each attempt asks you to adapt. You choose which skills to improve, then make the most of whatever equipment and opportunities appear during the run. Success often comes from testing unfamiliar combinations and surviving with limited resources.
For advice on choosing hardware for shared gaming spaces, explore RETROCADE’s Arcade Machine Buying Guide and browse the wider range of arcade machines.
Progress that reveals more than upgrades
Defeat still has value. Reaching further into the mountain unlocks more of the Bergsons’ shared history and individual stories back at home. Conversations between missions reveal how the family members understand one another and why their relationships are complicated.
The writing can move from light domestic exchanges to heavier subjects, including family trauma, generational conflict and the pecking order between siblings. Those themes are treated with care, giving the action a stronger emotional foundation than a standard run-based dungeon crawler.
Where to play Children of Morta
Children of Morta is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC and Xbox Series X. For more arcade and gaming coverage, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog, or explore compact bartop arcades for a smaller home setup.
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